Janet's Fund Deadline

CINCINNATI, OH – Janet’s Fund is a grant opportunity for the incremental education and training of operations support staff in Cincinnati’s performing arts community.  The endowment fund (valued at more than $500,000) was established by Janet Taylor, a Cincinnati native who spent her lifetime career working in a variety of performing arts management roles. Her last position was as the Vice President and General Manager for the Cincinnati Arts Association.  Janet died in October 2006 at the age of 56, leaving a legacy of accomplishments in the performing arts industry.

Grant applications are currently being accepted.  The submission deadline is April 30. Applications may be obtained from the Cincinnati Arts Association by contacting Brenda Jones at 513/977-4115 or bjones@cincinnatiart.org and may be downloaded at www.CincinnatiArts.ORG/janetsfund .

Janet’s Fund was created with the following founding principles:

Fund Objective – The objective of Janet’s Fund is to sponsor incremental education and training for those individuals engaged in operations support roles with performing arts organizations in the Greater Cincinnati Area.

•    OPERATIONS ORIENTED – The focus of the fund is on performing arts positions that involve technical, backstage or operations support, such as lighting, scenery, theater maintenance, front of house services, ticketing operations, etc. Performance or arts administration support such as artist training, dance coaching, conductor workshops, administrative or marketing/public relations seminars, etc. would not be eligible.

•    INCREMENTAL – The purpose of the Fund is to provide incremental education and training that is not normally a part of an organization’s annual budget. Applications that allow an additional person(s) within an organization to attend a training session where the organization’s budget would normally only allow sending a single person are eligible and encouraged.

•    BROADBASED – Grant recipients should span the broad variety of performing arts organizations in the Greater Cincinnati region (defined as the eight county area served by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation) and individuals (or groups of individuals) within those organizations.

•    PARTICIPATION – Eligible grant recipients will be not-for-profit performing arts organizations. Individuals (volunteers or paid staff) may also apply with documented support from such organizations.

•    EVERGREEN – Janet’s Fund is an invested endowment fund.  Grants will be awarded only from the income from the Fund in order to allow the endowment to grow with inflation, providing a lasting resource to the arts community.

Janet’s Fund is managed by the Cincinnati Arts Association (CAA) in conjunction with an independent, dedicated Advisory Board.  CAA provides the necessary administrative support, including the legal and fiscal responsibility for the Fund and its activities.

Grant applications from the Greater Cincinnati region’s arts community are accepted twice a year, in April and October.  A list of all proposals that meet the grant criteria are presented to the Advisory Board for their consideration and final decisions. The Advisory Board may award additional grants during the year to capture last minute opportunities as funds allow.

Grant awards may be used as “matching funds” to allow organizations or individuals to further leverage them.  Grant applications which include private or organizational matching funds are encouraged.

Grant awards may include up to 100% of the reasonable costs of the training (travel, registration fees, meals, lodging, etc.), but may not include additional costs not directly related to the training itself, e.g. personnel costs, entertainment of others, etc.

Each grant recipient will be required to submit a summary of the training they received, key learning and how it will be leveraged within their organization or career. Each grant recipient must supply a detailed expense accounting versus the approved grant request prior to receiving reimbursement.  Reimbursement will be made for the grant amount or actual expenses incurred, whichever is lower.

Only the income from the endowment is eligible to be distributed and will be drawn at a maximum rate of 5% per year to allow the principal to grow with inflation.  The Advisory Board will determine on an ongoing basis whether to distribute the full 5% depending on the performance of the financial return of the principal.