YOUNGARTS MICROGRANT PROGRAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS
YoungArts Microgrant Overview ..................................................................................................................................................................... 2
About The Application............................................................................................................................................................................................ 2
2021/2022 Microgrant Calendar.................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Creative Microgrants .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
Eligibility .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Funding Restrictions ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
General Guidelines And Key Points ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
What You Will Need To Apply....................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Work Samples ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Criteria By Category
Professional Development Criteria ..................................................................................................................................................7
Works In Progress Criteria .................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Larger Scale Project Support Criteria ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Review Process ...................................................................................................................................................................................................10
Final Report ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................10
Frequently Asked Questions For Creative Microgrants ...........................................................................................................10
Emergency Microgrants .....................................................................................................................................................................................12
Eligibility ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................12
General Guidelines And Key Points .......................................................................................................................................................12
What You Will Need To Apply.....................................................................................................................................................................13
Review Process ...................................................................................................................................................................................................13
Frequently Asked Questions For Emergency Microgrants ....................................................................................................13

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YOUNGARTS MICROGRANT OVERVIEW
The YoungArts Microgrant Program was established in November of 2018 to support the professional
development and artistic needs of YoungArts’ past award winners through small monetary awards. In
March of 2020, following the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, Creative Microgrants were
temporarily halted and over $290,000 in funds were reallocated to administer Emergency Microgrants
to YoungArts award winners, and artists who have worked for YoungArts in the past three years,
experiencing loss of work due to the pandemic. By August of 2020, Creative Microgrants were
reinstated and the program was extended to include emergency microgrants as a category of funding.

As of July 2021, the YoungArts Microgrant program has expanded to provide $15,000 in creative grant
support, including a monthly $5,000 project support grant, and $15,000 in emergency funding.

The YoungArts Microgrant Program (now including both Creative and Emergency grants) offers a
total of $30,000 per month in funding to YoungArts award winners.

ABOUT THE APPLICATION

Applications are hosted by Submittable and can be found on YoungArts Post year round. If you do not
have access to an account on YoungArts Post, you can request access by visiting
http://youngartspost.org/request. You may also be required to create a free Submittable account in
order to apply.

Before beginning an application, you will be prompted to choose if you are applying for a Creative or
Emergency Microgrant. Applicants may submit more than one application if they wish to apply for both.

Application questions are meant to help you think through your request in order to provide information
about its intended outcomes and impact on your career. Read and follow all directions and guidelines to
ensure that your application is complete and accurate before submitting. You can save your work and
return to Submittable to complete the application at a later time.

Even though you can type your responses to application questions directly into the online application, it
is a good idea to draft your answers in a separate document, then copy and paste into the online
application. This will prevent any loss of work due to internet connectivity or other technical issues
encountered.

If applying for a Creative Microgrant, we recommend that you have someone review your application to
ensure that your goals and project plans are clear and understandable.

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2021/2022 MICROGRANT CALENDAR

Cycle (by month) Event Date

July Application opens Monday, June 21 , 2021
Application deadline Monday, August 2, 2021
Notification of results Friday, August 6, 2021
Contracts due Tuesday, August 10, 2021
Payments disbursed Friday, August 13, 2021
Final reports due* Monday, September 27, 2021
August Application opens Monday, August 2, 2021
Application deadline Monday, September 6, 2021
Notification of results Friday, September 10, 2021
Contracts due Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Payments disbursed Friday, September 17, 2021
Final reports due* Monday, November 1, 2021
September Application opens Monday, September 7, 2021
Application deadline Monday, October 4, 2021
Notification of results Friday, October 8, 2021
Contracts due Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Payments disbursed Friday, October 15, 2021
Final reports due* Monday, November 29, 2021
October Application opens Monday, October 4, 2021
Application deadline Monday, November 1, 2021
Notification of results Friday, November 5, 2021
Contracts due Tuesday, November 9, 2021
Payments disbursed Friday, November 12, 2021
Final reports due* Monday, December 27, 2021
November Application opens Monday, November 1, 2021
Application deadline Monday, December 6, 2021
Notification of results Friday, December 10, 2021
Contracts due Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Payments disbursed Friday, December 17, 2021
Final reports due* Monday, January 31, 2022
December Application opens Monday, December 6, 2021
Application deadline Monday, January 3, 2022
Notification of results Friday, January 7, 2022
Contracts due Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Payments disbursed Friday, January 14, 2022
Final reports due* Monday, February 28, 2022

