• All funded projects must be available to the general public.
• Be sure to invite local government officials and state legislators to attend your events or programs. You can find your legislators on the Legislative Service Office website.  Also take that opportunity to thank them for supporting the arts!  A custom letter template is available here. 

Project start and end dates must fall between July 1 and June 30. This time frame aligns with the Arts Council’s fiscal year.

• Grants may be extended beyond the end of the current fiscal year (June 30) if applicants work with staff prior to submitting their application.

Extending a project may shorten the time frame you have to submit your Final Report.

• Only costs/activities incurred during the project time frame may be listed as a project expense or income on the budget information.

• The Arts Council receives both federal funding through the National Endowment for the Arts and state funding through the Wyoming State Legislature. Your grant contract will tell you which funding source your grant is being paid from.   
• The Wyoming Arts Council is the “Recipient” of the federal and state funds we receive.
• When we award a grant to an organization or individual artist, we re-grant our funds to them, and they become the “Sub-Recipient.”
• If you are applying for a Community Support Grant, the grant amount you request cannot exceed 50% of your total project/operating expenses.
  • Community Support Grant recipients are required to meet a 1:1 cash match, with actual cash income.
  • You cannot use any federal funds you received from the Arts Council as match for a different grant that is also paid from Federal funds.

• Federal Agency Awarded these Funds: National Endowment for the Arts
• Pass-through Entity: Wyoming Arts Council
• Award Contact: Rachel Clifton
• Award Title: State Arts Agency Partnership Agreement
• CFDA # and Name:  #45.025-Promotion of the Arts
• Federal Award Project Description: To support Partnership Agreement activities

Grant applications are completed/submitted through the online grant system. We do not accept hard copy applications. The Arts Council will not accept late applications, so after the Applicant submits the application, they need to ensure that they received the email that acknowledges receipt of the submitted application. If they did not receive this email they should contact the Arts Council immediately at (307) 214-7819. 

Community Support Grants:  Applications are reviewed by Arts Council staff for completeness.  Then peer panels review/score the applications and make recommendations for funding to the Arts Council Board, who makes the final funding decision. 

Arts Access Grant and Professional Development/Career Advancement Grants:  Applications are reviewed and then approved or rejected by Arts Council staff.

If your application is approved, the applicant will receive an email notifying them that the application was approved.  The award email contains important information about the grant requirements, so review it carefully and print a copy for your records.

If your application is not approved, the applicant will receive an email notifying them that the application was not approved. If you would like more information about this decision, feel free to contact Arts Council staff. Emails from the online grant system sometimes are sent into spam folders; if you do not receive an email within a reasonable time frame, check your spam folder.

The Wyoming Arts Council must be acknowledged as a funding source for all grants.  The following language should be used: “Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Wyoming Legislature.”

• Crediting language should specify the supported program/activity being supported by the Arts Council funding.  If the Arts Council is only sponsoring one arts component/project of a larger event, then we should be acknowledged as the sponsor of only that component/project, and not as a sponsor of the entire event.
• Crediting language should be removed from all materials at the completion of the grant project period.
• If your grant was paid with federal funds, you must also acknowledge the National Endowment for the Arts prominently in all materials and announcements related to activities funded for the duration of the period of the Wyoming Arts Council grant award:

For print materials: A statement acknowledging support from the National Endowment for the Arts is required. In addition, we encourage you to use their current logo, whenever possible.

For radio or tv broadcast, the following voice-over language is required:  “This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Online at arts.gov.”

Arts Council and NEA logos and additional information can be found here.

You are required to carry out a project consistent with the application you submitted and that was approved for funding. Changes must be submitted to the Arts Council for review and approval, and include changes to dates, budgets, project scope or content, personnel or artists involved, or other changes that differ from your application. Changes must be approved prior to implementation.

Here are the guidelines if you need to make an amendment/change to your project:

• Amendments/change requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, and approval is not guaranteed. Until you receive written approval from the Arts Council, you may only incur costs consistent with the terms and conditions of the award in effect at the time of your request.
• The Arts Council has the right to request additional information, such as an update on specific activities including a revised budget or an itemized list of actual expenditures, as needed.

• The Contract is a legally binding contract approved by the State Attorney General’s Office that provides important information about your legal responsibilities pertaining to the grant.
• It typically takes 2-4 weeks to receive the contract. Requests awarded in June-July may take 4-6 weeks or longer to receive. Contact the Arts Council if you do not receive the Contract in a timely manner.
• Signatures: A legal representative of the applicant organization must sign the Contract and/or individual artists should sign their legal name.
• This is a legal contract, so do not make any changes, cross through any information, or use white out.

