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For information about all of ORBI's current grant programs, please go to the ORBI News page. Will the ORBI grant program help? It depends. You should be aware of some facts about all grant programs:
The only thing that changes from grant cycle to grant cycle is the quantity and quality of applications. Your project may be funded this year, but the same project may fail next year because the quality of applicants next year may be higher. This has happened in the ORBI grant program. The program didn't change. The applicants did. Because funders are looking for specific kinds of projects, you must do your homework. If a funder offers information and help, take full advantage of what the funder has to offer. In the ORBI grant program, we offer one-on-one assistance. In the 1999 program, there were 24 applicants, but only 5 of them contacted the Project Director for assistance before the applicant deadline. Only 2 of those called far enough in advance to receive help in planning and developing their projects. If you don't know what the funder wants, you cannot produce a good application. After you do your homework, you must produce a clear, succinct, and complete, description of your project within the limits of the application. The grant panel cannot evaluate a project unless it knows:
So:
Here are some observations and comments from the Project Director on the 2007 applications: Observation: The number of applications
was up significantly in 2007, and the quality of most applications was
very high.. Comment: This year, the ORBI grant panel decided to fund 15 projects, more than ORBI has ever funded in one year. Panelists decided that all of these projects deserved some funding. In some cases, they significantly reduced grant awards from what was requested. In some of these cases, they focused on funding only that part of a applicant's project that they felt was the strongest or best fit ORBI's mission. In one case, the panel did not fund a very strong program that has been funded every year in the past to free up funding for other projects. The panel felt that this large organization with strong sources of alternate funding, could get by for a year without ORBI funding. These decisions are very difficult, but ORBI's grant panels always try to decide based on sound reasoning.Observation: Two applicants this year have not been successful in the past, but were successful this year. Both organizations sent me drafts of their applications and attended past grant panel meetings to improve their understanding of the ORBI grants process. Comment: Sending the Project Director a draft of your application and getting suggestions before you submit your final application will pay off. Attending the grant panel meeting and seeing how the panelists make their decisions is the best grant proposal writing education you can give yourself. Persistence pays off. A number of applicants stop applying after their first unsuccessful attempt at the ORBI grant process. This a mistake. A grant program is not a lottery where the lucky ones win. It is a learning process that may take several tries to be successfulObservation: One unsuccessful applicant spent the entire application describing what a wonderful organization it was and what wonderful programs it presented, but did not provide any information about its audience or its impact in the region. Comment: ORBI grant panelists are primarily interested in the impact of your project on the people who live in the ORBI region. Artistic and organization quality are important, and our panelists have to see clear evidence of them, but ORBI is a state-funded program and our focus is on what applicants do for their communities. In your application, you need to clearly document how your programs affect the lives of the people in your area. Our panelists want to see how people you touch feel about what you do. Telling that story should be the major focus of your applicantion.Observation: Two projects, both funded for the first time, involved traditional storytelling. Comment:
This was the first time ORBI has funded projects focused primarily on
storytelling in our annual grant program. Several panelists
commented that they strongly supported this traditional art form and
were glad that they were able to fund these projects.
