General Grant Policies
- Basic Eligibility
- Actions of the General Assembly
- Acknowledgement
- Amount of Assistance
- Grant Contract
- Reporting Requirements
- Lobbying
- Ineligible Activities
The Virginia Commission for the Arts awards grants to Virginia organizations which:
- are not-for-profit and exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a), which includes the 501(c)3 designation, of the Internal Revenue code, or are units of government, or are educational institutions, or are local chapters of tax exempt national organizations;
- produce, present, or support dance, literary arts, media arts, music, theater, visual, and related arts;
- comply with Title VI, Section 601, of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which states that no person, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
- comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which state that no otherwise qualified person shall, solely by reason of his or her handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
Actions of the General Assembly
All Commission programs are subject to change, based upon action on the state budget by the Virginia General Assembly and by the Office of the Governor. The Commission recommends that applicants confirm the deadlines for the grant programs before submitting applications.
In all published material regarding the particular activity supported, acknowledgment must be made
that the activity is partially supported by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the
National Endowment for the Arts. The purpose of crediting the Virginia Commission for the Arts and
the National Endowment for the Arts is to provide citizens with an accurate picture of the broad
range of arts activities supported by their tax dollars. The logo of the Virginia Commission for the
Arts and a funding credit are available to all grantees of the Commission and are printed in cameraready
form on coated stock. The logo and funding credit may also be downloaded from the
Commission web site (www.arts.virginia.gov). This acknowledgment should be included in
programs, print and online newsletters, educational materials, brochures, news releases, web sites,
catalogues, and videos.
Commission grants to any established arts organization in one year will total no more than 30 percent of that organization’s income for the previous year. Most grantees receive much less than 30 percent of their income in Commission grants.
Refer to each grant category for maximum grant amounts and matching requirements.
Low priority will be given to organizations that do not show strong efforts to seek multiple funding resources. Applicants are expected to charge a reasonable fee when appropriate rather than offer free events.
Support for an organization or project does not imply future Commission support. Application must be made each year and will be considered in relation to applications submitted by all other organizations. All Commission grants are subject to funds available.
Each grant application must be signed by an individual with the authority to act on behalf of the applicant organization. A signed application form is the applicant’s agreement to do what is described in the application and to comply with the Grant Conditions, a copy of which is attached to each application form. Applicants must attach a signed copy of the Certification of Assurances to the application and keep a copy on file.
When the Commission awards a grant, a letter is sent to the applicant with the payment schedule for that grant. Major changes in activities, personnel, or budget must be approved in advance by the Commission.
The Commission requires a final report on each grant within 30 days of the end of the grant period, or no later than June 15 for activities taking place in June. Final report forms, if required, are mailed with grant award letters.
Each grantee must maintain accurate financial records for any activity supported by Commission funds. The Commission or its authorized representative shall have access to these records. The Commission requires General Operating support grantees that have income of over $300,000 for at least two consecutive years to submit an opinioned, independent audit of their financial records every year.
No part of a Virginia Commission for the Arts grant shall be used for any activity intended to influence a member of Congress or the General Assembly to favor or oppose any legislation.
The Virginia Commission for the Arts does not fund:
- activities restricted to an organization’s membership; costs of parties, receptions, fund-raising benefits, etc.;
- activities that are primarily religious in purpose;
- college or university-based projects that are part of a required course or curriculum, or that do not involve and serve a significant non-student population;
- general operating support for historic celebrations or community promotional activities.