Excellence:

• LCVA’s Mission statement is straight-forward and brief.
• Objectives and activities align with mission and are measurable.
• LCVA Partners are clearly listed (most are festival related).
• Evaluation methods are appropriate.
• Four Goals (were clearly stated) to increase: 1. attendance at gallery shows, 2. membership (currently 680, with goal of 700 by 2017 and stretch target goal of 750 by 2018). 3. students enrolled in classes/camps (by trying to provide more scholarships and offering master classes and multiple age groups and ability levels), and 4. quantity of class offerings.
• Partnering with the Tourist Council aligns with the LCVA’s mission, connects to multiple organizational goals, and benefits both orgs and the local economy/city government.
• LCVA’s affiliation with the successful LeMoyne Chain of Parks Festival, a highly-rated top 100 Fine Arts Festival that brings up to 40,000 visitors to downtown Tallahassee is a major "creative class" contribution to the local economy and adds to the region/states cultural profile.
• Consider combining information gleaned by using AFTA’s new AEP5 prosperity calculator and full report, along with other sources that show the value-added role the arts place in community and economic development (e.g., Creative Placemaking by Markusen and Gadwa, and a couple white paper briefs from the National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices. etc.)

Impact:

• Provides cultural service to community (arts events, scholarships, economic development, etc.
• Promotion/outreach (gallery talks, cultural ceremonies, theatrical performances, book signings, and speaking to Kiwani’s, Rotary Club, Garden Clubs, etc.) and Marketing activities constitute an appropriate and effective plan

Management:

• Confident about the organizations financial stability and ability to carry out proposed activities in grant cycle
• Management plan and sustainability was descriptive but not fully articulated.

Accessibility:

• Appears to meet accessibility criteria (504 Self Eval, compliance staff person, etc.)

Very strong applicant with great impact and number of people served.

Excellence: Synopsis needed proof reading. Goals all focused on increases of either visitors, members, students, or quantity of classes, but never stated by how much. Goal 4 could have been strengthened by stating how you will decide which classes to offer more of or what new classes to create. Timeline would be stronger if flushed out and specific milestones were added.

Impact: Strong economic and education impact. Describing the outreach activities in more detail would strengthen this section.

Management: Ability to meet financial obligations for 50 years if an impressive feat. Do you have cash reserves or an endowment? Do you have debts or long term liabilities? Addressing these items would strengthen this section.

Accessibility: Appreciated that you acknowledged what you do not yet have in terms of your marketing and educational material, but are working towards. Do you have plans to address other kinds of physical or intellectual disabilities?