proposals (guidance and allowable costs)

New creative programs/projects: Creation of new work by an individual artist or collection of individual artists. Note: If a collection of artists choose to collaborate on a project, they will need to designate a lead artist, who is responsible for submitting the application. All other artists will be considered “creative partners”. 

Expansions/New realizations of existing programs and services: Collaboration between one or more arts/non-arts entities to expand or enrich existing programs and services.

Exchange of Creative Services: Collaboration between one or more arts/non-arts entities to provide access to existing programs/services.

ALL projects should be focused on community engagement, empowerment, education, and/or wellness. They should have tangible goals and realistic, measurable outcomes. Work produced should include more than a physical product, but also produce new learning, discourse, and/or inspire consequent production. 

Examples: 

• Professional development for arts educators, child-care specialists, or mental health practitioners 
• Educational programming for children and students 
• Therapeutic services or team-building activities through the arts 
• Creation of public art
• Classes and workshops
• Collaboration between one or more arts/non-arts entities to provide access to existing programs/services (EX. Lease of facilities for performances/presentations/displays free of charge, access to recording space/equipment for after school music program…etc.)
• Public performances or public art displays (concerts, murals, pop-up galleries, school art shows) 
• Internship/mentorship/artist in residency as long as these contracts produce tangible outcomes
• Cohorts designed to produce new work or further and share knowledge of their field/discipline

The only materials that can be included in the proposal budget are those necessary to award activities, health and safety equipment, or related to marketing and promotional efforts. All other materials must be purchased with other funds. You should clearly indicate which materials will be supported by NEA funds in the budget form within the application.

For a complete list of allowable and unallowable costs, click here.

Note: No "for profit" activities can be funded, however the award amount request should reflect adequate compensation for your time and services. According to NEA guidelines, you may keep property (including commissioned, purchased, or fabricated art work(s) and equipment approved under the grant award) without further obligation to the Federal government or Northwest CT Arts Council, provided that it will be used for similar activities. One example of similar activity is selling the art work to another museum or visual art center with the intention that it will be available to the public. It may not be sold to a private collector where it would no longer be on view to the public.

Note: The budget cannot include overlapping project costs with any other direct Federal grant including awards made directly by the National Endowment for the Arts or another Federal Agency (e.g., NEH, HUD, SBA, etc.) per 2 CFR §200.306 and Arts Endowment's Legislation.