VOLUNTEER TO REVIEW ARTS GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR DAVIDSON COUNTY
The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises. The program seeks to build communities by nurturing artists, arts organizations (including local arts agencies), and arts supporters in Tennessee.
Are you part of the Arts community and familiar with the local art scene?
Volunteer to judge on the TN Arts Builds Communities grant review panel. The panel review will take place on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, from 10 am and will take around 5 hours. The panel is planning to meet VIRTUALLY via Microsoft Teams. We will provide a schedule once all applications that will be reviewed have been received at the beginning of July.
Volunteers should have time to review all grant applications between July 17 and the panel review day and be available at the time of the panel review on August 6.
Volunteers must reside and have an arts background in Davidson County to participate on the panel.
Panelist will be selected and confirmed among those who sign up by July 10th. Please express interest to participate in the panel by June 30th and we will be in touch with you.
The estimated time commitment per volunteer is around 12 hours between the application review (6-7 hours) and the panel (5 hours).
HOW ARE THE GRANT APPLICATIONS REVIEWED?
Advisory panels reviewing grant applications for this program assign scores based on how well the proposed project addresses ABC program objectives and use the following evaluation criteria on a 100-point scale:
Artistic/Cultural Merit (35 points)
Applications should provide evidence of how the proposed arts/cultural project shows value to the community being served. Competitive applications may demonstrate artistic/cultural merit by showing how projects will accomplish one or more of the following:
- Provide arts experiences that expose participants to new perspectives or media
- Deepen audiences’ appreciation of artists, media, or movements
- Provide opportunities for engagement in the creative process
- Advance community priorities and/or address social issues in or through the arts
- Promote local traditions or community assets in or through the arts
- Build social connections and understanding between diverse groups of people
- Enhance the sustainability of cultural enterprises
- Provide a hospitable environment for arts organizations and/or artists to thrive creatively and/or economically
Competitive applications may also demonstrate that proposed project supports the work of artists through payment of fees, services or appropriate benefits.
Community Engagement and Participation (35 points)
Applications should provide evidence of how organizations understand and are responsive to diverse interests and needs of communities served. Competitive applications will demonstrate the engagement and participation of their communities by not only showing how proposed projects advance organizational missions, but also by showing to what extent community members are involved in planning, executing and evaluating the projects.
Additional evidence includes: needs assessment research; formal partnerships that advance project goals through resource and responsibility sharing; and demonstrated support from local community leaders.
Competitive applications may also demonstrate goals and objectives that are designed to address social issues or build economic sustainability through the arts.
Budget and Financial Support (20 points)
Applications should include realistic project budgets with accurate cost and income estimates.
Competitive
applications will show that organizations are actively raising funds
through requests to individual contributors, private corporations, foundations,
government sources, AND/OR through viable earned revenue projections.
Operational Practice (10 points)
Applications should provide evidence that planning procedures are clear, inclusive and include discussion on past project results (when appropriate). Competitive applications will address all application questions and provide correct and complete information.
Click here to find out more about the ABC Scoring Rubric.
ABOUT THE ABC GRANT PROGRAM
The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises. The Tennessee Arts Commission offers the ABC program through a decentralized decision-making and distribution process in partnership with regional designated agencies. Through ABC, the Commission seeks to build communities by nurturing artists, arts organizations (including local arts agencies), and arts supporters in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties.
ABC funds may be used to:
- Provide innovative arts experiences that are new or unfamiliar to community residents
- Offer arts programs that are designed to help affect positive change in community social issues
- Develop arts programming that strengthens social networks through community engagement
- Undertake cultural arts initiatives that enhance a community’s identity and/or economic development
- Offer training that helps experienced or emerging artists/arts administrators develop entrepreneurial skills or innovative strategies for building sustainability
