Following are the requirements for acknowledging the Wyoming Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and/or Wyoming State Legislature for supporting your art project.

The Wyoming Arts Council should be acknowledged as a funding source for all grants.  Following is the language that should be used: “Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Arts Council“.

• Crediting language should specify the supported program/activity being supported by the Arts Council.  If the Arts Council is only sponsoring one art 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.
• This sample Thank You Letter can be sent to your Legislator to show your appreciation of their support of the Arts in Wyoming.
• This language should be removed from all materials at the completion of the grant project period.
• The Arts Council receives Federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and State funding from the Wyoming State Legislature, so one or both of these funding sources also need to be acknowledged, depending upon how your grant is paid.  Your award letter and contract will tell you which funding source was used to pay your grant.
• Logos and additional information can be found here.

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 phrase acknowledging support from the National Endowment for the Arts is a basic requirement.  In addition, we encourage you to use their current logo, whenever possible.
• For radio or television broadcast, we require the following voice-over language:  “This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.  On the web at arts dot gov.

  

You are required to carry out a project consistent with the application you submitted and was approved for funding.  Here are the guidelines if you need to make an amendment/change to your project:

• Amendment/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.
• We have 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.
• If your organization is undergoing an audit by the Arts Endowment’s Inspector General’s office, amendments of the award(s) in question will not be approved independent of the audit resolution process.
• Amendment/changes that must be requested in writing:

◦   Period of performance changes. This may include a new start date (no earlier than the earliest allowable start date per the guidelines), as well as an end date extension.
◦   Final report filing extension.
◦   Project scope changes. These may include changes to the approved activities or focus of content, significant changes in targeted participants, and changes in the breadth or impact of. These also include changes in artists or key partners, if they were specifically identified as confirmed in the application.
◦   Budget Revisions.
◦   Budget changes due to a change in the scope of the Arts Endowment-supported project.
◦   Adding permanent equipment.
◦   Adding foreign travel.
◦   Adding indirect/F&A costs allowable under a Federally-negotiated rate.

• Amendment/changes that do not need to be requested in writing:

◦   Changes in organizational management/project administration (unless specified in your award document).
◦   Changes in artists, participants, or project partners that were not identified specifically in the approved project. (This is common with festivals.)
◦   Addition or removal of auxiliary programming as long as it does not impact the overall project scope.
◦   Changes in project venues or touring locations, as long as all project locations are fully accessible in compliance with Section 504 and the Americans with Disability Act.
◦   Transfers among direct cost line items.
◦   Elimination or addition of an allowable project cost that does not affect the scope of the award.

• Conference costs are generally allowable, but conference sponsors must exercise discretion and judgment in ensuring that conference costs are appropriate, necessary, and managed in a manner that minimizes costs to the Federal award.
• 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. These activities usually have alcohol associated with them and/or are of a social nature, which is prohibited under Federal awards.

• 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 either in the approved budget for the Federal award or with prior written approval of the Federal awarding agency.

• Federal Agency Awarded these Funds: National Endowment for the Arts
• Pass-through Entity: Wyoming Arts Council
• Award Contact:   Michael Lange
• Award Title: State Arts Agency Partnership Agreement
• CFDA # and Name:  #45.025-Promotion of the Arts
• Federal Award ID# (FAIN)  #17-6100-2048
• Federal Award Date: 07/01/2017
• Federal Award Project Description: To support Partnership Agreement activities

Certain expenses cannot be paid with Arts Council funding, and are prohibited by the Office of Management and Budget of the Federal government (OMB Circulars #A_122, #A_21 and #A_87). Copies of these OMB Circulars may be obtained through a link on the National Endowment for the Art’s website or by writing to the Grants & Contracts Office, National Endowment for the Arts, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20506.

Following is a partial list of expenses that CANNOT be funded with WAC dollars:

• 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 or Federal law.
• 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.

• The Arts Council receives both Federal and State funding.  Your award email will tell you which funding source your grant is being paid from.
• 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.
• You can use grants paid from State funds as a match to a grant paid with Federal funds.

