NEA GAP Art Works Applications, FY 2012 | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The NEA GAP Art Works Applications opportunity for FY 2012 (Funding Opportunity Number 2011NEA01AW1) was a discretionary grant program from the National Endowment for the Arts designed to fund projects that advance the NEA's central idea that "Art works" in multiple senses: as the making of art, as art that affects and inspires people, and as work that supports real jobs in the economy. Under this opportunity, an organization was limited to submitting only one application total, and it had to be submitted through one of two FY 2012 Grants for Arts Projects pathways: Art Works or Challenge America Fast Track. If funded, NEA support for the proposed project could begin on or after January 1, 2012, even though the application deadline occurred earlier.

A key feature of the program is that applicants had to frame their proposal around one primary outcome (and could also choose a secondary outcome) from four NEA outcomes: Creation, Engagement, Learning, and Livability. The choice was not just a labeling exercise; applicants were expected to pick the outcome that best matched what the project would actually accomplish, and if awarded, they would later be required to provide evidence that those expected results occurred. Each outcome area came with its own set of typical activities and its own style of reporting, with Livability having more extensive requirements than the others.

For Creation, the goal was to expand the portfolio of American art by supporting the development and production of new work across artistic disciplines and geographic locations. Examples of eligible Creation activities included commissioning, developing, and producing new works; running design competitions or planning efforts for new cultural spaces; conducting workshops and residencies where the main purpose is making new art; supporting writers and translators as they create or refine work; and experimenting with innovative methods of art making or design. The expected result for Creation projects was straightforward: new works of art. Grantees would need to show evidence of what was created. If the project would not fully result in completed works within the grant period, the NEA allowed grantees to document meaningful progress, such as artist participation and concrete work accomplished by the end of the award.

For Engagement, the emphasis shifted from making new work to ensuring that Americans experience art directly. The NEA signaled broad eligibility for public-facing activity, including exhibitions, performances, concerts, readings, film screenings, touring and outreach, restaging historically significant works, festivals and art fairs, preservation and conservation activities, heritage-focused public programs, and distribution channels such as broadcasts, recordings, and digital platforms (including live streaming, on-demand audio/video, podcasts, MP3s, and television or radio). It also included design charrettes, digital and online publications and databases, services to artists and arts organizations, and projects that extend the arts to underserved groups, defined as people whose opportunities are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Engagement reporting focused on demonstrating that the public had direct arts experiences, describing participant experiences and who participated; when that kind of documentation was not feasible, grantees could instead document participant composition, numbers served, and the engagement activities delivered.

For Learning, the program funded projects that build arts knowledge and skills for Americans of all ages, with the broader aim of strengthening lifelong participation in the arts. Supported Learning activities included lifelong learning opportunities for children, adults, or intergenerational groups; standards-based arts education for K-12; workshops and demonstrations; mentorships and apprenticeships; professional development for artists, teaching artists, teachers, and other educators; assessments and evaluations of learning; online courses and training; lectures and symposia; and the creation and distribution of teachers' guides. The expected result for Learning was measurable growth or improvement in participants' arts skills or knowledge. Reporting required grantees to describe what participants learned, who participated, the scale of participation (numbers of people and activities), and how the project facilitated learning. Projects funded through the Arts Education discipline for standards-based work carried additional accountability expectations, including specifying learning outcomes, describing assessment methods, and reporting how many participants demonstrated learning.

For Livability, the NEA targeted projects that integrate arts and design into broader strategies to strengthen communities and improve quality of life. Livability was framed broadly, covering social, civic, and cultural participation; education and employment; safety; sustainability; affordable housing; transportation access; access to public facilities; and the overall aesthetic environment. Eligible Livability efforts included planning for cultural or creative-sector growth, enhancing public spaces through design or new artworks, activating public spaces to foster interaction, cultural sustainability work that reinforces identity and sense of place, embedding artists and designers into community planning processes, and building community-based partnerships that link arts activities to livability goals. Because these projects can involve physical spaces or impacts on historic or environmental resources, the announcement flagged that certain activities may trigger compliance-related documentation under the National Environmental Policy Act and/or the National Historic Preservation Act. The NEA also noted that Livability benefits often unfold over time and may not be fully measurable during the grant period; still, grantees were expected to provide evidence of progress toward improved livability, with more demanding reporting than the other outcomes. Examples of long-term benefits the NEA associated with Livability included increases in social and civic engagement, policy or regulatory changes tied to arts or design, job or revenue growth, and shifts in migration patterns.

Across all four outcomes, the NEA strongly encouraged innovation, describing innovative projects as potentially transformative, distinctive in their approach or value, and capable of being shared, emulated, or sparking further innovation. The notice specifically required that consortium applications focus on innovative projects and demonstrate alignment with the NEA's innovation definition, emphasizing leadership and replicable impact rather than routine programming.

On the administrative side, the program offered awards ranging from a $10,000 floor to a $100,000 ceiling, and it required cost sharing or matching funds. Eligible applicants included U.S. nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (with certain conditions), units of state or local government, and federally recognized tribal governments, as well as a variety of public and private educational institutions and school districts as listed in the opportunity. The eligibility rules stressed that applicants had to meet the NEA's legal requirements (including nonprofit tax-exempt status at the time of application where applicable), apply on their own behalf without using a fiscal agent, and demonstrate a three-year history of programming prior to the deadline. Applicants also needed to be current on final reporting for any prior NEA awards. The announcement also restricted certain "friends of" or support organizations whose main role is to channel resources to an affiliated organization, especially when the affiliated organization was also applying, even if both had separate 501(c)(3) status. Standard federal registration requirements applied as well, including having a DUNS number and maintaining active Central Contractor Registration (CCR) status through the application process and, if awarded, throughout the life of the grant.

The application deadline for this FY 2012 opportunity was March 10, 2011, with the requirement that Grants.gov receive a validated and accepted submission by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on that date. The opportunity was posted January 13, 2011 and later archived April 9, 2011. Overall, the grant was structured to support high-quality arts projects nationwide while making applicants clearly articulate which public value they would deliver (creation, engagement, learning, or community livability) and then document evidence that the promised results were achieved.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Endowment for the Arts

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Arts (see Cultural Affairs in CFDA)

Next opportunity: NEA Challenge America Fast Track, FY 2012

Previous opportunity: South Dakota Conservation Innovation Grants FY11

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