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 Cycle (by month) Event
January Application opens
Application deadline
Notification of results
Contracts due
Payments disbursed
Final reports due*
February Application opens
Application deadline
Notification of results
Contracts due
Payments disbursed
Final reports due*
March Application opens
Application deadline
Notification of results
Contracts due
Payments disbursed
Final reports due*
April Application opens
Application deadline
Notification of results
Contracts due
Payments disbursed
Final reports due*
May Application opens
Application deadline
Notification of results
Contracts due
Payments disbursed
Final reports due*
June Application opens
Application deadline
Notification of results
Contracts due
Payments disbursed
Final reports due*
*Final reports only applicable to recipients of Creative Microgrants
Date
Monday, January 3, 2022
Monday, February 7, 2022
Friday, February 11, 2022
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Friday, February 18, 2022
Monday, April 4, 2022
Monday, February 7, 2022
Monday, March 7, 2022
Friday, March 11, 2022
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Friday, March 18, 2022
Monday, May 2, 2022
Monday, March 7, 2022
Monday, April 4, 2022
Friday, April 8, 2022
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Friday, April 15, 2022
Monday, May 30, 2022
Monday, April 4, 2022
Monday, May 2, 2022
Friday, May 6, 2022
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Friday, May 13, 2022
Monday, June 27, 2022
Monday, May 2, 2022
Monday, June 6, 2022
Friday, June 10, 2022
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Friday, June 17, 2022
Monday, August 1, 2022
Monday, June 6, 2022
Monday, July 4, 2022
Friday, July 8, 2022
Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Friday, July 15, 2022
Monday, August 29, 2022
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CREATIVE MICROGRANTS
Creative Microgrants of up to $5,000 are awarded monthly in three separate categories:
I. Professional Development
II. Creative Works in Progress
III. Larger Scale Project Support

This is a highly competitive program designed to support applicants across different stages of their
careers with the strongest merit and vision. Eligible applications will be reviewed by a rotating panel of
YoungArts staff and artists. Grants may be larger or smaller than your request based on our
available budget and the strength of the application.

ELIGIBILITY
All YoungArts award winners are eligible to apply for Creative Microgrants regardless of age or
discipline.

FUNDING RESTRICTIONS
Creative Microgrants cannot be used to support:

• Fundraising events
• Trusts or endowments
• Debt repayment or ongoing monthly expenses not related to artistic production
• Programs with religious or sectarian purposes or that are part of scheduled religious services
• Expenses incurred before the date of the grant payment (please see calendar for specific dates)
• Programs which aid or service political campaigns or political groups
• Tuition or fees paid to higher-education institutions

Examples of things you may request funds for include:

• Plane ticket to attend a residency

• Registration fees for a conference or seminar
• Purchase of equipment or materials
• Studio Rental fees
• Fees to pay for an artistic collaborator
• Printing costs for artwork or promotional materials

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND KEY POINTS

Grant Size: YoungArts will grant up to $15,000 in Creative Microgrants each cycle, including one $5,000
Larger Scale Project Support grant. Maximum grant request amounts are specified in each category
below and on the application. YoungArts may award larger or smaller grants than those requested by
applicants based on our available funds, the strength of the proposed work, and the clarity of the

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submitted budget. Please indicate in your application if your endeavor will move forward if granted
partial funding.

Payment/Reimbursement: Grants will be made in a single, one-time payment on the date stated in the
grant calendar following the successful completion of the grant agreement. Please keep in mind
Creative Microgrants are not to be used as reimbursements for expenses incurred before the grant
payment date. The payment timeline projected in this document is subject to change.

Previous Grantees: Grantees must wait 12 months from the date they received their Creative
Microgrant award to reapply for another Creative Microgrant, regardless of whether they accept the
grant funds or not. Previous grantees of Creative Microgrants are not excluded from applying for
Emergency Microgrants unless they have received an Emergency Microgrant in the last 3 months.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY

• An artist statement, bio, and goals
• A request description and timeline
• An analysis of how this request will impact your career trajectory
• Project Budget (if applicable): Applicants applying for funds that will be used to support a work
in progress will be required to submit a complete budget for the entire project (not just the
amount of the grant requested)
• A recent artistic work sample
• A completed profile on YoungArts Post: Your YoungArts Post Profile should include a profile
picture as well as general information about you, your email, social media links, and any past
artistic work (uploaded as projects)

Submissions missing any of the required components listed above will not be assessed.

