Cultural Development Fund: Mid-sized Institutions
2015-16 Application Guidelines
Category C-II
INTRODUCTION
In 1982, Palm Beach County levied a tourist development tax on “every person who
rents or lets for consideration any living quarters or accommodations in any apartment,
hotel, motel, resort, condominium for a term of six months or less.” A percentage
(22.51%) of the first three cents levied on every dollar of such rent is to be expended
on cultural tourism development programs in support of fine arts entertainment,
events, festivals and activities that directly promote Palm Beach County tourism. This
program is described as the Cultural Tourism Development Fund : Mid-sized Institution
or Category C-II. The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County advises and administers
Category C-II grants under contract with the Tourist Development Council and the
Board of County Commissioners. The program assists Palm Beach County nonprofit arts
and cultural organizations that have been operational in their current disciplines for a
minimum of two (2) years with annual operating revenues of at least $200,000
(exclusive of tangible collections, capital and or endowment corpus) by reimbursing the
marketing and programming expenses associated with the presentation and production
of a regular season of programs open to the general public in Palm Beach County.
MISSION
The mission of the cultural development grant program is to expand and promote
cultural programs which directly develop and enrich the Palm Beach County community
by funding cultural institutions that attract and satisfy residents and/or visitors and that
improve the quality of life in Palm Beach County for all residents.
Objective
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To attract and satisfy Palm Beach County residents, and build audiences through
cultural activities of acknowledged excellence by mid-sized Palm Beach County cultural
organizations.
Process and Expectations: The grant process requires the applicants to complete a
written application by closely following these guidelines and to participate in an
interview with the review panel. Applicants who have never received an award from this
grant program are expected to attend a mandatory application workshop prior to
completing the application. If the applicant successfully scores a 75 or higher, a
contract will be awarded to reimburse artist fees, production or exhibition costs, and/or
marketing expenses to cultural organizations with recognized ability to produce,
present, and promote artistically and culturally excellent programs.
Available Funds: Organizations with operating revenues between $1,174,999 and
$200,000 are eligible to apply for this grant program. The applicants request amount is
based on operating revenues reported in the most recent certified financial audit and is
up to 10% of organizational operating revenues or $50,000 whichever is less.
DEADLINE
Deadline for application is Tuesday, January 27, 2015 for the grant period October 1,
2015 through September 30, 2016. All applications must be postmarked or handdelivered by 5:00 p.m. on that date. There will not be an application cycle for 20162017. Organizations awarded funding for the 2015-16 grant period will continue to be
funded in the 2016-17 grant period, based on dollars available, pending that the
organization remains in compliance with its contractual grant agreement, providing
that the operating revenues do not deviate more than 15% from the established
threshold.
ELIGIBILITY
1. Be a nonprofit organization as documented by an IRS nonprofit, tax-exempt
status, part of an organization, which produces and/or presents a cultural
program or festival in Palm Beach County, Florida.
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2. Have completed at minimum, two years of fiscal operation as a nonprofit arts
and cultural organization in Palm Beach County and is able to provide
independent audited financial statements with an accountant’s unqualified
opinion.
3. Have operating revenues totaling at least $200,000 as reflected in the most
current certified financial audit.
4. Show $20,000 or more in budgeted marketing expenses for proposed programs.
5. Employ one or more full-time, paid non-seasonal executive staff member(s) in a
Palm Beach County office.
6. Match amount requested on a dollar-for-dollar basis by contributing or raising
the same amount.
7. Have a board of directors composed of at least one-third of Palm Beach County
residents which meets on a regular basis at least once per quarter. If
organization is regionally or internationally based and does not meet this
criterion, the organization is required to submit documentation showing 70% of
its program marketing budget is spent on marketing the Palm Beach County
program(s) outside of Palm Beach County.
8. Obtain Certificate of Liability Insurance which verifies (1) general liability
coverage with limits of not less than $500,000 each occurrence and (2) Palm
Beach County as additional insured. Insurance coverage must be in effect from
October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016.