Before an organization or individual can receive a state payment, they must be registered as a vendor in the state database. If you are a new vendor or have not received a payment from the State of Wyoming during the past two years, or if you need to make changes to your information in the state database, you will need to fill out and submit a W9 form, which is available here on the State Auditor’s website.

• To receive a state payment via EFT (direct deposit), attach an new, unused, voided check to the W 9 form that has an original signature on it, and mail it to: Wyoming Arts Council, Barrett Building/2nd Floor, 2301 Central Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82002.
• If you are not enrolling in EFT and would like to receive a check via mail, scan and email the completed W 9 to the Grants and Administration Manager.
• List your legal name as it appears on your social security card or income tax return, so it will pass the IRS verification process. 
• Individual artists should always list their individual legal name on the form, and not their business name. Print clearly, and do not make any changes or cross through information. The W9 must have an original signature (not electronic).
• The State Auditor’s Office will only accept the current W 9 form, signed and dated within the past 365 days, so please do not submit an old or existing version. The most current version is available here.
• It can take up to 3 weeks for the Auditor to process W 9 forms. We strongly suggest that you mail your form to the Arts Council immediately after you receive your award email. 
• The Arts Council cannot guarantee that grant funds will be received prior to your Project Start Date, so you should be prepared to pay any expenses incurred with other funds, if necessary, until your grant funds are received.

• Every organization and individual who receives funding from the Wyoming Arts Council is required to complete a Final Report within 60 days of the project end date. 
• You will be asked to provide evaluation data, as well as attendance numbers (youth, adult, and artists), so be sure to track this information.
• Final Reports are released to grant recipients at the same time as the grant contract, to allow time to work on the report as activities take place. The Final Report can be accessed through the online grant system, Foundant.
• If extenuating circumstances are going to prevent the grant recipient from completing the Final Report within the required 60 days, they should immediately call or email the Grants and Administration Manager to ask for an extension.
• The Wyoming Arts Council may implement any of the following steps for organizations or individuals who do not comply with the final report requirements:
  • The day after your final report is flagged as past due, you will receive an email notification and/or direct outreach from Arts Council staff notifying you that you are non-compliant with your contract. You will have 10 additional days to complete and submit your final report.
  • If your final report is not submitted within those 10 days, and no alternate arrangements are made with the Arts Council staff, the Attorney General’s Office will be notified. You will then receive a letter with further instructions on completing your final report to remain in compliance with grant requirements.
  • If the final report has not been received after further instruction, the Attorney General’s Office will contact you to begin the process of having the grant funds returned.
  • Additionally, if the matter is turned over to the Attorney General’s Office and you apply for Wyoming Arts Council grant funding the following year, your payment will be dispersed in two parts – 75% of the grant payment will be issued when the contract is signed, and 25% of the payment will be issued following the submission of the final report. 
  • If you repeatedly submit your final report late and receive letters from the Attorney General’s Office two years in a row, organizations will not be eligible to apply for Arts Council grants for one year. For individual artists, you will not be eligible to apply for Arts Council grants for one Professional Development grant cycle.

All financial records, supporting documents, statistical records and all other non-federal entity records pertinent to your grant award must be retained for a period of four (4) years. We strongly recommend digitizing all records, receipts, etc.

Certain expenses cannot be paid with Arts Council funding, and are prohibited by the Office of Management and Budget of the Federal government General Terms and Conditions for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to Organizations which incorporates 2 CFR 100- Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Sections 200.420- 200.476 provide more information on both allowable and unallowable costs. To view a current copy of the General Terms and Conditions provided by the National Endowment for the Arts please visit, https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/GTC-PARTNERSHIP-FY21-rev-6.28.22.pdf.

