Important Update: Tacoma Creates Application Deadline for Impact Funding extended to Sunday, March 22, 2020, 11:59pm. This brief extension is in recognition of the many ways our collective focus has been challenged and redirected by COVID-19. This extension is offered in order to support organizations who have been working towards the original deadline of March 18, but may have lost significant work time over the last week, and have shifting capacity this week, because of other pressing needs. If your organization is on track and ready to submit by the 18th, PLEASE DO. This will help Tacoma Creates staff stay on track with our original timeline, intended to ensure that we can release some funding for the cultural sector by June of this year. If you DO need until March 22 to catch up and refine your application, please take that time. Staff will remain available to support questions all week, through Friday. Due to the unusual circumstances, staff will offer limited availability over the weekend as well, but cannot guarantee availability to review drafts or answer extensive questions after Friday at 5pm, and will not be available at all after 5pm on Sunday. We will work with organizations whose proposals need to be modified to be responsive to changing needs and the evolving situation. Do your best to submit what you would like to do and be prepared to pivot. Below you will find previous communications about this application opportunity, including our statement shared this past Friday, and Impact Funding information. Thank you for all your continuing good work. The cultural community will play a large role in helping Tacoma continue to thrive in the long term. Sincerely, The Tacoma Creates Team Lisa Jaret, Tacoma Creates Program Manager, ljaret@cityoftacoma.org<mailto:ljaret@cityoftacoma.org> Clarissa Gines, Tacoma Creates Coordinator, cgines@cityoftacoma.org<mailto:cgines@cityoftacoma.org> ________________________________ We know that the current situation surrounding COVID-19 is impacting the cultural sector in a number of immediate and escalating ways including attendance drops and financial impacts. This has many organizations worried about the long term sustainability of their organization and the ability to propose and pull off future proposed programming when much is still not known. We understand that and want to underscore our commitment to financially supporting the impactful work that arts, culture, heritage, and science organizations are doing in Tacoma. We encourage all eligible arts, culture, heritage, and science organizations to apply for Impact Funding!<https://cms.cityoftacoma.org/CEDD/TacomaCulture/arts/TC_2020_Impact_Funding_Guidelines.pdf> The application asks organizations to outline specific public programming and/or youth education programming that the organization will produce anywhere between June 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021. At this time, it may be hard to predict what programming your organization will be able to produce in the future. If your application proposes programming that cannot be pulled off on the timeline or format proposed due to COVID-19, we will be flexible in considering ways to adjust that programming. Not knowing exactly what will happen in the future due to COVID-19 should not prevent you from applying. The application is your chance to lay out your plan for what you'd like to do. We are committed to being flexible while helping funded organizations fulfill the public benefit requirements of their funding and will take into consideration unforeseen impacts resulting from the COVID-19 restrictions. We are here and open to working with you; please apply! You can find more information about the Impact Funding application below. ________________________________ Tacoma Creates Impact Funding - application deadline: March 18, 11:59 pm Detailed eligibility criteria, program and application guidelines, and access to the online application form is available at cityoftacoma.org/tacomacreates<http://www.cityoftacoma.org/tacomacreates>. Funding will be determined through a competitive application process and is intended to help eligible non-profit arts, culture, heritage and science organizations expand equitable access to public programs, increase opportunities in neighborhoods throughout Tacoma, expand educational options for youth, and build sustainability for continued services. APPLICATION SUPPORT: We encourage interested eligible organizations to view this Application Webinar<https://youtu.be/CFYcyt-7FHQ>, which explains how the application process works and how to develop a strong application. About Impact Funding: Organizations that apply in this category may request a minimum of $3,000, and up to $50,000 per year for a single program or multiple programs. Applications for Impact Funding must be submitted online by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. To be eligible, organizations applying in this category must be located in the city of Tacoma, have a primary purpose to advance and/or preserve arts, culture, heritage and/or science, and must provide public programs in Tacoma; they may be a non-profit organization or have a fiscal sponsor. There are additional eligibility categories for active Business District Associations and Neighborhood Councils recognized by the City of Tacoma, Affiliate Cultural Organizations within a larger non-profit, and organizations that are based in Pierce County but whose work primarily happens in Tacoma. Please refer to cityoftacoma.org/tacomacreates<http://www.cityoftacoma.org/tacomacreates> for complete eligibility information. ADDITIONAL INFO: The number of contracts awarded, and the funding amount for each contract, will be based on the availability of funds and review of each application by a review panel based on the evaluation criteria detailed in the Impact Funding guidelines<https://cms.cityoftacoma.org/CEDD/TacomaCulture/arts/TC_2020_Impact_Funding_Guidelines.pdf>. The contract funding period runs June 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021. Questions about Tacoma Creates funding programs may be directed to ljaret@cityoftacoma.org<mailto:ljaret@cityoftacoma.org> or nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org<mailto:nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org>. Requests to receive this information in alternate formats may be directed to cgines@cityoftacoma.org<mailto:cgines@cityoftacoma.org> or (253) 591-5174. More information about Tacoma Creates is available at cityoftacoma.org/tacomacreates<http://cityoftacoma.org/tacomacreates>. CLARISSA GINES Program Coordinator, Tacoma Creates Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality (she/her) 253.591.5174 TACOMA VENUES & EVENTS<tacomavenues.org> Tacoma Dome<http://www.tacomadome.org/> | Greater Tacoma Convention Center<http://www.tacomaconventioncenter.org/> Office of Arts & Cultural Vitality<http://www.cityoftacoma.org/arts> | Special Events<http://www.cityoftacoma.org/specialevents>