Welcome to our detailed guide on how to navigate the City of Austin’s Submittable portal for Cultural Arts Division Grants, administered by Create Austin, a service provided by the Long Center for Performing Arts.
Accessing the Portal
To start your application, visit The Long Center’s Submittable page.
If you’re applying through a Fiscal Sponsor for grants like the Nexus Grant, remember: the sponsor must be the one to create and submit the application on your behalf. Ensure your fiscal sponsorship agreement is established before completing your application. To prepare, explore our resources on Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement Template and Fillable Application Template.
Applying for Grants
On the Submittable home page, navigate to the grant you’re interested in and click ‘Apply’. You’ll be directed to a sign-in page. If you’re new, click ‘Sign Up’ to register, or log in with your existing account. The grant program summary page contains crucial information specific to each grant, including links to detailed program guidelines.
Key Application Details
- Eligibility and Application Form: After logging in, you’ll see an eligibility quiz at the start of the application. This step ensures you meet the grant criteria. Incorrect quiz results can be rectified by revisiting the homepage and trying again.
- Program-Specific Information: Our website features dedicated pages for each grant program, loaded with resources like application templates and a detailed breakdown of the application process.
- Entering Organization Information: At the beginning of the application form, you can enter your organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN). This step is optional for individual artists or those without an EIN. Do not enter your Social Security Number here.
- Managing Auto-Complete: We recommend turning off the auto-complete function in your browser to streamline the form-filling process. Unsure how to do this? Simply search for “How to turn off autocomplete” in your preferred internet browser.
- Working with Collaborators: If you wish to involve collaborators in your application, manage this section by entering their email addresses. Only the primary account holder can submit the finalized application.
- Required Documents and Completion: Prepare the necessary documents. They may include work samples, Fiscal Sponsorship Agreements, and other relevant files.
Application Sections
Section 1: Contact Details and Activity Information
This section collects basic contact information and details about the proposed activity. It is purely informational and helps to set the context for the application.
Section 2: Demographic Questions
This section is required by the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department to gather demographic data from applicants. The information provided here does not influence the scoring of the application and is not visible to the reviewers.
Section 3: Scored Program Questions
This is a critical part of the application where responses to narrative questions about the proposed project are entered. Applicants detail their project’s goals, execution plan, and budget in this section. The budget must be fully itemized to match the funding amount requested, and any additional funding must be listed separately.
Section 4: Required Documents
Applicants must upload necessary documentation in this section, such as work samples, fiscal sponsorship agreements (if applicable), Form 990, and IRS determination letters. The section specifies accepted file types for submissions.
Section 5: Acknowledgements and Attestations
The final section of the application involves a series of statements that applicants must agree to, affirming their compliance with the grant’s requirements. This part also includes reminders about the application’s integrity and the need for accurate and truthful information.
Finalizing Your Application
Saving Your Application Draft
You can save your work at any time by clicking the ‘Save Draft’ button at the bottom of the page. This allows you to pause your application and return to it later. To resume, simply navigate to your Submittable profile, select ‘Submissions’, then ‘Drafts’, and continue where you left off.
Submitting Your Application
Once you’ve completed all sections and double-checked them for accuracy, you’re ready to submit. Remember, if you’re collaborating with others, only the primary account holder can submit the final application. Collaborators can contribute but cannot submit the application themselves.
Editing After Submission
If you need to make changes after submitting, you can request edits while the application window is open. Go to the ‘Submissions’ page in your Submittable account, find the ‘Forms’ tab, and click the ‘Edit’ button. After submitting the details in the pop-up request form, a staff member will review and approve your changes.
Support and Resources
For additional questions or assistance, email the City program staff at cultural.arts@austin.texas.gov or Create Austin staff at cityofaustin.grants@thelongcenter.org.
We invite you to utilize these tools and resources to make your grant application process as smooth and successful as possible. Your creativity and innovation help drive the spirit of Austin, and by working together, we can continue to build a thriving, vibrant community.