Emergency and Unforeseen

We know that cultural work comes with unexpected building costs, whether it’s good—an opportunity for a lease or property—or bad—fires, floods, and other damage. This grant is always open as long as funds are available and operates on a faster schedule to help meet those needs.

Steps to Apply

1 What Emergency and Unforeseen Funds

Emergency and Unforeseen grants meet a wide variety of unexpected facility needs for cultural organizations, and our funds are only available for actual costs incurred to repair or renovate cultural spaces. This grant starts with a conversation with 4Culture staff, and we keep in touch as you prepare your application. The kinds of documents you’ll submit will depend on the nature of your facility project.

Criteria

We carefully evaluate each of our grant applications. We want to see that you have a good plan behind your project, and that your organization is exploring and sharing King County culture in a meaningful, accessible way.

For this particular grant, we’ll look at the following:

The quality and importance of the project. If it’s an emergency, we’ll evaluate the immediacy of need and whether there’s a clear plan for resolving the crisis; if it’s an opportunity, the ability of this project to further the organization’s mission will be assessed.
Your organization’s ability to successfully manage your project and the impact of the project when completed, as demonstrated by your operating budget and financial statements and the qualifications of those who will be involved in executing the project.
The extent of community support, which may include, but is not limited to, community involvement, endorsements, and in-kind or cash donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, or other government sources.
The impact of your project on your organization’s ability to serve the community. If the project involves a landmark, the extent to which the project will aid in the long-term preservation and continued use of the property.

Public Benefit: Why It Matters

Every time a visitor to Washington State stays in a hotel, they pay a Lodging Tax—this is where our funding comes from, and our mission is to put it back into the community. As you work through your application, tell us exactly how your fellow King County residents will be able to enjoy and learn from your project. Here are some ways you can provide public benefit:

Free performances, exhibitions, workshops, screenings, or readings.
Events in the often under-served areas of suburban or rural King County, to low-income, youth and senior groups, individuals with limited physical abilities, recent immigrants, or residents from minority races or ethnicities.
Free, electronically accessible materials, including literary publications, audio, or video recordings.

2 Are You and Your Project Eligible?

Eligible applicants include King County-based nonprofit arts, heritage and preservation organizations, public agencies other than K-12 schools or school districts, and owners of designated County or City landmark properties.

Your organization must have:

A legally-constituted and working board of directors.
A record of arts, preservation, or heritage services in King County.
A minimum two-year operating history as a legally constituted entity.
Tax exempt status, preferably 501(c)(3).
Control of the site through ownership or a long-term lease (at least 10 years or five years with five year option to extend).
The ability to enter into a contract that requires your organization to provide proof of nonprofit status, complete an ADA status review, have liability insurance that names 4Culture as additional insured, and provide other information as required by King County statutes.

3 Helping You Succeed

Contact

Arts
Bret Fetzer
bret.fetzer@4culture.org
(206) 263-1599

Heritage
Chieko Phillips
chieko.phillips@4culture.org
(206) 477-6811

Preservation
Dana Phelan
dana.phelan@4culture.org
(206) 263-1604

Translation and Assistance

If you anticipate a barrier to your participation due to limited English writing ability, visual impairment, or would like to request assistance to access this application, please contact us at hello@4culture.org or 206-296-7580 or TTY 711.

Si anticipa una barrera para su participación debido a la capacidad limitada de escritura en inglés, discapacidad visual, o desea solicitar asistencia para acceder a esta aplicación, contáctenos en hello@4culture.org o 206-296-7580 o TTY 711.

如果您由于英语写作能力有限，视力障碍而希望参加比赛，或者希望获得协助来访问此应用程序，请通过hello@4culture.org或206-296-7580或TTY 711与我们联系。

4 After You Submit

Your application will be reviewed by 4Culture staff and the appropriate Advisory Committee. 4Culture’s Arts, Heritage and Preservation committees are made up of cultural administrators and community representatives from all over King County who know the local community and cultural organizations.

You will meet with the appropriate committee for a brief conversation about your project. Each committee member receives your application in advance for review.

Requirements and Appeals

Learn about what will be required if you are awarded a grant, and about the process for appeal of a 4Culture decision.

5 Apply

In addition to a project budget, operating budget, and board list, you must contact 4Culture staff in advance to discuss what additional information—repair estimates, purchase agreements, or other documents—should be submitted with your proposal.

4Culture staff will send you an application link after you’ve discussed your project with them. Once you have started your application, you can save after each step and sign out—you’ll be able to work on it up to the deadline. Once you hit “Submit,” your application is final. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions during the process.

New For 2019 – Demographic Information

Your organization profile in our portal must provide demographic information for your board and staff for the current year. We use this information to help us understand how well we are doing in our efforts to reach all communities in King County.