policy and advocacy

Two Federal Funding Opportunities for Arts Organizations and Municipalities Announced

On July 7, 2010, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) held a joint webinar and announced two new funding opportunities for the arts community. NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman has been spearheading negotiations with multiple federal agencies to broaden their grant guidelines to include components for arts and culture. Local arts agencies are encouraged to work with their city and county governments to apply for these new funding opportunities to create more livable communities through the arts. The two new opportunities are the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant and a combination of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program and the Sustainable Community Challenge Grant program.

The webinar covered both new funding opportunities, highlighting where nonprofit arts groups can participate. Access the full PowerPoint now, and check back at www.hud.gov/webcasts in the coming days for the full webinar. Additionally, you can read HUD’s press release.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant

The Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant (SCRPG) is run by HUD and will be granting $100 million to eligible government municipalities and organizations. Read the full program guidelines. The application deadline is August 23, 2010. 

This program aims to create stronger, more sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation, and building a clean energy economy. The program will provide grants to applicants who seek to simultaneously empower jurisdictions to consider the interdependent challenges to economic growth and revitalization, social equity, access to opportunity, public health, and environmental impact.

These grants will be awarded competitively to multijurisdictional and multisector partnerships as well as regional consortia consisting of state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic organizations. The program places a priority on partnerships, including nontraditional partnerships including arts and culture, philanthropy, and bringing new voices to the regional planning process.

There are two grant categories: Category I includes regional plans in areas where such plans do not exist. Category II allows implementation of sustainable regional plans or activities to strengthen elements of existing plans.

Successful applications should identify housing, transportation, economic development, land use, environmental, energy, green space and water infrastructure needs and priorities in a region. There should be a clearly defined single integrated plan for regional growth and/or reinvestment over a minimum of 20 years.

It was emphasized that a consortium is required to include at least one nonprofit, educational, or philanthropic group that targets a diverse population group in their bid in order for it to be successful. This is where nonprofit arts groups can participate. During the question and answer section of the webinar, it was asked if nonprofit arts groups can be the lead applicant. The HUD representative answered yes, but it has to have the capacity to implement the grant on a regional basis and form its own coalition.

Eligibility:
In addition to government municipalities, eligible applications can be nonprofit or educational institutions within the region that have the capacity and ability to work in partnership with the units of government comprising a consortium to advance the sustainable communities grant objectives.

For large metropolitan areas over 500,000 in population, the grants range from a minimum of $500,000–$5,000,000. For mid-sized regions (populations of 200,000–499,999), the grants range from $200,000–$2,000,000. For small regions and/or rural communities with a population of less than 200,000, the grants range from $100,000–$1,000,000.

U.S. Department of Transportation & U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department Joint Grant Program

This grant opportunity for nonprofit arts groups combines two existing programs from different federal departments. Read the full program guidelines. The pre-application deadline is July 26, 2010 and the full application deadline is August 23, 2010.

The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program (TIGER II) focuses on highways, bridges, transit, railways, ports, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The Housing and Urban Development Department’s (HUD) Sustainable Community Challenge Grants program (SCCG) concentrates on creating fiscally and environmentally sustainable communities.

Arts groups are encouraged to collaborate with their local/regional government bodies in the planning process, given that HUD's description of the type of eligible projects under the SCCG includes "promot[ing] mixed-use development...and the reuse of older buildings and structures for new purposes."

Eligibility:
State and local governments are eligible to receive funds, and one can apply for funding simultaneously from both HUD and DOT funds through a single application process. Other political subdivisions of state or local governments and multistate or multijurisdictional groups may apply through a single lead applicant. Projects that demonstrate strong collaboration among a broad range of participants and/or integration of transportation with other public service efforts will receive extra consideration.

These grants are for a 36-month period. The DOT will provide $35 million and HUD will provide $40 million to this grant program.

Livability Principles
Both of these grants are a result of the interagency collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts, the Housing and Urban Development Department, and the Department of Transportation, and these livability principles guide the joint goals of the collaboration.

1. Provide more transportation choices.
2. Expand location energy efficient housing choices.
3. Improve economic competitiveness of neighborhoods.
4. Target federal funding toward existing communities through transit-oriented development.
5. Align federal policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding, and increase effectiveness of existing programs.
6. Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities whether rural, suburban, or urban.