Here are some observations and comments from the Project Director on the 2006 applications: Observation: The number of applicants
for the grant program was down significantly from past years, although
the quality of this year's applications was high. Comment: Several successful applicants from past years are no longer applying to ORBI for funding. If you are considering applying to ORBI for funding, this might be a very opportune time to do so. In the past, we have had as many as 25 applications for about 11 grants. The recent trends have created a much less competitive applicant pool, at least in terms of the number of applications. The quality of applications remains high, so if you are a first time applicant, you should definitely take advantage of the ORBI Project Director's offer to read drafts of applications and to assist with project planning early in your project development process.Observation: One applicant listed one organization as the applicant, another as the main group responsible for the project, and submitted financial reports from a third agency in support materials. You must be crystal clear about what organization is responsible for the completion of your project. Comment: Accountability is very high on the ORBI grant panel's list of priorities. The ORBI grant program is unique among state grant programs because you do not have to be a tax exempt charitable organization to apply for ORBI funding. Public schools, government agencies, private schools and private businesses may apply for ORBI grants, but our grant panel must know who is responsible for your project. If you are awarded a grant, ORBI executes a contract with the applicant before any grant funding is released. The entity that joins in that contract is legally responsible for carrying out the project as described in your application. Our grant panel must have a clear idea of who that legally responsible party is and what their role will be in the project.Observation: We received an application for a project to fund a juried art exhibit that would be on display at a Fourth of July event. The focus of the project was on the art exhibit and awards. Comment: One panelist pointed out that this project was very worthwhile, but she felt the event's organizers were missing out on a real opportunity. She noted that while the artist competition was clearly the focus of the event year after year, the exhibit's organizers were ignoring the potential that the exhibit's viewers and public audience provided. The panelist suggested a number of innovations such as local master classes by exhibit artists, children's activities at the exhibit itself and inclusion of community groups in special exhibit events. Remember that "active involvement" is another high priority for ORBI panelists when you plan your project.Observation: Several applicants identified partner organizations in their applications but did not provide commitment letters from those partners to show that the partner had agreed to participate. Comment: Documentation is important with your application. This does not mean that we want to see lots of paper. ORBI panelists want to see clear evidence of assertions you make in the application about your partners and other important aspects of your project. These assertions should be documented with a simple letter of commitment from an authorized representative of the partner. The letter should state that the partner is committed to the project and should also briefly state what the partner is committed to doing as part of your project. The letter of commitment should also contain a brief statement describing the partner and explaining why the partner has decided to participate in the project. The letter should be short and to the point. You should be able to say it all in three paragraphs at the most.Back to top of page Comments on 2005 Grant Applications Observation: Panelists noted that one
application appeared to have been copied over from the year before with
only minor changes. Because it appeared that this applicant was
not doing a very thorough evaluation and improvement of the program
from year to year, this project was almost not funded at all, although
it was a very strong project and had been funded reliably in the past. Comment: A well-executed evaluation and clear commitment to improvement from year to year are vital to having a successful ORBI grant application. Unlike many grant programs, ORBI allows applicants to apply year after year for the same project. Applicants do not have to jump through hoops to demonstrate that their project is new or innovative. The project just has to be a good one. Returning applicants have an advantage in that they have a clear track record for their project. On the other hand, ORBI panelists look closely at returning applicants' evaluation process and want to see evidence that the applicant is taking steps every year to improve the project. Don't become complacent just because you are successful several years in a row.Observation: One applicant realized that she was not likely to be funded this year, because her project was not developed well enough. She decided to apply anyway with what she had so that she could attend the grant panel meeting and hear panelists' comments on the project and the application. She is committed to applying next year with a much stronger application. Comment: Attending the ORBI grant panel meeting is the cheapest grant proposal-writing workshop on the market. ORBI panelists are all experienced proposal writers themselves and panelists all offer constructive comments and suggestions as they review each application. By attending the panel meeting, you will also get a sense of the other applicants and the wide range of projects that we fund. You can learn about your competition.Observation: We received two applications, including one for a project that was funded last year, that had significant budget omissions or other major problems. Panelists have to downgrade applications if vital information is missing from an application. Comment: The project director will read draft applications and offer comments by phone or email for all applicants. We cannot guarantee that your draft can be read if you send it less than two weeks before the application deadline. Don't wait until the last minute. Send your draft to the project director to read before you submit your final draft. Simple mistakes or misunderstandings could cost you your grant funding.Observation: Several applicants stated in their applications that they were the "only" source of their particular type of project in a particular geographic region. In almost all cases, two or more panelists knew that these statements were not correct. Comment: Although it seems as though it would make your application more competitive to say that your program is unique, this strategy can also backfire. ORBI's panelists are all experienced in the local arts scene in the ORBI region. In some cases, they may know more about regional offerings than the people writing grant applications. If your statement is not correct, you actually hurt your cause, because it is clear that you have not done your homework. ORBI panelists are all concerned that applicants will be making the most effective use of ORBI money. If an applicant is ignoring several other potential partners who could significantly improve the impact of his or her program, panelists are concerned that this applicant may not spend ORBI funds in the best way possible. If your program really is unique, then say so, but you should be absolutely sure before you make this statement in an ORBI grant application. 2005 ORBI Grant Awards
*denotes first time applicants What were the 2004 grant applications like? Observation: One applicant retyped the
ORBI application form and omitted an entire page from its application. Comment: We recognize that it is very inconvenient to fill in a printed grant application on a typewriter. That is why ORBI makes its application form, which you can complete on your computer, available from this Web site in Adobe Acrobat format. The application guidelines state clearly that ORBI will only accept applications on the printed paper form or on the on-line form downloaded from the ORBI Web site. For convenience some applicants try to retype the form into a work processing document while trying to preserve the spacing and fonts of the original form. In addiiton to violating the application guidelines, the practice of retyping the form leaves open the possibility that you will leave out a part of the form by mistake. This is what happened to one group this year, and the panel refused to review the application because it was incomplete.Observation: One applicant applied to ORBI for a large tent for use in one of its annual outdoor events. Comment: ORBI grant guidelines clearly state that our grant program is designed to fund programs and project costs, not large capital investments. Acording to accounting rules, a capital investment is any expenditure for an item or equipment that will last more than one year. ORBI guidelines do allow you to use ORBI grant money to make small equipment purchases of up to $500 to support specific project activities.Observation: This year, three first time applicants, one quarter of this year's grant recipients, were funded. Comment: Every one of these applicants had extensive conversations with the project director concerning their applications. Two of the three sent draft applications to the project director for comments. All first time applciants should follow their example. The project director will read draft applications and offer comments by phone or email for all applicants. We cannot guarantee that your draft can be read if you send it less than two weeks before the application deadline. Back to top of page
Back to top of page What were the 2003 grant applications like? Observation: We had two applications
that focused primarily on direct assistance to specific craftspeople
with purchasing supplies or setting up a Web site. Comment: ORBI's annual grant program is designed to help artists and arts organizations fund community arts projects. Projects that directly benefit artists without a broad community impact will not do well in our annual grant program. These kinds of projects are generally designated as "professional development" by state arts agencies. This means that the state agencies see these projects as furthering the professional growth of individual artists or craftspeople. Both Ohio and West Virginia have excellent professional development grant programs. ORBI also has the Artist Fast Track program designed to provide small amounts (up to $500) of professional development funding on short notice for such things as workshop fees, exhibit supplies and conference expenses.Observation: Be sure that your project is based on active involvement by artists, communities or organizations on both sides of the Ohio/West Virginia border. Comment: We received several applications that did not have strong participation from the other side of the border. Usually, just publicizing a program on the other side of the river will not be enough participation to be successful in the ORBI grant program. The connection across the border must be clear, and you should provide strong evidence that your partners have an active role in your project.Observation: For the second year in a row an organization that had failed to receive ORBI funding in the past succeeded in this year's grant program. Comment: Persistence is rewarded in the ORBI grant program, if you learn from your past mistakes and choose the right project. ORBI's requirement that you actively involve artists and communities from both sides of the Ohio River limits the kinds of projects that will get ORBI grant awards. Don't try to fit a square peg in a round hole. If you don't have a suitable project this year, keep your eyes and ears open for just the right project that fits with ORBI's requirements. Don't hesitate to contact the Project Director about a project you have in mind. He can often give you guidence on whether your project will be competitive.Observation: ORBI received 18 applications this year and funded 14 of them. Comment: The good news was that 14 of 18 applicants were funded this year. The bad news is that we funded so many projects that almost every grant amount was reduced from what applicants requested. The overall quality of applications this year was very high. This year's panelists were committed to funding 14 proposals, more than in any previous year. While we budgeted $1,000 more for grants this year than in past years, we were forced to reduce most grant requests. In the final discussion about how much to award each grantee, grant panelists look carefully at project budgets and project plans. In this process, groups that simply apply for ORBI's maximum $3,000 grant face a greater likelihood of cuts than do groups that show a clear rationale for a specific requested amount.Back to top of page 2003 ORBI Grant Awards
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