9. Current grantees must be in compliance with all grant and contract requirements
including but not limited to grant reports and audience survey data. Compliance
issues must be resolved prior to application deadline in order for an applicant to
be considered for funding.
LIMITATIONS
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Applicants may submit only one application in one Cultural Development Fund grant
program during the fiscal year. Organizations approved for funding will receive grant
disbursements through a quarterly reimbursement process beginning October 1, 2015.
SCORING CRITERIA AND RUBRIC
Grant panelists will receive a copy of the Scoring Rubric as a part of their panelist
training materials. The rubric will be used to ensure fair and unbiased process as
possible. The scoring mechanism defines each of the five criteria: Cultural Excellence,
In-County Marketing Impact, Out-of-County and Tourism Impact, Organizational
Stability and Potential for Growth. Within each criterion, benchmarking descriptions and
corresponding point values are listed to serve as guide in the scoring process. Grant
applicants should use this Scoring Rubric as a guideline when completing the
application
RUBRIC VALUATION
VALUE
DESCRIPTION
SCORE
Strongly demonstrates public value of arts and
Excellent
culture. Merits investment of Palm Beach County
88-100
bed tax funding.
Satisfactorily demonstrates public value of arts and
Good
culture. Merits investment of Palm Beach County
75-87
bed tax funding
Does not sufficiently demonstrate public value of
Fair
arts and culture. Does not merit investment of Palm
61-74
Beach County bed tax funding
Makes an incomplete or inadequate case for the
public value of arts and culture. Does not merit
Weak
investment of Palm Beach County bed tax funding.
0-60
Information is confusing, unclear and lacks specific
details.
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(1) Maximum 40 points for Cultural Excellence.
Panelists will consider the following information when evaluating for Cultural Excellence.
Excellent
Good
Fair
Weak
37-40 points
32-36 Points
25-31 Points
0-24 points
Two year history of
Two year history
Two year history
Two year history
cultural exhibits,
of cultural exhibits, of cultural exhibits, of cultural exhibits,
programs and/or
programs and/or
programs
programs is
productions clearly
productions
describes
omitted from
reflects excellence
reflects excellence.
excellence.
proposal.
Mission statement
Mission statement
Mission statement
Mission statement
clearly describes
describes
describes
does not clearly
organization and
organization and
organization and
describe
programs/activities
programs/activities programs/activities organization and
fully support the
fully support the
do not fully
programs/
mission.
mission.
support the
activities do not
mission.
fully support the
mission.
The programs sustain
The programs
The programs
The programs are
and advance the
sustain and
sustain the cultural not sustaining the
cultural form and
advance the
form and mission
cultural form and
mission while making
cultural form and
while making it
mission and there
it available to a
mission while
available to a wide
is no evidence of a
wider, more diverse
making it available
audience.
diverse audience.
audience.
to a wide
audience.
Specific efforts are
Specific efforts are
Unclear and
No efforts are
clearly demonstrated
demonstrated to
confusing efforts
demonstrated to
to expand the field
expand the field
are demonstrated
expand the field
or discipline in which
or discipline in
to expand the
or discipline in
it specializes.
which it
field or discipline
which it
specializes.
in which it
specializes.
specializes.
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(2) Maximum 20 points for Marketing Impact.
Panelists will consider the following information when evaluating Marketing Impact:
Excellent
19-20 points
Good
Fair
Weak
16-18 Points
13-15 Points
0-12 points
Well defined
Marketing and
Confusing
Undefined or lack
marketing and
promotion plan to
marketing and
of marketing and
promotion plan to
attract in county
promotion plan to
promotion plan to
attract in county and
and out of county
attract in county
attract in county
out of county
residents to visit
and out of county
and out of county
residents to visit
organization
residents to visit
residents to visit
organization
organization.
organization
Past and projected
Past and projected
Past and/or
Past and projected
attendance exceeds
attendance meets
projected
attendance goals
goal of 25,000
goal of 25,000
attendance does
were omitted from
visitors annually
visitors annually
not meet goal of
application.
25,000 visitors
annually
Clear evidence of
Evidence of
Evidence of
No evidence of
established
marketing
marketing
any marketing
marketing
partnerships that
partnerships that
partnerships.
partnerships that
include hotels,
do not include
include hotels,
airlines, buses etc.
hotels, airlines,
airlines, buses etc
buses etc.
(3) Maximum 20 points for Organizational Stability.
Panelists will consider the following information when evaluating Organizational Stability:

