APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The applicant’s mission must have a demonstrable connection to the culture the festival
is celebrating.
At the time of application, the applicant must have a proven track record of producing
a community-recognized festival in Austin with wide audience accessibility and must
be either:

• an Austin–based nonprofit organization with 501(c) status (as evidenced by a designation letter by the IRS)
OR
• an Austin-based Texas Non-Profit Organization
OR
• if an individual or unincorporated group, be fiscally sponsored by an Austin-based 501(c) nonprofit organization.

Fiscal Sponsor Eligibility Requirements
Fiscal Sponsors must
• Be a 501(c) organization located in Austin or its Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ),
• Have an active volunteer Board of Directors that meets at least three times a year,
• Have a salaried Executive Director, and
• Been in existence for:
o at least one (1) year and Have at least a $50,000 annual operating budget as evidenced by the most recently completed IRS Form 990, OR
o at least five (5) years and have at least a $35,000 annual operating budget as evidenced by the most recently completed IRS Form 990

FESTIVAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
The festival must be non-commercial in nature and have a clear and credible programmatic focus area of a cultural heritage and its arts in which festival participants or audience engage. See the definitions of cultural heritage and of cultural heritage festivals on page 30 of the Cultural Heritage Festivals Program Guidelines in the Library Tab above.
Applicants must provide programs and services primarily for the cultural communities community(ies) they serve as reflected by the applicant’s mission statement.
The festival must have been in existence in Austin a minimum of one year prior to May 1, 2018.
The festival must occur between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020.
All programs, events, and services must be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and must provide programming that includes events open to Austin residents, visitors, and tourists, and be consistent with the promotion and enhancement of the City of Austin as a cultural destination.
Applicants will submit biographies of festival administrator and/or artistic director, curator, and principal artist(s).
Applicants must be able to meet the required 1:2 (half) match by raising the funds from other sources. Funds from another City of Austin department are not eligible for matching funds and cannot be used for the proposed project.
CULTURALLY SPECIFIC MARKETING SUPPLEMENT ELIGIBILITY
The Mission of the applicant includes an effort to serve culturally specific group(s).
Fifty percent (50%) or more of the board/staff/artists are members of the community that is served by the mission of the applicant.

THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILL NOT FUND NOT ALLOW AS A MATCH:
• Organizations that receive Core Cultural Arts Funding or Community Initiatives support cannot also apply to the Cultural Heritage Festivals Program.
• Multiple requests for the same festival or from the same organization.
• Programming that is not open and marketed to the general public or festivals that are not accessible to all citizens, including persons with disabilities.
• Governmental agencies or public authorities
• Educational institutions, including public or private schools, colleges and/or universities
• Applicants that have a “delinquent” status with the Cultural Arts Funding Programs
• An operating deficit or budget shortfall projected for the funding period or incurred within previous fiscal periods
• Previously completed activities
• Religious and/or sectarian programming or any programming and or services that are solely for the promotion of or consumption by a specific religious order and/or a particular sect

• Capital expenditures, purchase, repair or renovation of equipment or real property, including construction, renovation or purchase of equipment and/or real property. In the case of neighborhood art and design projects, funding may be requested for research, planning, design and/or fabrication of art projects, but not for general construction, reconstruction, landscaping, or other costs that can be considered capital expenditures.
• Cash reserves or endowments of any kind, as awarded funds are to be expended within the designated funding period
• Private events or any activities offered for the sole purpose of raising money in excess of the value of programs or services delivered
• Applicants whose nonprofit status has been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service
• Programs and/or services of Austin-based arts and cultural organizations that benefit other cities or regions
• Projects that benefit a commercial business or activity
• More than one application per eligible program per fiscal year
• Sponsored projects that benefit the Fiscal Sponsor or are an extension of the Fiscal Sponsor’s programs or services
• Fundraising groups and/or “friends of” organizations that exist primarily to support an artistic organization/group
• Foundations with a principle purpose of making grants to unrelated organizations or individuals. Foundations are eligible to serve as Fiscal Sponsors, however
• Activities concurrently receiving funding through other City of Austin Cultural Funding Programs
Ineligible Project Costs (cannot be used as match) include, but may not be limited to, the following:
• Costs associated with the start-up of a new organization
• Direct project costs incurred more than 60 days prior to the grant starting date
• Fund-raising expenses, including but not limited to entertainment, reception or hospitality functions expenses
• Consultants who are members of an applicant’s staff or board
• Payments to students or interns whose employment is tied to class credit
• Cultural Funding Services Agreement (contract) management costs, writing fees, sponsorship fees, or any other contract management fees. They may be used as match, however, if occurring during the Agreement Fiscal Year. +
• Operating costs not associated with the project
• Purchase of gifts, gift cards, awards, cash prizes, scholarships, contributions or donations
• Food or beverages, unless essential to the project. Contact CAD staff to verify eligibility of any food or beverage expenses +
• Existing deficits, fines, contingencies, penalties, interest or litigation costs
• Internal programs at colleges or universities
• Curriculum development or curricular activities such as creation of textbooks or classroom materials
• Scholarly or academic research, tuition, and activities which generate academic credit or formal study toward an academic or professional degree
• Travel of Applicant/Organization’s administrative staff. +
Exception: Mileage is allowed at the approved per diem rates when accompanied by a completed City of Austin Cultural Funding Private Vehicle Report. Travel activity must be essential to the project. Travel for research is not an eligible project cost.
• Purchase of Gasoline
• Property Taxes or any other tax with the exception of retail sales or payroll tax
• Audits unless required per cultural funding contract
• Membership fees

• The purchase of computer software/hardware
• In-Kind contributions (including unpaid, volunteer time) from applicant employees

+ Ineligible activities MAY be included in the projects budget as expenses or as a match.
Contact Cultural Arts Division Staff for questions or clarifications of eligible project expenditures and match contributions.