WORK SAMPLES
Your artistic merit will be evaluated based on the work sample you provide, so be sure to select
something that represents the best of what you do.

You will be asked to provide a work sample that demonstrates the artistic quality of your past work
and/or any precedent completing or executing a project similar to that described in the application (if
applicable). Work samples do not need to be professionally produced.

Applicants may upload JPG images, PDFs or video/audio recordings. The following types of work samples
are allowed:
• Images – Up to 10 images
• Video - One video sample up to 5 minutes
• Audio - One audio sample up to 5 minutes
• Manuscript/writing excerpts/literary work - No more than 10 pages

Please note theater and dance applicants are generally recommended to submit video work samples.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA
Description: Awards in this category support high-level professional advancement through
opportunities and/or materials leading to the development of a professional artist’s body of work.
Applicants will be required to articulate how this request will strengthen their expertise and advance
their creative practice.

Maximum Request Amount: $1,000

Please be mindful of the maximum request amount. Applications that request more than the maximum
amount in this category may not be assessed.

Examples of Eligible Requests:

• Unique, one-on-one apprenticeships with masters of the discipline within which the practicing
artist is focused.
• Competitive application-based artist residencies, workshops, and laboratories leading to the
development of a body of work.
• Research associated with the development of a work of art or creative exploration, such as a
literary manuscript or architectural design.
• Material or equipment needed to improve the artist’s quality of work.
Note about eligible requests: Artists applying to participate in residencies, workshops, laboratories or
apprenticeships must include a brochure, website link, or letter from the providing institution/individual
outlining the selection process for the opportunity.

Priorities:
• Projects that align with the stage of an artist’s career and clearly articulate why this
opportunity would be significant now.
• Projects that have potential to positively impact the applicant’s career trajectory.
• Projects that are unique and not a repetition of the applicant’s similar, previous experience.

Review Criteria:
All proposals under this category will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
• Artistic Merit: The artistic capabilities of the applicant as showcased by a strong history of work
that demonstrates excellence. Reviewers will assess artistic merit by reviewing all submitted
materials, with a special emphasis on the work sample.
• Quality of Proposed Request: The artistic strength, quality, and acclaim of the proposed
residency, workshop, laboratory, apprenticeship, research opportunity and/or materials or
equipment.
• Uniqueness of Proposed Project: The uniqueness of this opportunity and timing as compared to
the applicant's previous work and its alignment with the current stage of the applicant’s career.
• Potential Impact: How the proposed project and this grant to advance/further the applicant’s
work/career.
• Urgency: Time-sensitivity of the request.

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WORKS IN PROGRESS CRITERIA
Description: Awards in this category support a specific phase of a project in development.

Maximum Request Amount: $3,000

Please be mindful of the maximum request amount. Applications that request more than the maximum
amount in this category may not be assessed.

Examples of eligible requests:

• Rental of equipment
• Rental of studio or rehearsal space
• Fees to pay an artistic collaborator
• Copyright and distribution fees
• Purchase of materials needed to complete the proposed project

Priorities:

• A strong and original artistic vision.

• Requests for elements that facilitate the creation of new work or the expansion of existing
work that is highly impactful for an artist’s career.
• Emphasis on the creative process as well as the product/outcome.

Please note that artist residency opportunities offering support for the development of work and
research leading to a creative project are eligible under the Professional Development category.

Review Criteria:

All proposals in this category will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Artistic Merit: The artistic capabilities of the applicant as showcased by a strong history of work
that demonstrates excellence. Reviewers will assess artistic merit by reviewing all submitted
materials, with a special emphasis on the work sample.
• Quality of Proposed Project: The artistic strength, quality, vision and originality of the proposed
project, as well as the specificity of the stage of the project that this grant will support.
• Feasibility of Proposed Project: Feasibility of successful completion of this phase of the project,
as well as likelihood of achieving its end goal, as determined by the applicant preparing and
clearly articulating a logical, well-conceived project plan that can be reasonably executed, clear
goals, and an accurate budget.
• Potential Impact: How of the proposed project and this grant to advance/further the applicant’s
work/career.
• Urgency: Time-sensitivity of the request.

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LARGER SCALE PROJECT SUPPORT CRITERIA
Description: Awards in this category support the development of a larger scale project that is close to
fruition and already has variable support from other individuals or institutions. One $5,000 grant per
month will be awarded in this category.

