Section R2-2-204. Process for Obtaining a Grant from the Arizona Arts Trust Fund

A.       The Commission shall establish an annual grant deadline and publish grant guidelines by January 15th of each year. Appli- cations shall be postmarked or delivered by 5:00 p.m. on the grant deadline date. Late applications shall not be filed by the Commission but shall be returned without review.

Arizona Administrative Code                                                                      Title 2, Ch. 2

B.       An applicant shall submit a narrative and budget that comply with the grant guidelines and address the criteria in R2-2-203. The Commission shall provide the forms and formats for the narrative and budget to the applicant. An applicant may submit supplemental information including slides, videotapes, audio recordings, press coverage, and print or other materials that document the artistic work of the applicant.

C.       The Commission shall conduct a grant review process:

1.        The Commission shall appoint grant review panels. Each panel shall be assigned a specific group of grant applica- tions to review. The Commission shall appoint three to seven community members to serve on each of the grant review panels. Grant review panelists shall be appointed by the Commission for one year and may serve no more than three consecutive years on the same panel. No more than two members of any panel shall serve on the panel for the second and third years.

2.        Grant review panelists shall hold a grant review panel meeting. Grant review panelists shall read all the applica- tions assigned to their panel prior to the grant review panel meeting. Upon request, grant review panelists shall attend events of the applicant or speak with a representa- tive of the applicant to be informed about the applicant organization. At the grant review panel meeting, grant review panelists shall contribute to the discussion of the applications; rate applications based on the facts in the applications and their own professional judgments about the merit of the applications, in relation to the criteria in R2-2-203; and provide policy and procedural suggestions for the Commission.

3.        If a grant review panelist has a substantial interest in any application, the panelist shall declare the interest verbally and in writing and shall not participate in the discussion of or the vote on the application.

4.        The grant review panel chair shall chair the grant review panel meeting and shall ensure that the discussion relates to the required criteria, that Commission  policies and open meeting laws under A.R.S. 38-431 et seq. are fol- lowed, and that all grant review panelists have an oppor- tunity to speak.

D.       Following the grant review panel process, Commissioners shall receive grant review panelists’ recommendations and grant review panel comments for each  application. At the Commission meeting following the Commissioners’ receipt of grant review panelists’ recommendations, the Commissioners shall discuss the recommendations of the grant review panels and shall vote to accept, reject, or modify the recommenda- tions of the grant review panels.

E.       All applicants shall be notified in writing of the Commission’s decisions. Any applicant that is not recommended for funding may request and shall be provided a denial conference. The Commission shall establish and publish in its grant guidelines the process for requesting and receiving a denial conference. The Commission shall not provide a denial conference based on dissatisfaction with the amount of a grant.

F.       All applicants shall accept in writing the grant’s legal require- ments and grant conditions before grant funds are released.

Historical note

New Section made by final rulemaking at 8 A.A.R. 406, effective January 9, 2002 (Supp. 02-1).