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Showers of Sunshine

Oklahoma CARES Grants

Emergency Relief for Oklahoma Arts Nonprofits

View the list of Oklahoma CARES Grant awards.

Designed to support the retention of jobs and to stabilize nonprofit arts organizations throughout the state in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma CARES Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to eligible Oklahoma nonprofit arts organizations. Eligible organizations are 501(c)(3) arts-focused organizations incorporated in the State of Oklahoma that have an annual operating budget of at least $10,000. Full eligibility requirements are listed below.

Oklahoma CARES Grants are one-time grants made possible by federal funding provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and distributed by the National Endowment for the Arts to the Oklahoma Arts Council as its state partner. Guidelines for Oklahoma CARES Grants reflect the Oklahoma Arts Council’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion considerations in the investment of funding throughout the state.

Timeline

May 15 - Last day for organizations new to Oklahoma Arts Council grants to request a login to the grant system
May 18 - Application opens
May 29 - Application deadline
June 16 – Awards determined by Governor-appointed Oklahoma Arts Council board and staff
June 26 - Applicants notified of awards
July 30 - Final report due
Payment - Payment is processed after the Oklahoma Arts Council receives grantee's final report and all required support material.

Acknowledgment Requirements for Grantees

Download Oklahoma CARES Grants: Acknowledgment Requirements

Organizations awarded Oklahoma CARES Grants must meet all requirements outlined in their grant contracts, including both of the following methods of acknowledging the support of the Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and members of the Oklahoma Congressional delegation. In addition to completing an online final report, organizations must submit with their final report support materials evidence of having met requirements to: 1) send letters of appreciation to their two United States Senators and their organization's Congressman or Congresswoman in the United States House of Representatives; and, 2) participate in the Oklahoma CARES Grant social media campaign.

1) Letters of Appreciation – organizations must send a letter of appreciation to Oklahoma's two United States Senators and the organization's Congressman or Congresswoman in the United States House of Representatives (find out who represents your organization). Letters should thank the elected officials for their support of the arts in Oklahoma during the COVID-19 pandemic, and explain how funding made available from the Oklahoma Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts through the CARES Act helped the organization retain jobs and maintain stability. Download a template letter of appreciation here.

Senators:

The Honorable Jim Inhofe (link)
United States Senate
205 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable James Lankford (link)
United States Senate
316 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510

Representatives:

1st District of Oklahoma
The Honorable Kevin Hern (link)
United States House of Representatives
1019 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

2nd District of Oklahoma
The Honorable Markwayne Mullin (link)
United States House of Representatives
2421 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

3rd District of Oklahoma
The Honorable Frank Lucas (link)
United States House of Representatives
2405 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

4th District of Oklahoma
The Honorable Tom Cole (link)
United States House of Representatives
2207 Rayburn HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

5th District of Oklahoma
The Honorable Kendra Horn (link)
United States of House of Representatives
415 Canon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515

Find out who represents your organization in the United States House of Representatives.

2) Participation in the Oklahoma CARES Grant social media campaign – organizations must download our Oklahoma CARES Grant social media flier, print it, and complete the following sentence on the flier: "Investing in the arts means..." A representative of the organization must pose for a photo with the completed printed flier, and the photo should be posted to Facebook and/or Twitter. Posts should thank the Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and Oklahoma's Congressional representatives for their support of the arts through CARES Act funding. Mention or tag the Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, Oklahoma's two U.S. Senators, and the organization's Congressman or Congresswoman in the posts.

Facebook:
@OklahomaArtsCouncil
@NationalEndowmentfortheArts
@SenatorLankford (James Lankford, U.S. Senator for Oklahoma)
@jiminhofe (James M. Inhofe, U.S. Senator for Oklahoma)
@repkevinhern (Kevin Hern, Congressman, 1st District of Oklahoma)
@RepMullin (Markwayne Mullin, Congressman, 2nd District of Oklahoma)
@RepFrankLucas (Frank Lucas, Congressman, 3rd District of Oklahoma)
@TomColeOK04 (Tom Cole, Congressman, 4th District of Oklahoma)
@RepKendraHorn (Kendra Horn, Congresswoman, 5th District of Oklahoma)

Twitter:
@okartscouncil
@neaarts
@SenatorLankford (James Lankford, U.S. Senator for Oklahoma)
@JimInhofe (James M. Inhofe, U.S. Senator for Oklahoma)
@repkevinhern (Kevin Hern, Congressman, 1st District of Oklahoma)
@RepMullin (Markwayne Mullin, Congressman, 2nd District of Oklahoma)
@RepFrankLucas (Frank Lucas, Congressman, 3rd District of Oklahoma)
@TomColeOK04 (Tom Cole, Congressman, 4th District of Oklahoma)
@RepKendraHorn (Kendra Horn, Congresswoman, 5th District of Oklahoma)

What if my organization is not on Facebook or Twitter?

Organizations that are not on Facebook or Twitter can fulfill the social media campaign requirement by including in their final report support materials a digital photo of someone from the organization holding the completed flier. The Oklahoma Arts Council reserves the right to use the photo in social media posts.

Questions about the letters of appreciation or social media campaign should be directed to Oklahoma Arts Council Director of Marketing and Communications at joel.gavin@arts.ok.gov or (405) 521-2037.

Grant Funding

Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded on a competitive basis. There is no match requirement. As Oklahoma CARES Grants are competitive, funding may be prioritized for organizations that serve geographically isolated areas, under-resourced communities, culturally diverse populations, and underrepresented groups. (NOTE: Any expenses related to development/fundraising or lobbying are not eligible).

Eligibility Criteria

Organizations eligible for Oklahoma CARES Grants must meet all of the following criteria:

(NOTE: Major Grant Support organizations with annual operating budgets of more than $50,000 and Organizational Support grantees are not eligible for funding through this open grant opportunity.)

Eligible Expenses

Organizations may use Oklahoma CARES Grants for a wide range of expenses, including artistic and administrative expenses (salaries, benefits, and contracts), and facility and operational expenses (such as rent, mortgage, utilities, security, building maintenance, and cleaning or sanitation services).

Oklahoma CARES Grant funds do not have a match requirement. Organizations must maintain detailed records for all expenses supported by Oklahoma CARES Grant funds indefinitely, or until otherwise notified by Oklahoma Arts Council. Records must indicate how expenses and payments are being supported with these funds as well as all other additional funding sources. State and federal funds cannot be used to support more than 100 percent of a single payment. Funds cannot be used to support duties or expenses related to fundraising and/or lobbying. 100 percent of awarded Oklahoma CARES Grant funds must be used for expenses incurred between February 15, 2020 and June 30, 2021.

Application Support Material

Organizations should be prepared to submit the following with their application. Instructions for submitting support materials will provided in the grant system during the application process:

 

Questions

Questions related to Oklahoma CARES Grants may be directed to Thomas Tran, Grants Director, at thomas.tran@arts.ok.gov or (405) 521-2041.