Excellent
Good
Fair
Weak
19-20 points
16-18 Points
13-15 Points
0-12 points
There is clear

There is clear

There is little

There is no
evidence that the
evidence that the
evidence that the
evidence that the
organization is
organization is
organization is
organization is
following best
following some
following best
following best
practices in
best practices in
practices in
practices in
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governance,
governance,
governance,
governance,
operations and
operations and
operations and
operations and
program
program
program
program
implementation
implementation
implementation
implementation
Strong evidence of
Evidence of
Evidence of
Evidence of very
consistent, multi-
consistent, multi-
inconsistent multi-
inconsistent multi-
year fiscal
year fiscal
year fiscal
year fiscal
responsibility
responsibility
responsibility
responsibility
The budget is
The budget is
The budget is
The budget is not
balanced, easy to
balanced, easy to
balanced but hard
balanced, hard to
understand. There is
understand. There
to understand.
understand. There
strong financial plan
is financial plan and
There is a financial
is no financial plan
and a diversified
a revenue stream
plan but no
nor a diversified
diversified revenue
revenue stream
revenue stream
stream
Long term strategic
A short term
A strategic plan is
No long term
plan is in place for
strategic plan is in
in place but
strategic plan in
endowment building
place for
doesn’t address
place for
or deficit reduction
endowment
the need for
endowment
building or deficit
endowment
building or deficit
reduction
building or deficit
reduction
reduction
(5) Maximum 20 points for Potential for Growth.
Panelists will consider the following information when evaluating Potential for Growth:
Excellent
Good
Fair
Weak
19-20 points
16-18 Points
13-15 Points
0-12 points
Clear evidence of one Evidence of one
Unclear evidence
No evidence of
of: new/expanded
of: new/expanded
of one of: new/
expanded facility,
facility, capital
facility, capital
expanded facility,
capital campaign,
campaign, education
campaign,
capital campaign,
education
initiatives, expanded
education
education
initiatives,
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diversity efforts.
initiatives,
initiatives,
expanded diversity
expanded diversity
expanded diversity
efforts.
efforts.
efforts.
Applicants must receive a minimum average of 75 points to be considered for funding.
MANDATORY TRAININGS
Grant Application Workshop: New applicants and/or new staff responsible for completing the
application are expected to attend one of the Grant Application Workshops. Current grantees
are also encouraged to attend to learn about the changes within the application since the last
publication.
Reimbursement Training: If you are awarded a Cultural Tourism Development Fund grant,
your organization will be expected to attend the Reimbursement Training
The Grant Application must include a letter signed by the CEO or Executive Director agreeing
to send a representative to the mandatory trainings.
REIMBURSEMENT GUIDELINES
Please note the allowable and disallowable expenses when completing the budget
spreadsheet and budget narrative.
Allowable Expenses

Artist fees directly related to program/festival, including travel.

Production/technical expenses directly related to exhibitions, lectures, or events.

Marketing expenses including outside professional marketing services and
professional in-house marketing staff up to 50 percent of gross salary.

Space rental, improvement, or maintenance directly related to program.

Advertising and printing costs related to the program,

Materials and supplies directly related to the program,
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
Pre-payments made prior to the grant period for allowable expenses directly
related to the program during the grant period.
Disallowable Expenses

General operating or administrative expenses, including staff travel.

Rent of offices, repairs, renovation and/or remodeling of facilities.

Purchase of permanent equipment including musical instruments.

Expenses/debts incurred or obligated prior to contract period.

Program publications which include solicited advertising.

Advertising which does not mention the specific program/festival or omits the
County and/or Council required logos.

Any expenditure for food.

Any expenses for programs or festivals limited to schoolchildren during regular
school hours.

Any payments to students for services rendered.

Any awards, prizes or contributions.

Any other non-program or festival-related expenses.

