25-027 FY25 Nonprofit Arts and Recreation Grant

The City of Sandy Springs, Georgia is conducting a competitive grant procurement for the Fiscal Year 2025 Nonprofit Arts and Recreation Grant (RFP #25-027), seeking proposals from nonprofit organizations to develop and expand arts and recreational programs targeting underserved populations and low-income communities within Sandy Springs. The procurement offers two funding categories: Category One provides up to $12,500 for continuation of selected 2023-2024 grants, while Category Two provides up to $25,000 for new program grants. Eligible programs must exclusively benefit Sandy Springs residents, with a strong emphasis on serving low to moderate income populations through innovative and creative initiatives. Allowable expenses include on-site staffing, limited administrative costs, facility rental, transportation, meals, and program supplies. The evaluation criteria will assess proposals based on creative programming (40%), impact on residents (20-30%), performance measures (15%), financial reports (5-10%), and additional factors like partnerships and matching funds (5% each). Key dates include a non-mandatory pre-proposal Zoom meeting on January 17, 2025 at 10:00 AM, with questions due by January 22, 2025, and proposals due February 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM EST through the Bonfire portal, with final award decisions expected in March 2025.

The grant opportunity is restricted to duly organized nonprofit organizations, with no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises mentioned. Potential applicants include arts organizations, youth-focused nonprofits, educational organizations, and community service providers, as evidenced by the 33 organizations on the plan holders list. The program restricts funding for certain expenses, explicitly prohibiting vehicle purchases, computer equipment, and capital purchases. The total available budget appears to be approximately $150,000, with previous year allocations showing $50,000 for Category 1 and $96,000 for Category 2 recipients. Programs must be completed by December 1, 2025, and organizations can apply for either or both funding categories. In-kind contributions are accepted for leveraged funding with no restrictions on matching funds, and organizations previously unfunded by the City will receive preference. Successful programs from the previous fiscal year included diverse initiatives such as swim and wilderness programs, sports scholarships, summer camps, creative arts programs, caregiver training, and after-school activities, all focused on serving underserved populations within Sandy Springs.