ELIGIBILITY FOR IMPACT FUNDING

Primary Purpose ⇩

Your organization’s primary purpose – meaning your overall mission and the majority of your activities – must be to advance and/or preserve arts, culture, heritage and/or science; see the Definitions section for additional details. Organizations that have primary missions focused in other areas, including education, social services, health, and youth development, are not eligible for Tacoma Creates funding, even if they offer programs in arts, culture, heritage, or science.

Non-Profit Status ⇩

Your organization is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, incorporated under the laws of Washington State and recognized by the Internal Revenue Service OR if your organization does not have this non-profit status, but meets the requirements for Primary Purpose, Location, and Program Delivery, you may apply for Impact Funding using a Fiscal Sponsor that is a non-profit organization. You can find more information about Fiscal Sponsorship on this document. You will need to submit a letter of commitment from your Fiscal Sponsor in order to apply. An organization must be a group of people working together towards a specific mission or purpose, and must have an organizational bank account and a City of Tacoma business license.

Organization Location ⇩

Your organization’s official business address is within Tacoma city limits OR your organization’s official business address is outside Tacoma, but within Pierce County, you may still be eligible. If your organization provides at least 65 percent of your public programming in Tacoma, and you meet all of the other eligibility requirements listed here, you may apply in the Impact Funding category.

Program Delivery ⇩

Your organization must directly provide cultural programming or experiences to the general public within Tacoma city limits. 

Organizations are not eligible if they are: ⇩

• Any agency of the state or political subdivisions
• A municipal corporation
• An organization that raises funds for redistribution to multiple cultural organizations
• Radio or television broadcasting network or stations, cable communications systems, internet-based communications venture or services, newspapers, or magazines

Business District Associations and Neighborhood Councils ⇩

Active Business District Associations and Neighborhood Councils recognized by the City of Tacoma may apply for funding for neighborhood-based arts, culture, heritage, and/or science programs or events, especially fairs and festivals, but must have a Fiscal Sponsor that is a 501(c)(3) organization in Tacoma that meets the Primary Purpose criteria of advancing or preserving arts, culture, heritage, and/or science.

Affiliate Cultural Programs Within a Larger Non-Profit ⇩

Established and distinct cultural programs that meet the Primary Purpose, Location, and Program Delivery criteria, and are part of a larger non-profit, public-serving organization, may apply if the following additional eligibility criteria are met:

• Independent mission: Have a published mission statement independent of the parent organization
• Independent board: Have a board or steering committee that guides the program, independent of the parent organization’s board
• Independent budget: Have a distinct, balanced budget, independent of the parent organization
• Track record: Five years providing public programming in arts, culture, heritage, and/or science
• Staff: Have dedicated, paid staff, equal to at least one full-time employee
• Matching Funds: Provide a 1:1 cash match for Tacoma Creates funds

The parent organization must:

• Be a public-serving 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) non-profit organization
• Be based within Tacoma city limits
• Retain no more than 10 percent of any Tacoma Creates funding to support administrative services
• Submit a completed Affiliate Organization Agreement