NEA Guidelines Posted

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If you haven’t done so already, drop whatever you’re doing and head to the National Endowment of the Arts’ (NEA) website and read about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5 grant guidelines. According to that information, the application deadline is no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 2, 2009. It is wonderful to see such a broad based program description but there are a few requirements applicants should notice…

When it comes to putting together your Recovery Act grant application run, don't walk.
Get moving, the Recovery Act grant application deadline is just under a month away.

One such requirement is eligible applicants must have received a NEA award within the past four years. This is the only component within an otherwise wonderful program that can be considered remotely disappointing as it limits the pool of eligible applicants to those already supported by the NEA in recent years. As for when the funds will be distributed, the NEA website states that project support may start as soon as July 1, 2009 and can last up to one year.

As a consultant, I can say that since last fall, some clients have had to modify the scope of services or cancel projects altogether due to the economic downturn. Fortunately, the NEA’s guidelines couldn’t have been better designed to potentially restore or enhance those projects and I’m certain the same is true for every other organization out there. Consequently, I’m not only encouraging all of my clients to apply for a Recovery Act grant but I would encourage any performing arts organization interested in similar opportunities to do so as soon as possible.

To that end, I am happy to offer whatever assistance I can to help your organization complete a grant application and explore options for grant opportunities (regardless if they include my services or not). Although you’re likely familiar with Adaptistration to some degree, you may not know as much about my professional services. As such, you can visit my consulting website to learn more and feel free to get in touch to discuss your options and make certain your organization has an equal opportunity to benefit from the Recovery Act.

About Drew McManus

"I hear that every time you show up to work with an orchestra, people get fired." Those were the first words out of an executive's mouth after her board chair introduced us. That executive is now a dear colleague and friend but the day that consulting contract began with her orchestra, she was convinced I was a hatchet-man brought in by the board to clean house.

I understand where the trepidation comes from as a great deal of my consulting and technology provider work for arts organizations involves due diligence, separating fact from fiction, interpreting spin, as well as performance review and oversight. So yes, sometimes that work results in one or two individuals "aggressively embracing career change" but far more often than not, it reinforces and clarifies exactly what works and why.

In short, it doesn't matter if you know where all the bodies are buried if you can't keep your own clients out of the ground, and I'm fortunate enough to say that for more than 15 years, I've done exactly that for groups of all budget size from Qatar to Kathmandu.

For fun, I write a daily blog about the orchestra business, provide a platform for arts insiders to speak their mind, keep track of what people in this business get paid, help write a satirical cartoon about orchestra life, hack the arts, and love a good coffee drink.

View all posts by Drew McManus | Website

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