In Fall 2019, the Arts Endowment released Living Traditions, a portfolio analysis of the agency’s folk & traditional arts program. The report identified significant gaps in the map of national arts funding for the folk & traditional arts, centered primarily in seven regions within the United States (four rural and three urban). The report also articulated a need to identify and connect related organizations and individuals within each region to promote and strengthen the folk & traditional arts.
In response, the Arts Endowment is making a significant investment to establish the National Folklife Network (NFN). The purpose of this Program Solicitation is to select an organization (the “Cooperator”) to establish and administer the National Folklife Network.
The NFN will utilize a combination of training, fieldwork, convenings, community collaborations, and cultural asset mapping to assist each region. The NFN will also identify and share best practices within and among the regional cohorts, as well as with the public, through a website (Digital Platform) which the Cooperator shall develop, host, maintain, and promote. The NFN is part of the Arts Endowment’s strategy to highlight the nation’s distinct cultures in the lead up to America 250 (the U.S. Semiquincentennial) in 2026.
An organization may submit only one proposal under this program solicitation
Deadlines:
The regional breakdown, as identified in the Living Traditions report, is as follows:
Four rural cohorts, one in each of the following areas:
o Northern Plains,
o Southern Plains,
o Rocky Mountain West, and
o Alaska.
Three urban cohorts, each urban cohort must meet all of the following conditions:
o Cities located on or east of the Mississippi River,
o Cities with significant poverty-bound communities (per U.S. Census Data), and
o Cities where partnerships with minority-serving institutions and federallydesignated post-secondary minority-serving institutions are a possibility.
Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501 (c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government, or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes; and the designated state and jurisdictional agencies (SAAs) and their regional arts organizations (RAOs) may apply.
The Arts Endowment expects to award one Cooperative Agreement of up to $1,000,000, contingent upon the availability of funds. This Cooperative Agreement does not require a cost share/match; however, any project costs beyond the amount above must be covered from sources other than the Arts Endowment.