Maximum Request Amount: $5,000

Please be mindful of the maximum request amount. Applications that request more than the maximum
amount in this category may not be assessed.

Eligibility:

• Specified project has an overall budget of $20,000 or more.

• Specified project has received funding from other sources; YoungArts is not the sole source of
funding for specified project.
• Imminent showcase of specified project has been planned and/or specified project is
committed to come to fruition.

Priorities:

• A strong and original artistic vision.

• Requests for elements that facilitate the creation of new work or the expansion of existing
work that is highly impactful for an artist’s career.
• Emphasis on the creative process as well as the product/outcome.

Review Criteria:

All proposals in this category will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Artistic Merit: The artistic capabilities of the applicant as showcased by a strong history of work
that demonstrates excellence. Reviewers will assess artistic merit by reviewing all submitted
materials, with a special emphasis on the work sample.
• Quality of Proposed Project: The artistic strength, quality, vision and originality of the proposed
project, as well as the specificity of the stage of the project that this grant will support.
• Feasibility of Proposed Project: Feasibility of successful completion of this phase of the project,
as well as likelihood of achieving its end goal, as determined by the applicant preparing and
clearly articulating a logical, well-conceived project plan that can be reasonably executed, clear
goals, and an accurate budget.
• Potential Impact: How of the proposed project and this grant to advance/further the applicant’s
work/career.
• Urgency: Time-sensitivity of the request.

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REVIEW PROCESS
Eligible applications for Creative Microgrants will be reviewed by a rotating panel of YoungArts staff and
past award winners.

The panel is charged with reviewing eligible proposals, discussing project worthiness, making
comments, and assigning numerical scores using the category-specific criteria. To be successful,
commitment to these criteria should thread through your entire application including the narrative,
budget and support materials.

Grant reviewers make funding recommendations to YoungArts without exceeding the $15,000 total
monthly award budget. YoungArts staff facilitate grant panel review and to aid the grant reviewers in
finding consensus. At this time, YoungArts cannot advise or offer feedback on submissions or
proposals.

If you are interested in serving as a grant reviewer on a future panel, please email
alumni@youngarts.org.

FINAL REPORT
Grant final report forms are also facilitated by Submittable and are sent to grantees approximately one
month after they receive their Creative Microgrant award. Grantees have two weeks from the time
they receive access to the form to report how and when the funds were spent as well as any
testimonials about the impact of their award. Failure to complete the final report will affect future
funding opportunities from the National YoungArts Foundation. Final report deadlines can be found in
the grant calendar.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR CREATIVE MICROGRANTS

 What is the amount of each Creative Microgrant?

Creative Microgrant amounts depend on the amount requested in each application. Creative
Microgrants have ranged from as little as $60 to as much as $5,000. However, based on our
current restrictions, applicants may not request more than the maximum request amount
specified in each category.

 How are Creative Microgrant applicants selected?

Applicants are selected by a rotating panel of YoungArts staff and past award winners, following
the review criteria listed above.

 Am I guaranteed to receive funds?

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 Unfortunately, due to limited funds and volume of applications, not every applicant will be
funded.

 If I have previously received an Emergency Microgrant, can I apply for a Creative Microgrant?

Yes, any applicant who has previously received an Emergency Microgrant is still eligible to apply
for a Creative Microgrant as long as they have not received a Creative Microgrant in the last 12
months.

 Can I apply for a Creative Microgrant and an Emergency Microgrant in the same cycle?

Yes, applicants may apply for both a Creative Microgrant and an Emergency Microgrant in the
same cycle as long as they meet the eligibility requirements for both.

 How will I be notified if I am selected?

Applicants will be notified via email.

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EMERGENCY MICROGRANTS
To help address the current economic and funding crisis facing artists across the country, YoungArts is
currently offering Emergency Microgrants. These grants are in conjunction with our Creative
Microgrants in order to further support YoungArts award winners and other members of the YoungArts
artist community.

Grants of $1,000 will be awarded to eligible artists who are experiencing loss of income due to the
cancellation of scheduled professional engagements or unexpected expenses due to COVID-19, natural
disaster, and/or other unforeseen dire circumstances. Applications will be selected using a lottery
system.

