Operating Support

Operating Support is a pilot grant program that takes the place of the Arts Board’s previous Institutional Support and Institutional Presenter Support grant programs. It provides general operating support to high quality, established arts organizations that produce, present, or exhibit works of art; to organizations that provide a broad range of services to artists; and to community arts schools and conservatories that make arts learning available to Minnesotans of all ages and abilities.

This program recognizes that organizations with an established record of programmatic service and administrative stability should have access to funds to support their organizational goals and objectives, rather than specific projects.

Operating Support funding enables qualifying organizations to maintain their ongoing programs, services, and facilities without special emphasis on new initiatives as justification for funding.

FY 2013 and beyond

Important note: The transition from the previous two-year grant cycle that was used in Institutional Support or Institutional Presenter Support grant programs to the new four-year grant cycle for Operating Support will take a period of years to implement fully. The transition is being accomplished through the following steps:

Step 1: In the fiscal year 2012 grant round, the Arts Board assigned previous Institutional Support, Institutional Presenter Support, and Community Arts Schools and Conservatories grantees to one of two groups. Group assignments were principally done by random selection. However, some intentional assignments were made to balance different budget sizes, disciplines, and organization types in each group.

Step 2: Organizations in the first of the two groups submitted full applications during the fiscal year 2012 grant round. Successful applicants were awarded either a two- or a three-year grant. These grantees will be required to submit an interim application for fiscal year 2013.

Step 3: Organizations in the second of the two groups, that completed interim applications for fiscal year 2012, as well as new applicants, are expected to submit full applications for fiscal year 2013.

Once the transition has been fully implemented, at the end of fiscal year 2013, approximately one quarter of all organizations will submit a full application and receive an advisory panel review each year. The other three-quarters of grantees will submit interim applications and receive internal staff reviews in each of the three interim years.

Grant amount

Varies

Operating Support grants include two components: formula funds award and merit funds award. The amount of the formula funds award will vary, depending on the overall number of grantees and the total dollars available for this program. The amount of the formula funds award will be based on the organization’s operating budget, averaged over fiscal years 2009 and 2010.

The merit funds award will be determined by the advisory review panel. Applicants whose performance in one or more of the five criteria areas exceeds program expectations will be eligible to receive a merit funds award. The merit funds award will not be greater than 10 percent of the organization’s operating budget, averaged over fiscal years 2009 and 2010.

Deadline

see calendar page

Information session materials

Presentation materials from the information sessions are available for download:

• Update presentation (PDF)
• Financial presentation (PDF)

If you have questions or need assistance

If you have questions about the content or narrative of your application, please contact:
Amy Frimpong, Senior program officer
amy.frimpong@arts.state.mn.us
(651) 215-1607

If you have questions about the budget, budget detail, or required financial documents, please contact:
Dave White, Director, finance and grants administration
david.white@arts.state.mn.us
(651) 215-1622

If you have questions about the technical aspects of the application forms, please contact:
Kim Hocker, Information systems administrator
kimberly.hocker@arts.state.mn.us
(651) 215-1616

If you have questions about electronic submission, please contact:
Sean Kelly, Webmaster
webmaster@arts.state.mn.us
(651) 215-1606

If you are calling from outside the metro area, all Arts Board staff members may also be reached toll-free at (800) 866-2787.

Application materials (for both full and interim applicants)

• FY 2013 Operating Support program overview and application instructions
  Potential applicants should read this document thoroughly before beginning the application form.
• FY 2013 Operating Support program application form
  This is an Excel workbook composed of six Excel worksheets. Five of the six worksheets are locked and cannot be altered or deleted; only Worksheet 3 can be altered.
  
  If more than one person will work on the application, ensure that each person is working in the same copy of the document. You will not be able to separate and reassemble the worksheets in the application form or merge a single worksheet from another copy into your primary copy.