SFCA Distribution of CARES Act Relief Fund

April 30, 2020

The Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA), with support from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has developed a relief grant to assist eligible non-profit arts organizations across the state of Hawai‘i impacted by COVID-19.

CARES Act Relief Fund is a one-time grant open to those non-profit organizations that have been reviewed and recommended for award by the SFCA through its Biennium Grant FY2020 and FY2021 panels. Qualifying organizations will be notified individually and will receive a login to the application.

The entire $427,500 received from the National Endowment for the Arts through the CARES Act will be distributed by the SFCA to qualifying nonprofit arts organizations throughout the state of Hawai‘i. Organizations must be able to provide evidence of direct financial impact due to COVID-19, which may include but are not limited to:

Complying with the social distancing mandate resulting in a reduction in capacity to allow for audience proximity, technology purchases to support online content and remote work for staff.

Reduction in 2020 revenue as the result of loss of income or opportunities (program, scheduled event, ticket sales, admissions, rental fees, fundraising). For the purpose of calculating a %, organizations will be reporting loss between March 1 and May 30, 2020.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds are intended to help save jobs in the arts sector and keep the doors open to the thousands of organizations that add value to America’s economy and the creative life of our communities. Funding must be related to:

Direct Costs: Essential staff salaries
Direct Costs: Fees for artists and contractual personnel
Direct Costs: Facilities- rent, mortgage, utilities, equipment, information technology, security, insurance, building maintenance, cleaning services, other costs incurred.

CARES Act Relief Grants are also available to not-for-profit organizations through the Hawai‘i Council for the Humanities, the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

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