NEA Art Works Creativity Connects Projects, FY2017 | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the NEA Art Works Creativity Connects Projects (FY2017) grant opportunity?

This was a discretionary National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) program designed to fund partnership-based projects that link arts organizations with organizations outside the arts. The core purpose was to highlight the role of the arts in the broader national "creativity ecosystem" by examining how arts support systems are evolving, showing how the arts intersect with other parts of society and the economy, and investing in new, field-building approaches that can generate fresh ideas and models for the arts sector.

What was the central goal of the Creativity Connects initiative?

The central goal was to elevate and test cross-sector collaborations that demonstrate how the arts connect to other industries and community systems, while also building stronger long-term infrastructure for the arts field. The initiative emphasized projects that create new relationships, reach new constituencies, and expand the set of stakeholders invested in arts-driven outcomes.

Was this opportunity focused on partnerships?

Yes. A defining feature of this opportunity was cross-sector collaboration. While the official applicant had to be an arts organization, the proposed project needed to be built as a partnership with a non-arts entity.

Who had to be the official applicant?

The official applicant for this specific Creativity Connects Art Works pilot had to be an arts organization, even though the project itself had to be developed in partnership with a non-arts organization.

Did the project require a non-arts partner?

Yes. The project needed to be structured as a partnership with an entity outside the arts sector. The intent was to support genuine collaboration rather than simply adding an arts element to another program.

What kinds of non-arts partners were encouraged?

The NEA specifically pointed to potential partner sectors such as business, education, environment, faith, finance, food, health, law, science, and technology. Other non-arts fields were also possible based on the program description.

What did the NEA mean by a "genuine collaboration"?

Based on the opportunity description, a genuine collaboration meant the arts organization and non-arts partner both benefit, the partnership advances shared objectives, and the project is jointly shaped around common goals rather than functioning as a one-sided add-on.

What kinds of outcomes was the program trying to support?

The opportunity sought projects that could deliver value by (1) demonstrating the value of working with the arts to audiences and industries that may not traditionally engage with arts organizations, (2) strengthening infrastructure such as systems, capacities, and networks that help arts organizations work differently and more effectively with new sectors over time, (3) building bridges by creating new relationships and reaching new constituencies, and (4) encouraging innovative partnership approaches that produce outcomes meaningful to both the arts and the partner field.

What does "strengthening infrastructure" mean in this context?

In this program description, strengthening infrastructure referred to improving the systems, capacities, and networks that enable arts organizations to collaborate with new sectors more effectively over time.

What does "bridge-building" mean for Creativity Connects projects?

Bridge-building was described as creating new relationships, reaching new constituencies, and expanding the set of stakeholders invested in arts-driven outcomes.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling for this opportunity was $100,000.

When could funded project activities begin?

Funded project activity supported by the NEA could begin on or after January 1, 2017.

How long could the period of performance be?

The typical period of performance could be up to two years.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on December 15, 2015 (and created the same day).

What was the application deadline?

The application deadline was March 3, 2016. The original closing date and the current closing date were the same.

How many applications could an organization submit under this opportunity?

Each organization could submit only one application under this grant opportunity.

What types of applicants were listed as eligible in the source data?

The source data reflected a broad range of applicant types commonly allowed under NEA programs, including state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments; 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than higher education institutions; and private institutions of higher education.

Does the eligibility list mean any of those entities could apply directly?

The source data listed multiple eligible applicant categories, but the program description added an important practical restriction: the official applicant for this specific Creativity Connects opportunity had to be an arts organization.

What was the funding instrument type?

The funding instrument type was a grant.

What activity category was associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity was associated with the Arts activity category, and it was noted as Cultural Affairs in the CFDA context.

What CFDA number was associated with this funding?

The CFDA listing associated with this funding was 45.024.