• Federal law requires that all Sub-Recipients who received an Arts Council grant that was paid with Federal funds, complete an “OMB Circular A-133 Audit Requirements” form to determine if the organization received $750,000 or more in federal funds from all sources during the fiscal year  the grant was awarded in (July 1 to June 30).
• This requirement does not apply to individual artists.
• If a Fiscal Sponsor was used, then they become the Sub-Recipient, and the Grant Seeker must work with them to ensure that the form is returned by the deadline.
• An”OMB Circular A-133 Audit Requirements”  form is emailed to each spring to the applicant organizations who received Federal funds from us the previous fiscal year, and it must be completed/returned by the specified deadline.

◦   If an audit is required and it is not available when the OMB Circular A-133 Audit Requirements form is mailed, you should make a note on the form when you expect the audit to be completed.  Include a second copy of the OMB Circular A-133 Audit Requirements form with your audit when you mail it to the Arts Council as soon as it becomes available.
◦   Audits must be received no later than June 30th, and can be mailed or sent electronically.

• Should be excluded from the project budget, as these operational costs are not eligible expenses.

When the Grant Seeker fills out the original application, they select a primary activity type code for funded projects in the “Type of Activity” field.   Depending on the code  that was selected, you may be required to provide us with information on your Final Report for every location/venue in which a funded event is held.

• Information for each venue will include street address, city, state, zip, number of days on which activities occurred. For example, if an organization holds events in a park, an auditorium, four local schools and the senior center, the above listed information would be required for each of those places.
• If the venue does not have an actual street address, you will need to provide Lattitude/Longitude information instead.

• All financial records, supporting documents, statistical records and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award are retained for a period of three (3) years from the date the Arts Council submits our Final Financial Report to the National Endowment for the Arts.

• Travel costs are the expenses for transportation, lodging, subsistence, and related items incurred by employees who are on official business attributable to work under an award and in accordance with your entity’s written travel reimbursement policies.  Any airfare charged to the award, whether domestic or foreign, may not exceed the value of the basic least expensive unrestricted accommodations class offered by a commercial carrier.
• Fly America Act: You are required to follow the provision of the Fly America Act, which is available at by clicking here.

• Visit the grants page on the Arts Council website and click on the Grant Category that you received funds for.
• Scroll down to “accessing your grant application or final report,” click on the appropriate link for the time frame your project took place in and you will be redirected to the Login screen.
• Log in to the e-grant system with your email and password (and Invitation Code, if needed).
• The Welcome Page appears.  Scroll down to the “Impact Reports Requiring Action” section to begin working on your Final Report.
• Click on the “save and proceed” at the bottom of each page of the Final Report, so you don’t lose any information you entered.
• You can complete your Final Report all at once or at several different times.
• When you are done working on your Final Report, you will go to the “application verification” page.  Here you, as the Grant Seeker, along with a second representative from the applicant organization (or the Fiscal Sponsor, if used) must certify that all facts and figures outlined in the Final Report are accurate.
• Click the final “save and proceed” button, and you are done!
• Your Final Report will now appear in its entirety.

◦   An error message will appear if any required information is missing. Click on the link in the error message to be taken to the page where the information is missing. Add the missing information, save it and return back to the Certification Page, where you will need to click “save and proceed” one more time to return to the “submit” screen.

• Print a copy of your Final Report for your records, and then submit it.
• You should receive a confirmation email that you have successfully submitted your Final Report. If you do not receive this email, check your SPAM folder, and if it isn’t there, contact the Arts Council.
• Staff will contact you if additional information is needed for your Final Report.
• After staff has approved your Final Report, you will receive email notification.

• Arts Council support to individual artists who provide services to their community through the arts, must be used to fund programs and activities, and cannot be a one time monetary recognition award.
• Awards include presentations, training, research, and/or creation of an artwork, with tangible outcomes required by the sub-award. This is considered a stipend to the artist for the work undertaken and completed.
• Professional Development awards are designed to help grow the capacity of individuals that work in and support the arts.