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years of age

• Be either:
- A YoungArts (National YoungArts Foundation/NFAA) award winner.*
- Or have been hired by YoungArts in the capacity of Guest Artist (Teacher, Panel, Reviewer,
Creative Team, Faculty, Week-Long Accompanist), Discipline Coordinator, Resident Advisor
or Production Team member during the time frame of October 2017 – June 2021.
• Be able to receive taxable income in the U.S.
• Have been a practicing artist or educator, or working in production for the last 3 years
• Rely on their income to cover monthly expenses. ie. Housing, food, medical expenses, etc.

*We verify this eligibility via the applicant’s YoungArts Post Profile. Although not required for
Emergency Microgrants, you are encouraged to complete your profile with a profile picture as well as
general information about yourself, your email, social media links, and any past artistic work (uploaded
as projects)

GENERAL GUIDELINES AND KEY POINTS

Grant Size: YoungArts will grant up to $15,000 in Emergency Microgrants each cycle, with individual
grants totaling $1,000 each.

Payment/Reimbursement: Grants will be made in a single, one-time payment on the date stated in the
grant calendar following the successful completion of the grant agreement. The payment timeline
projected in this document is subject to change.

Previous Grantees: Grantees must wait 3 months from the date they received their Emergency
Microgrant to reapply for another Emergency Microgrant, regardless of whether they accept the grant

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funds or not. Previous grantees of Emergency Microgrants are not excluded from applying for Creative
Microgrants unless they have received a Creative Microgrant in the last 12 months.

Reporting: Reporting is not required if you receive an Emergency Microgrant. Grant funds awarded
under this category are unrestricted.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO APPLY

• A link to your profile on YoungArts Post (though not required, we encourage you to include a
profile picture as well as general information about you, your email, social media links, and any
past artistic work on your profile)
• A description and proof of loss of work and/or unexpected expenses due to COVID-19, natural
disaster, or other unforeseen dire circumstances.

REVIEW PROCESS
Eligible applications for Emergency Microgrants will be selected using a lottery system. Eligibility is
verified by a rotating panel of YoungArts staff and past award winners with applicants’ personal
information redacted.

If you are not awarded, you may apply in the next cycle. If not selected for this cycle, you should save
your application for resubmission. As the selection process is lottery based, there is no need to improve
upon or adjust your application, unless your circumstances change.

If you are interested in serving as a grant reviewer on a future panel, please email
alumni@youngarts.org.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR EMERGENCY MICROGRANTS

 What is the amount of each Emergency Microgrant?

$1,000.00 USD

 How are applicants selected?

Applicants are selected using a lottery system.

 Am I guaranteed to receive funds?

Unfortunately, due to limited funds and potential volume of applications, not every applicant
will be funded.

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 If I have received a Creative Microgrant in the last 12 months, can I apply for an Emergency
Microgrant?

Yes, any applicant who has received a Creative Microgrant in the last 12 months is still eligible
to apply for an Emergency Microgrant.

 Can I apply for a Creative Microgrant and an Emergency Microgrant in the same cycle?

Yes, applicants may apply for both a Creative Microgrant and an Emergency Microgrant in the
same cycle as long as they meet the eligibility requirements for both.

 What if the loss of funds does not exceed $1,000?

Emergency Microgrants are intended to support artists in the YoungArts community who are in
urgent need of funds due to circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 crisis and/or other
unforeseen emergencies. If your loss of funds is minimal, please defer your application to a later
cycle in order for us to quickly serve those who need support the most.

 How do you define "practicing artist”?

For the purposes of this Emergency Microgrant, YoungArts defines a practicing artist as
someone who is engaged and active in the creation and development of their art, including arts
educators.

 Are students whose livelihoods depended on scholarships and boarding at school—which have
been canceled or suspended—eligible?

Yes, students are eligible.

 Do you have to be a permanent resident or citizen of the US to be eligible?

No, applicants just need to be able to receive taxable income in the US.

 How will I be notified if I am selected?

Applicants will be notified via email.

 Do I need to submit proof of income?

No applicants do not need to submit proof of income.

 Why are you collecting demographic data from applicants? Who has access to this data?

We are committed to equity and inclusion and view data as an essential tool to be accountable
to this commitment. This information is being collected for tracking and reporting purposes and
does not affect eligibility or selection. Individual applicant data (including name) will not be
shared, duplicated, or distributed publicly. Additionally, aggregated applicant data will be
collected, summarized, and may be shared in reports to funders and/or the public, without
disclosing any personal information. Providing demographic information is entirely optional and
not required to submit an application.

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