Technology Enhancement Grants

• Purpose
• Description
• Eligible Applicants
• Eligible Activities
• Deadlines
• Amount of Assistance
• Criteria for Evaluating Applications
• Application Review Procedure
• Application

Purpose
To build the administrative capacity of Virginia arts organizations through grants for the purchase of technology appropriate to the needs of each organization.

Description
The Commission will award grants of up to $2,500 to arts organizations for the purchase of technology hardware and software or training in the uses of technology. These organizations will be expected to provide a technology plan, as defined in the application instructions, as part of the application. These grants are intended to help organizations strengthen their administrative and artistic structures in order to provide better services for the public.

Eligible Applicants
Virginia organizations whose primary purpose is the arts (excluding units of government and educational institutions) and that meet the Basic Eligibility criteria.

The organizations must be incorporated in the state, have their headquarters and home seasons, or activities equivalent to a home season for non-producing organizations, in the state, and be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Eligible Activities

• Purchase of digital hardware, such as computers, monitors, printers, modems, scanners, video and graphic cards, digital cameras, and video editing equipment.
• Software for digital equipment
• Training in the use of digital equipment

Note: The following items are not eligible expenses under this grant category - taxes, special shipping, carrying cases, or consumables, such a paper, discs, tapes, or cartridges.

Deadlines
Applications are accepted throughout the year and will be approved at three of the four quarterly Commission meetings. Allow at least four months for the review and approval process. Please go to Applications to find out the next deadline.

Amount of Assistance
Up to $2,500, non-matching. An organization may receive only one Technology Enhancement Grant between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2011.

Criteria for Evaluating Applications

• Quality of the applicants technology planning and needs assessment
• Degree to which the proposed equipment/software/training addresses the stated needs of the applicant
• Potential impact of the equipment/software/training on the ability of the organization to serve the public
• Cost effectiveness of the proposal

Application Review Procedure

1. Applications are accepted throughout the year. Applicants should allow four months for review of the proposals.
2. The Technology Enhancement advisory panel will make recommendations on the pending applications three times a year.
3. The board of the Commission reviews the recommendations of the advisory panel and takes final action on the applications at the fall, winter, and spring meetings of the Commission. Applicants may contact the Commission staff to learn the dates of the quarterly meetings.