Anne van Ingen, Director (212) 741-7013
Nancy Cohn, Associate (212) 741-7014

Capital Projects offers support for the improvement, expansion, or rehabilitation of existing buildings owned or leased by nonprofit cultural institutions receiving programmatic funding from the Council. The types of facilities involved in these projects have included theatres, museums, galleries, cinemas, offices, art storage/conservation studios, and historic house museums. Examples of funded projects include roof replacement, HVAC systems, accessible bathrooms, theatrical lighting and sound systems, dance floors, office space renovation, fire safety systems, facade restoration, elevator installation, and electrical and advanced networks wiring.

Capital Projects is restricted to funding construction costs. Architecture, engineering, and other professional design or consultant fees are not eligible for funding through a Capital Project grant. Refer to the Architecture, Planning and Design Program guidelines for information about support for these activities. As always, the Council is committed to supporting projects in which design excellence is evident.

Applicants to Capital Projects should be well along in the planning phase of the projects at the time of application. In order to meet the application deadlines, project consultants should be selected prior to the March registration deadline. Grant recipients are expected to complete funded capital projects within their 12-month grant period.

All applicants to the program are strongly encouraged to discuss their projects with program staff well in advance of the March registration deadline.

Funding Priorities

The funding priorities for Capital Projects are

Requests from organizations that further cultural development in rural or minority communities

Projects that improve, expand, or rehabilitate existing buildings to provide for accessibility for people with disabilities

Projects that increase or assure public access to the arts

Projects that address known health and safety deficiencies

Projects that reduce an organization's operating costs

Projects that create or improve access to facilities for working artists with disabilities

The Council is unlikely to fund maintenance projects and capital projects that have resulted from deferred maintenance. Examples may include roof repair, servicing of HVAC equipment, painting, etc.

Capital Projects is particularly concerned with ensuring access to cultural events and services for all New Yorkers. Applicants whose facilities are not fully accessible to both audience members and artists with disabilities are urged to learn about and work toward compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Information about this and other resources can be found in the NYSCA website.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to apply to Capital Projects, an organization must meet each of the following conditions.

NYSCA funding for ongoing programs and activities (not sponsored projects or Decentralization grants) for the previous three consecutive years.

Ownership of the facility or leasehold with an unexpired period of at least six years at the time of application. (A renewal option contained in the current lease will be considered, provided such renewal does not require landlord approval)

The unexpired period of the lease is equal to or longer than the "useful life" of the project (see examples) as excerpted from New York State Finance Law).

Have completed any previously supported capital projects before registering in March for a new capital project

These organizations are not eligible.

Religious institutions or arts organizations requesting funds for a facility they share with or lease from a religious institution

Public school districts, public universities, or state agencies, or arts organizations leasing their facility from such an entity

Organizations approved for capital funding by other New York State programs or agencies for the same project are not eligible to apply for Capital Projects support. Examples include Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act, Environmental Protection Fund, and Legislative "member items" through the Natural Heritage Trust.

Evaluative Criteria

Grant requests in this Program are evaluated in accordance with the relevant agency-wide criteria.

In addition, the most recent Council evaluation of the organization's cultural programs and administration is a key factor.

Funding Policies

Applicants may make one request to Capital Projects per year.

Capital funding is generally awarded to organizations receiving General Operating Support from the Council. Other organizations may apply for projects that are confined to the physical space used for Council-supported arts activities only. Such organizations are strongly encouraged to consult with Capital Projects staff before the March registration date.  

Organizations must own their facility to apply for any exterior rehabilitation projects, such as roof replacement and façade restoration.

Capital funds are restricted to the specific project and facility for which they were originally granted; they are not transferable to another project or site.

Additional Requirements

Projects of $1 million or greater must be referred to the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York for technical review and recommendations. This review typically takes 30 days. If the Dormitory Authority determines that a project is technically flawed, it may recommend to the Council that funding be denied. In such an event it is highly unlikely that the project would be funded by the Council.

A complete credit check by the Nonprofit Finance Fund is required for grant/loan applications before the panel review.

Awards to projects in facilities listed in the State or National Register of Historic Sites must be reviewed and approved by the state's Office of Historic Preservation before funds are released.