Investing in your community’s imagination for 50 years!

Wisconsin Arts Board 50th Anniversary Grant Program

Application Instructions

After registering in WAB’s grants system (http://wab.smartsimple.com/), log in, click ‘Funding Opportunities’ and select Special Award.

1. Click the round letter icon in the top righthand corner of the screen and select ‘Organizational Profile.’

2. Complete/update the Mission Statement and Brief Organizational History sections (limit 200 words). Remember to click the ‘Save’ button at the bottom of every page.

To make changes after saving, review WAB’s Editing Your Organizational Profile tutorial.

3. Click on the Narrative tab and describe the project that this grant will support (limit 400 words).

  • Outline your goals for the project.
  • Provide a detailed timeline for the project’s activities.
  • Note where the project will take place.
  • Identify and include information about the project leader(s) and the artist(s) involved.

4. Click on the Support Materials tab and upload a project budget that includes a list of in-kind contributions. Also upload a list of people from your county whom you will invite to the State Level Resources Zoom Session.

  • a. State Level Resources Zoom Session invite list: Include a list of people from your county whom you will invite to join you in the Zoom session with us. A list of potential invitees and some questions that might spark additional ideas are available at this link: https://artsboard.wisconsin.gov/Documents/XSA/50thAnniversaryGrantProgram_ListofPotentialInvitees.pdf. It is not an exhaustive list, so please add to it as you see fit.
  • b. Project Budget: Detail the income and expenses that you expect for this project. Include this $2,500 grant in your income section. Make sure that the project’s total income equals the project’s total expenses. The project budget must balance.
    • In-Kind Contributions: Include a list of donated goods and services and volunteer hours that others will contribute to the project. Sample budgets and in-kind lists are available at this link: https://artsboard.wisconsin.gov/Documents/SampleBudget_WABSpecialAward.pdf
    • Match Requirement: A 1:1 match is required for these funds. This means that the total income for the project must be at least $5,000.  The WAB grant will provide $2,500 of that income and the applicant will provide at least another $2,500. The applicant’s portion of the income may consist of: in-kind contributions, cash that the applicant has on-hand, cash earned from the project, or a combination of these. WAB staff is available to work with you on the budget portion of the application. Please contact artsboard@wisconsin.gov when you are ready for that assistance, prior to January 23.

5. Click the Certification tab and use your mouse to write your signature in the ‘Signature’ box. Make sure that this electronic signature is from an authorized representative of the applicant organization.

6. Click the ‘Submit‘ button at the bottom of the page.

Ineligible Expenses

In general, the Arts Board does not fund the following nor can the match for Arts Board funds be used for these expenses: Capital equipment (items costing more than $5,000 with a useful life of more than one year) or capital expenditures, e.g., renovation of existing facilities; Benefit/fundraiser activities; Prizes or awards; Competitions; Deficits incurred from past activities; Individual tuition; Activities for which higher ed academic credit is given (Grades 13+) and/or continuing education hours for teachers are given; Out-of-state travel; Hospitality expenses, i.e. entertainment, refreshments or food at receptions, parties, gallery openings; Activities that have already been completed by the beginning of the grant period; Activities that have a religious purpose; General operating expenses; Curriculum expansion; or Activities not open to the general public (Activities conducted in public schools are considered to be public).