Excellence:

• Mission statement is dry/perfunctory. Consider making it as inspirational and/or aspirational as the activities and events the organization endeavors to engender in the community
• Goals are ambitious and clear (increase: visitors, funding, numbers of events, hours of operations, organizational stability, and diversity while continuing 25 show annual schedule and creating and sustaining partnerships).
• Some objectives and activities are clear and proper while others are generalized and would benefit from increased specificity (numerical targets and stretch targets, and/or how, why, and who will be served by a particular objective or activity).
• The proposal adequately describes partnerships/collaborations
• Minimal concerns about the organizations ability to carry out proposed programming.

Impact:

• Provides cultural service to community/service area and contributes to the local economy and the gallery internship program with FSU and FAMU and the year-round exhibition space for K-12 students (and TCC, FSU, and FAMU are important and value-added.

• Total number of individuals this proposal benefit seems plausible. The proposal hints at the creative class ROI of 621 Gallery on page 8 when it notes...[w]hen 621 Gallery first opened 36 years ago, it resided in an industrial park and the surrounding areas were considered blighted. This claim and a case for a larger ROI could be validated if corroborating sources were cited. Consider including readily available sources (e.g., AFTA’s Arts & Economic Prosperity 5).

• Marketing and promotion is appropriate and activities are possible to achieve in grant cycle but attention to outcome measurability is encouraged

Management:

• Multiple concerns about organizations financial stability (i.e. the stated need for several additional part-time positions and/or a full-time (rather than part-time) director and the concerns expressed about the recent huge increase in rent that also threatens 621 Gallery Inc.

Accessibility:

• Appears to meet ADA accessibility criteria (504 Self Eval, compliance staff person, etc.)
• Also provides ADA additional assistance with interns

Fresh programming and seemingly genuine commitment to diversity.

Unfortunate financial situation: any updates?

-Mission statement unclear

-ambitious schedule with small and some new staff

-would suggest expanding evaluation processes with surveys reaching a broader audience (members, community at large, etc.)

-previous director incurred significant debt (20% of operating budget).  What are the policies regarding oversight?

-timeline seems to be outside of grant period (Sept 2018 to August 2019

Two problems they present need to be remedied internally and probably not with a state grant.

1. "The Gallery cannot continue to rely on the goodwill of board members." Board members are there to raise funds. Consider looking at your by-laws and examining the size of your board, is it the right mix of people from varied locations, and term limits. Fundraising is the #1 goal of a nonprofit board. You have several other grants at play so you are not relying on the goodwill of board members. 

You show $36,500 in private support revenue with zero corporate support. That is a major hole that needs to be addressed by your board.

2. The astronomical increase in rent needed to be explained. It may be time to relocate.

Excellence: synopsis, mission, goals, objectives and activities very clearly stated and measurable. Repeated information in partnerships and timeline. Partnership section would have been stronger if you detailed the nature of the partnership.

Impact: The number of proposal events was lower than expected based on what was listed under activities. Would have been helpful to see what went into the 13 versus the 75 opportunities for public participation.

Management: Liked that you directly addressed the threat created by the rent increase. Was expecting to see the personnel expenses increase in your operational budget. Is something you are addressing in this funding cycle?

Accessibility: Could be strengthen through dedicated outreach.