GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT (GOS) TIER

(Organizations with budgets between $500,000 and $10 million)

General Operating Support Grant eligibility is restricted to nonprofit, 501(c)(3) arts/cultural organizations that are professionally managed by a full-time administrative and artistic staff. The organizational annual budget must not be less than $500,000 and not more than $10 million. (Note: The annual organizational budget figure is the organization’s revenues for the most recently completed fiscal year per Part 1, Line 12, of the Form 990. Culture Works may defer to an organization's audited financials at its discretion.) Organizations must demonstrate fiscal responsibility and provide audited financial statements. Organizations receiving funding through the United Way or who have received funding from another united arts fund within the past two years are not eligible to apply for Culture Works General Operating Support. Faith-based arts organizations may only apply if 100% of their programming is open to a general audience.

Minimum Eligibility Criteria:

• Maintained an average organizational budget figure of no less than $500,000 and no greater than $10 million over the past three consecutive fiscal years (Note: Due to the financial impact of COVID-19, in the 2023 application cycle, Culture Works will take the average of the organization’s two strongest financial years from FY2020–2022. If a previously funded organization loses eligibility due to this requirement, they may apply again in the next grant cycle in which they meet the requirement.)
• An independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to create, produce, present or provide arts or cultural experiences for the public
• Offices are located within and a majority of program activities take place within a 30-mile radius of the Culture Works office at 31 S Main St Suite A210, Dayton, OH 45402
• Incorporated in the State of Ohio with an operating history of a minimum of three years
• Licensed to solicit funds in the State of Ohio
• Professional, full-time paid administrative and/or artistic staff
• Board of Directors that meets at least four times per year and is comprised of members that are representative of the community’s social, economic, and racial diversity
• Annual independent audit performed by a recognized accounting firm
• A record of active organizational support of Culture Works.
  • Organizations applying for the first time or those applying after a lapse of two years or more must comply with the following requirements for two years immediately preceding the award year. Organizations who are current grant recipients as well as all future grant recipients must comply with the following requirements on an on-going basis:
    1. Participating in the Passport to the Arts program with a reasonably proportional number of offerings compared to total offerings within the performance season. If the organization is not a performing arts organization, other provisions to meet this requirement will be discussed on a case-by-case basis.
    2. Providing performance vouchers and/or other incentives for Culture Works to distribute at Workplace Giving kickoffs and other Campaign events.
  • Each applicant organization must schedule a time for Culture Works leadership to present to the organization’s Board of Directors at a full board meeting. This presentation must take place prior to the application deadline the year in which they apply. The applicant organization is responsible for scheduling Culture Works on the agenda and notifying Culture Works of the meeting date. As recipients of Campaign funding, grantee organizations are expected to assist Culture Works in promoting the Campaign both internally and in the community. Each grantee organization will host a formal Board Member giving campaign and a Workplace Giving Campaign during the application fiscal year.
  • Financial support of the annual Campaign by staff leadership (Executive Director or equivalent). First-time applicants must meet this requirement prior to the application deadline the year in which they apply.
• For previously funded organizations, evidence of adherence to the prior year’s grant agreement and crediting requirements.

Note: Community Arts Grants can be utilized for program expenses, but cannot be utilized for the following:

• Programs or projects not available open to the general public
• Re-granting activities
• Trusts or endowment funds
• Capital Improvements
• Debt reduction, penalties, or litigation costs
• Benefits or fundraising activities
• Parties and/or receptions

First-time applicant organizations should contact Culture Works to review eligibility requirements before beginning the application process.