Below is a partial list of expenses that cannot be funded with Arts Council grants:

• New construction, renovation, remodeling or restoration of facilities. (However, planning grants or facility studies may be funded.)
• Capital expenditures for land or general purpose equipment or the purchase of any special purpose equipment with a cost of $5,000 or more and a normal useful life of more than one year.
• Bad Debts: any losses from previous years or from uncollectible accounts/claims.
• Projects completed prior to awarding of a grant.
• Replacement funds (to take the place of money normally budgeted for the project).
• Interest, fines or penalties and organizational indirect or overhead costs.
• Cost sharing or matching requirements of any other federally financed program.
• Contributions, contingency funds, donations, prize money, scholarships, or any form of tuition assistance for college or university study.
• Goods or services for personal use.
• Goods for resale, which includes the sale of concessions, promotional merchandise or items purchases to sell, even if related to your programming, as well as any associated staffing or facilities costs. Costs for items that are required to be produced as part of the approved project activity (e.g. publications, such as journals or exhibit catalogs, or records, such as orchestra concert CDs) and that are incurred during the period of performance are allowable.
• Entertainment: receptions, food, alcohol, flowers, invitations, etc.
• Lobbying costs for activities such as federal, state or local electioneering and support of such entities as campaign organizations and political action committees; direct lobbying of Congress to influence legislation; lobbying of the Executive Branch in connection with decisions to sign or veto enrolled legislation; efforts to utilize state or local officials to lobby Congress or state legislatures; grassroots lobbying concerning either Federal or state legislation; legislative liaison activities in support of unallowable lobbying activities; or membership costs in organizations that lobby.
• Costs of advertising and public relations designed solely to promote the organization; costs of promotional items and memorabilia. (Costs for the purpose of communicating to the public specific activities related to sponsored programs are allowable, as are costs for recruitment of personnel.)
• Fundraising and investment management costs, including financial campaigns, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred to raise capital or obtain contributions.
• Costs of defense or prosecution of criminal and civil proceedings, claims, appeals and patent infringements.
• Anything specifically forbidden by Wyoming state law, federal law or Executive Order.
• Food expenses may only be paid/included if they meet this criteria:
• Per diem for artists or others traveling in connection with the grant.
• Food supplies when they will be used for teaching/demonstrating and are not sold.
• Indirect costs should be excluded from the project budget.

• Conference costs are generally allowable, but conference sponsors must exercise discretion and judgment in ensuring that conference costs are appropriate and necessary.
• Conferences include meetings, seminars, workshops, or other events whose primary purpose is dissemination of technical information.
• Costs associated with activities that generally occur at a closing meal, or a reception at the end of the working day, are not allowable. 

Entertainment (amusement and social activities such as receptions, parties, galas, dinners, etc.), and any associated costs including catering, alcohol, planning, staffing, supplies, etc. are unallowable.

Specific costs that might otherwise be considered entertainment but have a programmatic purpose may be allowable if authorized in the approved budget.

• Use of grant funding on foreign travel is not allowed.
• Use of grant funding on lodging is not allowed.
• You are required to follow the provision of the Fly America Act, which is available here.

The Arts Learning funding that is available through the Community Support grant offers funding for projects that enliven or improve arts learning to increase knowledge, understanding of, and skills in one or more art forms. Arts Learning is offered to non-profit organizations, social service agencies, tribes, community centers, school districts and local art agencies.

• This funding can support:
• Making interactive art opportunities a basic component of arts learning.
• Developing and strengthening arts learning in community and schools.
• Providing opportunities for professional artists to work in community settings, outreach organizations and schools.
• Providing arts learning opportunities for all ages and in myriad settings.
• Obtaining expertise from elders, artists, instructors and educators to help design new arts programming, strengthen current programs or grow a teacher’s personal growth in knowledge and skills in an art form.

Funded activities can include year-long projects, a series of related or unrelated projects, a season of arts learning programs and technical assistance projects, such as curriculum development and planning for arts learning programs.

For more information or if you have questions, contact Amara Fehring at  amara.fehring@wyo.gov.

Criteria for Appeal

• 1. If you believe a conflict of interest was not disclosed by a panelist.
• 2. Inaccurate information was knowingly provided to the panel during its review of proposals. 

The applicant must be able to show a link between one of these circumstances and a low score or rating and/or negative panel comment. Incomplete applications or errors contained within applications do not constitute grounds for appeal. Dissatisfaction with the denial of a grant or with the amount of the grant is an insufficient reason for appeal.

Steps of the appeal process:

• 1. Consult with the Arts Council Grants Manager or Specialist to review the panel’s decision.
• 2. Complete the appeal form.
• 3. Send the appeal form to the Arts Council Grants Manager a minimum of 48 hours before the quarterly board meeting to approve grant panel recommendations. (If you are unsure of this date please contact Wyoming Arts Council staff.)
• 4. At the quarterly board meeting, Arts Council staff will provide a copy of the appeal for the board to review.

Wyoming Arts Council Appeal Form