Other non-program related expenses
1) Independent Certified Financial Audit - Include the last two (2) completed financial
years. One audit with two years’ compared will also be accepted. If applicant’s fiscal
year-end is less than six months before the panel meets and an audit is not yet
available, the applicant must submit year-end financial statements accompanied by
a representation letter from management and by an independent auditor’s letter
stating that the FY 2014 audit will be delivered to the Cultural Council before or by
June 30, 2015. All applicants are required to submit the certificate financial audit to
the Cultural Council within six months of fiscal year end in order to remain eligible
for funding.
PLEASE NOTE: If the applicant is a division of a larger institution, the applicant must
include an audit which identifies direct expenses and revenues for the program. If
this is unavailable, the applicant must provide internally prepared financial
statements of revenues and expenses for the last two fiscal years. These statements
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must be signed by the chief financial officer and an authorized official of the larger
organization.
2) Certified Financial Audit Findings – Applicants are required to address, in writing,
any of the following issues found in the financial statements:
a. Variances greater than 25% in a year over year financial statement line items
b. Qualified Audit
c. A Material Adverse Change from the previous year’s audit
d. A Single-Year Deficit
3) Deficit Reduction Plan – If an organization has had significant multi-year, operating
deficits and declining fund balances for two years or more, a deficit reduction plan
must be attached. The plan must be formally approved by the applicant’s Board of
Directors and must include debt reduction and deficit reduction strategies and
timetables. Financial statements submitted with an opinion that is other than
unqualified may be accepted, subject to review by the grants panel.
4) Authorized Signatory – Provide proof of person(s) authorized to sign contracts by
submitting a Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations registration copy,
board resolution or other evidentiary document.
5) Board of Directors – Provide a list indicating officers and all directors’ contact
information including business and home address and telephone numbers.
THE GRANT APPLICATION
Please follow this outline to create your application
□ Cover
□ Cover Letter – Optional
TAB 1 – Application Narrative
□ 7 Narrative Questions – limit 10 pages
TAB 2 – Application Exhibits
□ Exhibit A – Program Description
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□ Exhibit B1 – Projected Program Budget – See Allowable and Disallowable Expenses listed
above
□ Exhibit B2 – Projected Program Budget Narrative
□ Exhibit B3 – Three-Year Program Budget Comparison
TAB3 – Contractual Documentation
□ Internal Revenue Service Tax-Exemption Determination Letter
□ Audited Financial Statements for the last two most recent fiscal years
□ Other financial documents 990 of P&L or unaudited statements
□ Written explanation of any Certified Financial Audit findings – as needed – see above
□ Deficit Reduction Plan signed by Board of Directors – as needed – see above
□Certificate of Insurance identifying Palm Beach County as additional insured.
□ Proof of Authorized Signatory - as registered with Florida Department of State, Division of
Corporations
□ List of Board of Directors – indicate officers
□ Artistic and Administrative Staff Bios
– indicate full or part time, years of service and office location
limit 4 pages
□ Mandatory Training Agreement Letter – see Mandatory Training above
TAB4 – Supplemental Materials
□ Letter of Support –
From partners, constituents and professionals in the field. Limit 3
□ Annual Report
□Marketing Advertising
Limit 1
□ Performance or Event Review
Limit 1
□ Additional Supporting Documents –
such as brochures, programs, reviews, etc. Limit 7
Grant Application Format
 Submit one unbound Original application and ten (10) copies.
 Indentify the original as the “ORIGINAL” application.
 Have the Application Cover signed in BLUE ink.
 Use a soft-cover three – ring notebook to hold the ten (10) copies.
 Affix the applicant organization’s name on the cover of the binder
 Do not use plastic sheets as inserts for the application narrative.
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DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS
All applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered by 5:00 p.m., on
Tuesday, January 27, 2015. MAIL OR HAND DELIVER the entire grant packet to:
Alexandra Gitelman
Cultural Council of Palm Beach County
601 Lake Avenue
Lake Worth, FL 33460
No Applications will be accepted after the deadline
For More Information
Please call the Grants Department at (561) 214-8087 or e-mail
agitelman@palmbeachculture.com
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