Registration deadline: February 22, 2011
Application deadline: April 1, 2011

General Operating Support represents an investment by NYSCA in an organization's ongoing work, rather than a specific project or program. GOS is intended to help organizations become more effective in fulfilling their mission.

The Council examines the nature, scope, and quality of an organization's programs and activities, its managerial and fiscal competence, and its public service when considering the provision and level of GOS support.

GOS grants will be no less than $5000 and shall not exceed 25% of an organization's budget, based on the income and expense statement for the organization's most recently completed fiscal year. GOS support is awarded on a multi-year basis.

Eligibility for other NYSCA support

Applicants cannot apply for both General Operating Support and General Program Support.

Organizations receiving GOS from NYSCA may also apply for project support in other disciplines. In addition, sponsored applicants and the following categories are exempt from the three-request limit:

Apprenticeships (Folk Arts)

Independent Projects (Architecture, Planning & Design)

Commissions (Dance)

Long-Term Residencies (Dance)

Rehearsal Space (Dance)

Translation (Literature)

Facilities (formerly Capital Projects)

Decentralization

Regrants (all disciplines)

Partnerships (all disciplines)

Prerequisites

An applicant for GOS must meet the following conditions:

Application Instructions

Application Narrative Questions

Artistic/Programmatic

1. Background
Describe your organization and how it was established.

2. Artistic/Cultural Vision
Articulate your organization's artistic and/or cultural vision.

3. Program Overview
Describe your programs and/or services for the coming year and how they help your organization to realize your artistic and cultural vision. Detail how the programming is selected. Highlight any programming initiatives or series and any new or expanded activities.

4. Changes and Challenges
Describe any recent significant programmatic changes, developments, and/or challenges, indicating how any challenges will be addressed.

Managerial/Fiscal

5. Staff
Identify the key administrative and artistic staff members responsible for this program. Indicate who is responsible for the artistic direction and programming. Detail any recent significant changes in key staff positions.

6. Governance
Describe your board in detail including committee structure, diversity, meeting schedule, and approach to staff and fiscal oversight.

7. Organizational Development
Outline your organization's approach to institutional planning, highlighting the roles of staff and board.

8. Finances
Detail your plans for meeting current and future expenses. Include sources of earned and unearned income. Explain any current and/or recurring surplus or deficits.

9. Artist and Programmatic Consultant Fees
Indicate how payment to artists and any outside consultants is determined. Please include your range of fees.

10. Facilities
Briefly describe each performance venue, including stage dimensions, seating capacity and production-related amenities.

11. Co-Presenters
If applicable identify each partner and describe the delineation of roles and responsibilities among them. Articulate the joint planning process as well as the financial and marketing commitments for each party.

Service to the Public

12. Constituency
Describe the audiences and communities served by your organization.

13. Development and Outreach
Detail efforts being undertaken to cultivate and broaden your constituency. Detail audience development goals and strategies.

14. Marketing
Describe your marketing strategies. Provide a rationale for the admission policy even if there is no charge for admission to the event and/or range of single ticket/subscription prices if applicable.

15. Online Resources
Describe your use of the Internet and social media.

16. Evaluation
Articulate how your organization evaluates its programs, services, and/or other organizational initiatives.

Support Materials

17. Support Materials
Please list all of the support materials and/or work samples you are submitting. These materials are critical to your application's assessment.

Support Material

Support material must be postmarked, hand-delivered, or made available online by the application deadline. Please direct them to your appropriate contact at: NYSCA, 175 Varick Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10014, or to lwells@nysca.org or ablanco@nysca.org.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Refer to the Instructions for Work Samples and Support Materials prior to submission.

NYSCA encourages the submission of Web-based Work Samples and Support Material whenever possible.

1. Résumés or biographical statements of key staff.

2. Organizational Chart.

3. Representative marketing materials for two current presentations (2 collated copies of each).

4. Representative sample of house programs (2 copies).

5. Biographies of proposed artist, company, ensemble - one to two paragraphs of background information for each event.

6. Work samples of artists or presentations are welcomed and may be forwarded on Windows compatible DVD, flash drive, or through a URL for a website link. Please include a description of the work sample and indicate or cue the excerpt you would like the panel to view. If you are using a website link, please be sure to include the URL link with the support materials.

7. For co-presentations - a signed and dated agreement that outlines each partner's contribution in terms of artist fees, marketing, and physical presentation.

8. Conflict of Interest policy.

9. Audited financial statement or approved board financial statement.

10. Long Range or Strategic Plan (optional).