FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 9, 2019

MEDIA CONTACTS

Tacoma Creates Announces Funding Opportunity for Planning and Capacity Building 

--Interested Organizations Must Submit Pre-Application Surveys Establishing Eligibility by September 23 Before Receiving Invitations to Apply; Application Period is September 9 – September 30--

Tacoma Creates has announced a new funding opportunity, one of several more to come. The current opportunity is designed to help organizations plan and prepare for Tacoma Creates-supported public programming in 2020 and beyond. Organizations interested in obtaining planning and capacity building funding through Tacoma Creates this year must first establish eligibility by completing a Tacoma Creates pre-application survey at cityoftacoma.org/artsopps. All pre-application surveys are due by 11:59 PM on September 23.  Organizations that fill out a Tacoma Creates Pre-Application Survey – and establish eligibility – will receive an invitation to apply during the application period from September 9 – 30.

“This is an exciting step for Tacoma Creates to begin directly supporting arts, culture, heritage and science organizations, setting them up for success in advance of 2020 funding programs,” said Tacoma Arts Administrator Amy McBride. “This planning and capacity building funding is central to the foundational work we are doing this year with our local non-profits to spark long-term systemic change.”

Organizations selected to receive this planning and capacity building funding will each receive $10,000 to support the work that they will be doing October - December 2019 in several key areas:

• Participating in Tacoma Creates data gathering efforts, in order to build baseline information about organizational programs and demographics;
• Participating in various community engagement opportunities, such as focus groups or workshops;
• Building organizational capacity to align with Tacoma Creates goals surrounding equity and access;
• Building organizational capacity for doing business with the City of Tacoma, such as obtaining necessary levels of insurance;
• Planning and development of 2020 programming to align with Tacoma Creates funding priorities
  
  

Eligibility for Tacoma Creates planning and capacity building funding extends to any 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Tacoma, whose primary purpose is the advancement and preservation of arts, culture, heritage, or science. These organizations must also have at least a two-year track record of directly providing programming or experiences in Tacoma that are available to the general public. Organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status, but meet other eligibility criteria, may be fiscally sponsored by eligible organizations. Excluded from eligibility is any agency of the state or any of its political subdivisions; any municipal corporation; any organization that raises funds for redistribution to multiple cultural organizations; and any radio or television broadcasting network or station, cable communications system, internet-based communications venture or service, newspaper, or magazine. 

Tacoma Creates will also be investing in other capacity building programs open to organizations and programs that may not yet meet eligibility criteria. More information about these opportunities will be announced later this fall.

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About Tacoma Creates

Tacoma Creates is a voter-approved initiative to increase access to arts, culture, heritage and science experiences throughout Tacoma by reducing barriers to access and expanding offerings, particularly for underserved youth. 

More information about Tacoma Creates is available at cityoftacoma.org/tacomacreates.