How Council Grants Work
Grant Programs are Developed
based on strategic planning with constituents framing purpose, eligibility and matching requirements, evaluation criteria and required materials;
Guidelines are Announced and Distributed
through direct mailing to over 3,000 groups, press releases and
postings on the Council's website promoting the opportunity widely;
Notices of Intent to Apply
are submitted to Council staff to determine appropriateness;
Technical Assistance
workshops and webinars are held and staff are available for one-on-one assistance;
Applications
are received and reviewed for completeness. All applicants must be current with their Charities Registration and State of NJ Corporate Recording filings;
Independent Peer Panels Evaluate Applications
in each category or art discipline against published criteria to assess excellence in all relevant areas. Panels discuss all applications, record consensus commentary and assign numerical ranks that are averaged;
Grants Committee Recommendations
and deliberations are based on funding principles adopted prior to the process and on complete review of panel comments, ranks, and any funding history;
Annual Meeting
held by the Council meets in public session to vote on recommendations of
the Grants Committee; and
Grant Contracts and Reports
are employed to set specifications, monitor progress and collect data on
impact of funded programs. Final payments are held pending satisfactory final report
and post grant audits are required.