The NEFFA Grants Committee

Guidelines and Application Requirements

ver. 9/2016

About the Committee

The New England Folk Festival Association, Inc. (NEFFA) is a non-profit, educational and cultural organization. NEFFA was formed to preserve folk traditions in New England and elsewhere, to encourage the development of a living folk culture, and to encourage high standards of quality and performance in the folk arts. One of the ways NEFFA achieves its goals is by funding projects that meet its initial objectives within the guidelines set up by the Grants Committee.

The NEFFA Grants Committee is established with the purpose to evaluate folk art projects in dance, song and music. It makes financial assistance recommendations regarding these projects to NEFFA Board members. The Committee makes its own decisions on smaller grants and prepares presentations to the NEFFA Board for larger proposals.

Funds Availability

The amount of money available for grants, loans and risk-sharing opportunities (a loan which need not be paid back if the given project is not successful) will vary from year to year. Projects may receive a combination of these three kinds of assistance. NEFFA does not feel it must commit all available funds.

If the requested amount is above $500, it requires a recommendation from the Committee and Board approval to be granted. A request for less than $500 may be granted by the Committee.

NEFFA may periodically announce grants and loans awarded and those who were a party to a risk sharing venture.

How Proposals are Considered

Each proposal will be reviewed by the standing Grants Committee. The Grants Committee will determine how well it meets NEFFA's objectives and the level that it should be funded.

Each proposal will be considered individually as to how it meets NEFFA objectives as stated in our bylaws: "To preserve folk traditions in New England and elsewhere; to encourage the development of a living folk culture; to encourage high standards of quality and performance in the folk arts."

Project evaluation is subjective. The following will be considered:

effective use of NEFFA funds
size and type of audience that will be reached
long term benefits
chance of meeting the projects objectives
new approach/creativity
qualifications of people involved

What Types of Proposals are Considered

Projects have a better chance of being funded it they are:

continuing rather than single events
instruction of others
will in time be self-supporting
mainstream vs peripheral
timing appears correct
the results have a wide dissemination
risk-sharing vs outright gift

What We Don't Fund

NEFFA is not interested in funding:

projects that when combined with other grants and expected revenue exceed the projected expenses
Bailouts: funding after the project has been completed and did not meet budget
one-time parties
admission to dance camps
overhead and/or living expenses

Obligations of the Grantee

The recipient of the NEFFA funds is obligated to:

provide NEFFA with a copy of any publications/recordings that are a direct result of the award
be available to present or be part of a session at a NEFFA Festival or other appropriate event
notify NEFFA membership (via newsletter or our calendar) of public presentations and/or provide an article for the NEFFA News
make a financial report to NEFFA (copies of receipts to be sent to NEFFA treasurer)
credit NEFFA on your web site and in any publications/recordings that are a direct result of the award

The Application - What Needs to be Included

All requests for a grant, loan or risk-sharing opportunity must be submitted to NEFFA in writing (typed). We encourage applicants from all cultural branches.

Please use this as a checklist:

Name and address of organization/individual requesting funding. Address and phone numbers (day and evening) of applicant or contact person.
A description of experience and skills of individual/history of organization. References are welcome.
A detailed description of what is to be done and project objectives, including how it supports NEFFA's objectives.
A full budget with expected revenue, including request for a specific amount and type of funding assistance requested from NEFFA.
A list of other sources of funds. If you have, are, or do in the future request and/or receive gifts, grants, loans, etc. from other people or organizations, we ask to be informed. We do not wish to duplicate funding. We do want to coordinate funding.
The project start and end dates.
Please sign and date your application.
Please e-mail text to the Grants Committee chair at Grants *atsign* neffa *dot* org. Other material (brochures, etc.) can be scanned and e-mailed but we'd also like a hardcopy for our archives. Please send hardcopies to the Committee Chairperson: Robert Johnson, 272 Western Avenue, Sherborn, MA 01770.

New England Folk Festival Association

	Name and address of organization/individual requesting funding. Address and phone numbers (day and evening) of applicant or contact person.
	A description of experience and skills of individual/history of organization. References are welcome.
	A detailed description of what is to be done and project objectives, including how it supports NEFFA's objectives.
	A full budget with expected revenue, including request for a specific amount and type of funding assistance requested from NEFFA.
	A list of other sources of funds. If you have, are, or do in the future request and/or receive gifts, grants, loans, etc. from other people or organizations, we ask to be informed. We do not wish to duplicate funding. We do want to coordinate funding.
	The project start and end dates.
	Please sign and date your application.
	Please e-mail text to the Grants Committee chair at Grants atsign neffa dot org. Other material (brochures, etc.) can be scanned and e-mailed but we'd also like a hardcopy for our archives. Please send hardcopies to the Committee Chairperson: Robert Johnson, 272 Western Avenue, Sherborn, MA 01770.