A project with exceptional Artistic Merit engages qualified and diverse arts or cultural professionals, provides arts experiences that expose participants to new perspectives, provides opportunities for engagement in the creative process, and demonstrates cross-sector understanding (both supporting the arts and advancing community priorities).

An organization with exceptional Organizational Readiness/Managerial Excellence and Fiscal Responsibility recruits and retains an engaged, diverse, and qualified board, staff, contractors, and/or volunteers and has an accumulated deficit of less than 20% of their total operational expenses for two or more years.

The organization addresses and is taking steps to integrate and reflect the values of cultural equity and inclusion, highlighting any progress made over the last two or more years at the board, leadership and staff level. Competitive applications will address all application questions and provide complete information.

An exceptional Project Plan will outline all aspects of the project with significant detail, including a project timeline. It also includes a realistic project budget with accurate cost and income/revenue information.

An exceptional Project Evaluation highlights the goals and objectives of the project, along with an assessment plan that will be used to measure project impact and success.

A demonstration of exceptional knowledge of target constituents and needs will include detailed description of the applicant organization’s community, including demographic information and shows how the organization is responsive to the needs of the community served, with a particular emphasis on individuals and communities for whom the arts are not readily accessible.

The organization addresses and is taking steps to integrate and reflect the values of cultural equity and inclusion, highlighting any progress or efforts made over the last two or more years.