• Arts Council support to organizations that provide services to their community through the arts, must be used to fund programs and activities and/or for operational support.
• Professional Development awards are designed to help grow the capacity of organizations that work in and support the arts.

• Project start and end dates should fall between July 1st and June 30th.  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 “Period of Performance” (Project Start Date to the Project End Date), may be listed as a project expense or income on the budget information.

• Arts Council staff review all applications for completeness.
• Staff approve Rural Arts Access and Professional Development/Career Advancement applications if they meet all requirements.
• Peer panels review the other grant categories, and the Arts Council Board makes final funding decisions.  This review process will take several weeks.

• All funded projects must be available to the general public.
• Grantees are encouraged to invite legislators and local civic leaders to all arts events, so they can thank them for coming, and remind them how important their support of arts events are to the local community.

• The Grant Seeker will receive an email telling them their application was not approved.   Check your “spam” folder often to make sure the email didn’t go there.
• If you would like more information about this decision, feel free to contact Arts Council staff  at (307) 777-7742.

• The grant seeker will receive an email telling them their application was approved.   Check your “spam” folder often to make sure the email didn’t go there.
• The award email contains important information about the grant requirements, so review it carefully and print a copy for your records.

• 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 a Fiscal Sponsor is used to apply,  they become the “Sub-Recipient”, because the grant payment is issued to the Fiscal Sponsor instead of the applicant organization.

• Staff create this Agreement after a grant has been awarded, and send it to the State Attorney General’s Office to approve and return back to us.
• We mail the approved Agreement to the Grant Seeker to get the required signatures.

◦   It normally takes two to four weeks for the Grant Seeker to receive the Agreement.  Requests awarded in June-July may take four to six weeks or longer to receive, due to the sheer volume of contracts the Attorney General has to approve for the new fiscal year.
◦   Contact the Arts Council at (307) 777-7742 if you do not receive the Agreement in a timely manner.

• The Agreement is a legally binding contract that provides important information about your  legal responsibilities pertaining to the grant, so Grantees should review it carefully, as well as the associated Attachment A & B  that are included with the Agreement. 
• Two different legal representatives of the applicant organization must sign the Agreement.

◦   If you used a Fiscal Sponsor to apply, the applicant organization must provide the first signature and the Fiscal Sponsor must provide the second signature.
◦   Individuals only need to provide their own signature.

• Make a copy of the signed Agreement and keep  it, along with the Attachment A & B, for your records.
• Mail the entire original three-page Agreement back to the Arts Council as soon as possible, so your grant payment can be processed.
• Arts Council grant funds are paid directly to the applicant organization (or Fiscal Sponsor, if used), who is responsible for paying all of the project’s expenses.

We submit your signed Subgrantee Award Agreement to the State Auditor to process your grant payment.

Before an organization or individual can receive a state payment, they must be registered as a “vendor” in the state database.

• If you have received a payment from the State of Wyoming during the past two years, you do not need to submit new vendor forms.
  • The exception to this rule is if you need to make a change to how you originally registered in the state database (i.e. change your name, address, Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), Financial Institution, etc.).  You must complete a new W9 form to make these changes.
• If you have NOT received a payment from the State of Wyoming during the past two years, you must register as a new vendor to be added to the state database.
  • To receive your payments via EFT,  attach an original unused, voided check to the W9 form.
  • List your legal name the W9 form, because it will be verified with the Internal Revenue Service’s database.   Do not list “doing business as” names.
  • 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.
  • Mail the original signed W9 form to the Arts Council at 2301 Central Avenue, 2nd Floor, Cheyenne, WY  82002.
  • W9 forms may be updated, so go to the State Auditor’s web page  to access the current form.
  • It takes four to six weeks for the Auditor to process W9 forms.  We strongly suggest that you mail your form to the Arts Council immediately after you receive your award email, which will allow sufficient time for the Auditor to process your form while you are waiting to receive your Subgrantee Award Agreement.   If you wait to mail the W9 form to us with your signed Agreement, your payment will be delayed four to six weeks while the Auditor processes your forms.
  • 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.