“GET READY GRANTS”
SPONSORED BY CERF+ AND THE MELLON FOUNDATION
Guidelines
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Grants Award Available: $500
Submit online at artsbr.org. No printed, emailed or faxed applications accepted.


PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Get Ready Grants (GRG) help to expand the CERF+ Artist Readiness Program (CARP), which strengthens the vitality and sustainability of individuals who endeavor to create and innovate within the state of Louisiana. This program supports individual artists with $500 grants to conduct activities that will help safeguard their students, protect their careers, and prepare for emergencies. The Arts Council administers GRG throughout the state of Louisiana on behalf of the CERF+ and the program is funded by the Mellon Foundation.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS MUST

• Be an artist working in a visual, performance, or craft discipline
• Have been residing and working in Louisiana for the last two years

PROJECTS WE FUND

• Tutorials or training in e-commerce 
• Professional photography of their craft portfolio 
• Employing the services of website designers
• Short-term support for childcare to allow studio work time 
• Installing equipment for safely working with studio staff and/or students 
• Documentation and archiving 
• Inventory software
• Business planning for continuity and contingencies 
• Creating secure business record-keeping systems 
• Safety equipment 
• Upgrading studio and/or equipment to improve studio health and safety 
• Contractor consulting 
•  Purchasing safer materials and supplies 
• Emergency tools, supplies and equipment 
• Upgrading studio to reduce disaster risk 
• Contractor consulting 
• Theft protection measures 
• Legacy or estate planning 
• Financial planning services
• Documentation or digitization of artwork and/or related records
• Legal counsel 
• Enrolling in a professional development course or workshop to enhance career protection

WHAT WE DO NOT FUND
As the purpose of “Get Ready” Grant projects is to encourage artists to safeguard their studios, protect their careers and implement other safety measures, proposed projects that focus on producing artwork or enhancing the artistic capabilities of the applicant are not eligible.


CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
Applications will be evaluated to determine whether the applicant:
· Has proposed an eligible and feasible project
· Has included a budget that accounts for any additional costs
· Has included a plan for sharing their project


FUNDING AVAILABILITY
· Awards are for $500 while funds are available.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
· Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submit applications online at www.artsbr.org. No emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications will be accepted.
· Contact the Arts Council’s Philanthropy and Grants Officer, Erin Douget, for technical assistance or other questions regarding grant application procedures. The Arts Council receives a high volume of calls and emails immediately before a grant deadline. We recommend starting your application early to ensure that you can submit on time, especially if you are a first-time applicant. Call 225-344-8558 ext. 227 or email lrussell@artsbr.org for assistance.

GRANT REVIEW PROCESS
· Applications will be reviewed for eligibility and decisions will be made on a rolling basis.
· Priority will be given to eligible artists who have traditionally been underserved by the grantmaking community, including people of color and folk and traditional artists.

GRANT COMPLETION AND DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
Grant funds must be utilized to complete the proposed project within six months of the grant award. Grantees are required to document and share what they learned from accomplishing the readiness activity and its impact and report this information back to CERF+. Creative ways to share information such as videos, blog posts, and other media are encouraged and may be shared publicly as an education and outreach tool to help other artists safeguard their career. This documentation and sharing of information, along with a survey administered by the Arts Council, will serve as the grantees final report and must be submitted to the Arts Council’s Chief Programs Officer no more than 45 days after the completion of the grant funded project. For examples of documentation and sharing methods, click here.

COMPLIANCE
Grantees must agree to the following:
· Submission of a grant agreement, government issued ID, and W9 IRS form.
· Participation in preparedness education training from the CERF+ staff.
· Completion of the grant-funded project within 6 months of receiving the funds.
· Adherence to the communications and promotion guidelines.
· Submission of final report within 45 days of completion of the project, which includes follow up surveys distributed by the Arts Council and CERF+ and documentation and sharing of the funded project.
· The recipient agrees to acknowledge the grant by using the Arts Council logo, the CERF+ logo, and the following credit statement using exact working provided by the Arts Council on all printed and online promotional materials and advertisements. This project is supported by CERF+ and the Mellon Foundation through a grant administered by the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.
· The recipient agrees to assume full liability and responsibility for the conduct of the funded project and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless agencies and corporations funding the program and the Arts Council, its Board of Directors, and its employees and volunteers. The sole responsibility for projects rests with the recipient.
· The recipient must retain all accounting records and supporting documentation for three years following project completion. The Arts Council or its duly authorized representatives shall have access to any books, documents, and records maintained to account for funds expended under the terms of the grant for the purposes of making audits, examinations, excerpts, and/or transcripts.
· Recipients must comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws.


COMMUNICATION AND PROMOTION GUIDELINES
Social Media Channels
Facebook: CERFplus
Twitter: @CERFplus
LinkedIn: CERF+
Instagram: @cerfplus
CERF+ release boilerplate


About CERF+ -- the Artists Safety Net
Since 1985, CERF+ has assisted thousands of professional artists working in craft disciplines with emergency financial assistance as well as resources and educational programs for any studio-based artist designed to strengthen and sustain their careers. CERF+ has endeavored to assure the well-being and success of individual artists, but also, through research and advocacy, to advance the needs and status of the craft field in general. CERF+ has developed the expertise and reputation as the “go-to” organization for artists working in craft disciplines. Over this time, CERF+ has become a respected leader on the national arts scene, advocating for improving the overall safety net for U.S. artists before, during, and after disasters through its leadership of the Coalition for Artists’ Preparedness and Emergency Response.
Newsletters or Letters
Consider including your grant news in electronic and printed newsletters, as well as partner emails and letters. For digital communications, please direct readers to http://cerfplus.org
Logo Use
The CERF+ logo may be used on websites, news releases or brochures. When used online, please link to https://cerfplus.org/.


PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY
Failure to credit the grant as required, submit an acceptable Final Report within 45 days of program completion, or violation of grant contract terms may result in penalties including forfeiture and/or return of grant funds, ineligibility to apply for future Arts Council grants, or other penalties deemed appropriate by the Arts Council.