NEA Challenge America Fast-Track, FY 2012

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An organization may submit only one application through one of the following FY 2012 Grants for Arts Projects categories: Art Works or Challenge America Fast-Track. The Arts Endowment's support of a project may start on or after January 1, 2012. Introduction The Challenge America Fast-Track category offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations -- those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Age alone (e.g., youth, seniors) does not qualify a group as underserved; at least one of the underserved characteristics noted above also must be present. Grants are available for professional arts programming and for projects that emphasize the potential of the arts in community development. This category encourages and supports the following two outcomes:  Engagement: Public engagement with diverse and excellent art.  Livability: The strengthening of communities through the arts. Applicants will be asked to select the outcome that is most relevant to their project (they also will be able to select a secondary outcome). When making selections, applicants should identify the outcome(s) that reflect the results expected to be achieved by their project. If a grant is received, grantees also will be asked to provide evidence of those results. Challenge America Fast-Track grants: • Extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations. • Are limited to the specific types of projects outlined below. • Are for $10,000 each. • Receive an expedited application review. Organizations are notified whether they have been recommended for a grant approximately six months after they apply; projects may start shortly thereafter. Partnerships can be valuable to the success of these projects. While not required, applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships among organizations, both in and outside of the arts, as appropriate to their project. To ensure that Challenge America Fast-Track funding reaches new organizations and communities, the NEA has implemented a policy to limit consecutive-year funding. Starting with grants that were awarded in FY 2011 (as indicated by a grant letter dated on or after October 1, 2010, and a grant number beginning with "11 - 78"), an organization that receives Challenge America Fast-Track grants for three years in a row is not eligible to apply to the Fast-Track category for the following one-year period. Therefore, an organization that has received grants in FY 2009, 2010, and 2011 may not apply under these FY 2012 guidelines. That organization may apply for FY 2012 support under other Arts Endowment funding opportunities including Art Works. The organization would be able to apply to the Challenge America Fast-Track category again in FY 2013.

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