Local Arts Agencies National Cohort Program (US)

Goals

• The NEA’s primary goals for this program are:
  • to build and strengthen a network of LAAs throughout the country and facilitate a multi-dimensional learning community for LAA leaders to exchange strategies and tools to respond to the field’s trends and learn from peers and the field’s experts; and
  • to offer resources and other assistance to LAAs based on best practices in the field.

Scope

• The purpose of this program solicitation is to select an organization (Cooperator) to administer the LAANCP as described below. In brief, the Cooperator will:
  • Plan, coordinate, and implement a multi-dimensional learning community with related resources that will support the effective leadership, organizational health, and community impact of Local Arts Agencies.
    • Build a Resource Team: Recruit, select, contract with, and support a team of subject matter experts to serve as Resource Team Members who will provide on-demand assistance to LAAs, create materials, and produce content for program offerings. The resource team should include members who can assist the LAAs with challenges related to the equitable development of arts programing for a variety of constituents, as well as support LAAs’ work in collaboration with other sectors, such as health, climate, and transportation.
    • Produce and Maintain Virtual Programming: Create, host, and archive a series of webinars on key trends in the LAA field on the LAANCP website. Offer opportunities for virtual peer-to-peer learning on a variety of topics, including grantmaking, outreach and marketing, program development, public art, cross-sector work, research and data management, and staff retention, among others.
    • Develop Written Materials and On-Demand Resources: Create and maintain a resource page on the LAANCP website, including materials such as essays, case studies, tip sheets, archived webinars, and field updates.
    • Establish and Maintain at least one Technical Working Group (TWG) to provide the Cooperator with broader perspectives on the work of the LAANCP.
  • Plan and facilitate peer learning and network building opportunities for local arts agencies. This may involve virtual and in-person convenings for LAAs regionally (and potentially nationally). These activities will strengthen the national LAA network and foster an active cohort of LAAs across the country.
    • Deliver In-Person Regional Convenings: Plan, manage, and deliver in-person convenings and related workshops for LAAs, which may include: deploying Resource Team Members to manage the convenings and host the workshops in six (6) communities—one from each of the six RAO service areas. Manage logistics for in-person convenings and workshops as well as follow-up consultancies as appropriate, to the needs of the LAANCP participants. Resource Team Members should plan to connect in advance with the relevant SAA(s) and RAO(s) for each of the six convenings.

Funding Information

• The NEA expects to award one Cooperative Agreement of up to $600,000, contingent upon the availability of funds. This Cooperative Agreement requires a nonfederal cost share/match of at least 50% of the Cooperative Agreement amount. Cost share/matching funds cannot include funds from any NEA or other federal sources.
• This Cooperative Agreement will begin on or after March 1, 2025, and may extend for up to 24 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes may apply. To be eligible, the applicant organization must:
  • Have at least three years of prior experience as a service provider in the creative sector.
  • Meet the National Endowment for the Arts’ Legal Requirements at the time of application.
  • Have submitted acceptable Final Report packages by the due date(s) for all NEA award(s) previously received.
• An organization may submit only one proposal under this Program Solicitation.
• You may apply to other NEA funding opportunities, including Grants for Arts Projects, in addition to this Program Solicitation. In each case, the request must be for a distinctly different project. No project costs or staff time may overlap with activities executed as part of other federal awards.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.