Call for Grant Panelists

The Greater Hartford Arts Council is seeking community members to participate in the review and selection of grants in 2022. Guided by our organizational values of accessibility, advocacy, community, creativity, equity and leadership, you are invited to join the Arts Council’s decision-making process.

Grant panelists will share what is important to the community, review grant applications and work with a team of peers to determine which grant applicants receive funding.

The Arts Council is dedicated to building grant panels that are representative of the communities our grants serve.

Interested? Apply to become a grant panelist for the Greater Hartford Arts Council HERE

We are looking for grant panelists who:

  • Have a strong interest in arts and culture

  • Have an interest in participating in a grant-making experience.

  • Represent the diversity of the Greater Hartford region including age, gender identity, race, ethnicity, disability, artistic discipline, work experience, geography and more

  • Represent diverse voices in the community

The Greater Hartford Arts Council will create a roster of grant panelists through this application process. Information grant panelists provide in their application will only be used to assure community representation on grant panels and for statistical purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will community members actually make the decisions about grant funding?

  • Arts Council staff members do not make funding decisions. The recommendations that grant panelists make during the panel meeting will be presented to the Arts Council’s Board of Directors without edits by Arts Council staff. The Board of Directors will ratify decisions of the grant panel. If the Board of Directors has concerns regarding the recommendations, grant panelists will be included in resolving those concerns.

If I apply, am I guaranteed to serve as a grant panelist?

  • Inclusion on this roster does not guarantee participation on a grant panel. Individuals on the roster will be invited to join grant panels based on their expertise, background and interests

  • The Arts Council will keep your name and information on our grant panelist roster for two years

How old do you need to be to participate on a grant panel?

  • Grant panelists must be at least 16 years old

How do I know if I’d be a good grant panelist?

  • If you are interested in art or arts and cultural programs or events in the community, we’re looking for you.

  • If you enjoy going to summer concerts in the park; making your own music, theater, or visual art; visiting museums; or participating in other arts activities, you may be a great fit for a grant panel

  • We are also looking for panelists with special skills like finance; small business experience; event planning; background in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, and education. Specialized skills are not required to participate as a panelist

  • You can commit to and fulfill the responsibilities assigned to you when you are selected to participate on a panel

What are the responsibilities of a grant panelist?

  • Attend an orientation and training for the grant review process

  • Read, evaluate, and provide feedback for up to 6 grant applications in a 2-week time period

  • Attend a grant review meeting, held virtually (no travel necessary)

  • Thoughtfully discuss and evaluate grant applications with a group of peers to develop a list of grant award recommendations to be approved by the Arts Council’s board of directors

Who runs the grant panels?

  • A grant panel chair will be appointed for each grant panel. The panel chair will assure guidelines are being followed as the panel decides on a list of award recommendations. Grant panelist applicants can select whether they are interested in possibly serving as a panel chair. Arts Council staff will be present at all panel meetings to support the process

What happens after I apply to be a grant panelist?

  • Staff will review your application and add you to our roster of potential grant panelists

  • Grant panelists will participate in a virtual grant panelist orientation when they are invited to join a grant panel

  • Staff will reach out to grant panelists when there is a grant panel opportunity that fits your experience

What is the stipend for being a grant panelist?

  • Panelists will receive a check for $150 for each grant panel they serve on

  • Grant panelists will be asked to provide a W9. Stipends will be issued to panelists following their participation in a grant panel and after they have completed all their panelist responsibilities

  • Grant panelists who serve on the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s Board of Directors are not eligible for a stipend

How long does a grant panel meeting take?

  • Panel meetings can range from 90 minutes to 4 hours.

  • The length of the panel meeting depends on the number of grant applications being reviewed and the complexity of the grant.

How many grant panels can I participate in each year?

  • Panelists can participate in up to 3 grant panels per year

 

What are the responsibilities of a panel chairperson?

  • The panel chairperson will review applications the same way their fellow panelists do but provide leadership by facilitating the discussion and guiding the panel to a final outcome during the meeting.

  • Make sure the conversation moves along and that each application receives fair consideration. The chair will facilitate consensus with the group in order to determine a final list of grant award recommendations.

  • Guidance will be provided by the Arts Council staff prior to the meeting and staff will also provide technical support during the meeting