Capital Development (CAP) Grant Program

Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

- Be legally incorporated as not-for-profit, with designated tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Proof of incorporation and IRS tax-exempt designation is required at the time of application; or
- Qualify as a political subdivision of Miami-Dade County or one of its municipalities, that owns and operates a cultural facility – provided that the cultural facility provides service and open access to the community and the general public on a regular basis (limited to one (1) application per subdivision/municipality); or
- Qualify as a public or private institution of higher education that owns and operates a cultural facility - provided that the cultural facility provides service and open access to the community and the general public beyond their educational mission and on a regular basis (limited to one (1) application per institution);
- Not be a religious organization whose proposed project, in whole or in part, is designed to promote religious or sectarian activities or to encourage the preference of a particular religion;
- Have site control of the proposed facility (located in Miami-Dade County) either through ownership or having an executed long-term lease with an unexpired, 5-year minimum term (the lease must be in the non-profit’s name). Proof of site control is required at the time of application and in order to qualify under the program’s eligibility requirements (there are no exceptions to this rule);
- Have as its primary purpose and function, as defined by the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the organization, programs that are substantially focused on arts and cultural activities;
- Employ at least one full-time paid professional;
- Have its primary office in Miami-Dade County; and
- Have a track record or documented plan of offering cultural programs to the general public on a regular basis.

Grant Use Restrictions
https://www.miamidadearts.org/sites/default/files/files/inline/cap_gui_2021-2022.pdf#page=7

CAP Grant Program Timeline:
- Applications Available: March 1, 2021
- Consultation Period with Department Staff: March 3, 2021 - April 2, 2021
- Deadline: April 9, 2021, 11:59 PM
- Application Comments / Corrections Issued: April 29, 2021
- Revised / Final Application Due: May 6, 2021, 11:59 PM
- CAP Panel Meeting: June 24, 2021, 2:00 PM
- Cultural Affairs Council Approval: July 21, 2021, Noon
- Board of County Commissioners Approval: September 2021
- Award Notifications Issued: October 2021

Pre-Grant Submission Consultation:
Applicants are REQUIRED to schedule a mandatory consultation at least one week prior to the application deadline either by phone or virtually through an online platform (such as Zoom or GoToMeeting) with the CAP Program Administrator before access will be granted to the online application. First-time applicants and/or a new staff member who are unfamiliar with SMA will require additional time at the consultation to cover SMA system basics in addition to the discussion of your project scope. To schedule your consultation, contact Kelly Allocco via email.

Before you can access the grant application form, you must have a user account for basic login access and complete and submit a Grant Eligibility and Request Form. Requesting access to the grant application less than 7 business days prior to an upcoming deadline is neither an adequate timeframe for successful completion nor a reasonable expectation of staff.

Corrections Deadline:
Application corrections requested by the program administrator will be issued approximately 7 days prior to the corrected/final application deadline. Organizations are encouraged to complete their corrections at least 72 hours in advance to ensure successful submittal. At precisely 4:00 PM on the corrections deadline, the online grant system will automatically close the application system for corrections.

Organizations are encouraged to complete the online application process at least 72 hours in advance of the application deadline to ensure successful submittal. At precisely 11:59 PM on the deadline date, the online grant system will automatically close the application system. Requests to apply to the program received at or after 5:00 PM on the program’s final deadline will NOT be accepted.

Site Visits and Panel Presentations:
Please Note: In light of the continued impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and social distancing guidelines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the site visit requirements noted below may be waived or substituted for virtual visits in this cycle. The Grant Administrator will provide a definitive ruling later in the review process when site visits would normally be scheduled.

As part of the panel evaluation process, panelists are required to conduct site visits and will be directly assigned to visit one or more applicant facilities. Applicant organizations will be contacted directly by the panelist(s) to arrange a site visit to occur prior to the panel evaluation meeting.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the panel evaluation meeting as observers and will be notified by email of its scheduled time, date and location. Although formal presentations by applicants are not permitted during the panel meeting, applicants will be provided an opportunity to address direct questions posed by panelists, address outstanding issues raised by the panel and/or help clarify points during the panel discussion.

The CAP Grants Program operates on a reimbursement basis.

Projects must have strong evidence of prior planning and an imminent completion or “readiness” factor. Applicants must demonstrate that they have secured the maximum possible public and/or private match.

Applicants must furnish a minimum $1 to $1 match from the municipality or jurisdiction in which the facility is located and/or from the applicant organization to be eligible for County grant funds. The CAP Grants Program shall not be considered the sole source of funding.