Glossary

ACCESS ACCOMMODATIONS: Accommodations (such as auxiliary aids, barrier removal, and specialized services) that ensure that individuals with disabilities affecting hearing, vision, speech, cognition, or physical movement are provided with the means to communicate and participate equally.
ARTIST: A practitioner of performing, literary, visual, media, traditional craft, folk arts, multimedia and/or performance art.
AUDIT: A formal examination and subsequent financial report and management letter of the grantee's account books or financial situation performed by a Certified Public Accountant or auditing firm.
AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL: A principal of an organization with legal authority to certify information and sign contracts for the organization; the authorized official must guarantee the compliance of the organization with the Texas Commission on the Arts' legal requirements prior to issuance of payment.
BIENNIUM: A period of two years. For TCA purposes, these are the two fiscal years corresponding to TCA's legislative appropriation from September 1 of an odd-numbered year to August 31 of the next odd-numbered year.
COMPANY: A company is an arts and cultural organization that does not have a 501(c)(3) nonprofit determination from the IRS.
COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS: A process in which applications are evaluated against established review criteria, and scored and recommended for award accordingly.
COMPETITIVE GRANT: The resulting payment of a successful competitive application.
COMPLETED FISCAL YEAR: TCA recognizes that each organization has its own fiscal year. In TCA’s process, organizations submit information regarding their most recently completed fiscal year as of the application deadline.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST: A circumstance such as employment, board membership, or other personal interest that influences an individual’s ability, or the perception of their ability, to perform their duties without bias or prejudice.
CULTURAL DISTRICTS: Special zones that harness the power of cultural resources to stimulate economic development and community vitality. These districts can become focal points for generating businesses, attracting tourists, stimulating cultural development and fostering civic pride.
CULTURAL TOURISM: Travel dedicated toward experiencing the arts, heritage, and character of a place.
DESIGNATION PROGRAM: A competitive program that does not award grant dollars, but a designation or title.
DIRECT DEPOSIT: The process of receiving grant money by electronic transfer that will be applied immediately to an organization's bank account.
DISABILITY: A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities".
DUNS NUMBER: The DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) number is a unique entity identifier issued by Dun & Bradstreet for each physical location of a business. This nine-digit number is being phased out at the federal level in favor of the SAM (System of Awards Management) unique entity identifier.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Projects that use art to diversify local economies, generate revenue, and attract visitors and investment.
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The financial effect an activity, event, effort, or industry has on a specified geographic area or population.
EQUITY PLAN: The mandate that states that TCA must employ an equitable procedure for awarding grant funds.
ESTABLISHED ARTS ORGANIZATION: An arts organization that has their 501(c)(3) status from the IRS, a cash operating budget of $50,000 or more for the past two years as demonstrated by their two most recently filed IRS Form 990s, and a mission statement that clearly speaks to the arts.
EVALUATION PANEL: An evaluation panel is a group of people assembled to review proposals and make qualitative and professional assessments of each application based on the TCA Review Criteria.
EVALUATOR: An individual with expertise who serves on a panel and evaluates applications.
FISCAL AGENT: A fiscal agent is an incorporated, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that provides administrative and financial services in support of a project that it does not itself produce.
FOLK ARTS: Arts and artists that reflect creative forms passed down from one generation to the next without aid of official or institutional instruction, usually by word-of-mouth or by example. Folk arts are also a recognized and honored tradition within a performer's or craftperson's particular ethnic group or community, and members of a particular group recognize the folk artist's song, art, craft, or skill as part of their culture.
IRS LETTER OF DETERMINATION: A letter that is issued to an organization by the IRS granting non-profit status. For more information, please see the IRS website at www.irs.gov or call toll-free 1-800-829-3676.
LETTER OF COMMITMENT: A letter from an organization indicating its specific role and commitment in a collaborative project. The letter should clearly specify the resources that the organization is committing.
LETTER OF INTENT: A letter to the Commission from an organization stating the intent to apply to a grant or designation program.
LIFELONG LEARNING: The provision for continuous training and learning opportunities both inside and outside the academic environment.
LOCAL ARTS AGENCY: An organization whose primary purpose is to provide coordination, services, hotel/motel tax distribution/subgranting and developmental planning to the arts industry in their community.
MEDIA/MULTIMEDIA ORGANIZATIONS: An arts organization whose primary medium is film, video, radio, and/or interactive computer program development.
MID-AMERICA ARTS ALLIANCE (M-AAA): The regional arts organization serving Texas. Texas organizations and artists may apply for regional touring financial and technical assistance.
MULTIRACIAL: People who belong to two or more of the federally designated racial categories: American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; Black or African American; Hispanic or Latino; or White.
MULTI-YEAR GRANT: Grant programs with an application deadline occurring once every two years.
NEA: The National Endowment for the Arts, the national arts agency that disperses federal grants to organizations and states. You can reach them by phone: 202/682-5400 or via their website www.arts.gov.
NON-COMPETITIVE APPLICATIONS: A process in which applications are recommended based on eligibility and awards are determined by a set formula. These applications are not scored and ranked.
NON-COMPETITIVE GRANT: The resulting payment of a successful non-competitive application.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION: An organization that the Internal Revenue Service has deemed to be tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) requirements as either a religious, charitable, or educational based entity.
ONLINE SUBMISSION: Applications filled out and submitted through a form on a website.
ORGANIZATIONS OF COLOR: Organizations of color are founded by and rooted in the creative experience and/or cultural heritage of one or more of the following communities: Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islander.
PRESENTER: An organization that brings in performing and/or literary artists for the benefit of their community. A presenter can range from large performing arts centers in major urban cities, outdoor festivals and rural community-focused organizations to academic institutions, university student groups, museums, performing arts organizations, and chambers of commerce.
PRIORITY AREA: Every two years, the Governor of Texas issues a list of priority areas for the state of Texas. All state agencies must align their programs within those priority areas.
PRODUCER: An organization or individual that packages, organizes, originates and otherwise creates a production or exhibition for presentation to the public. The producer's role usually includes financing, casting, curating, and other behind-the-scenes decisions and responsibilities.
PROFESSIONAL: A person who is paid for his or her expertise, skills and talent. This term does not include amateurs, knowledgeable lay persons, or recognized experts who do not receive fees.
PROGRAM: In general, a program is a specific, connected set of activities that may be ongoing in nature but have explicit objectives and a predetermined cost.
PROJECT: In general, a project is a specific, connected set of activities, with a beginning and an end, explicit objectives and a predetermined cost.
PUBLIC SERVICE: A service performed for the benefit of the public, especially by a nonprofit organization.
QUARTERLY GRANT: Grant programs with application deadline occurring 4 times a year.
RESIDENCY: A specified time period during which a professional artist, contracted by a school or an arts organization, provides services supplemental to existing educational programs and community outreach.
RURAL: A county which is incluided under the US Office of Management and Budget classification scheme for rural counties. A current list of these counties can be found here.
SAM UEI: The SAM UEI (unique entity identifier) is a unique 12-character number assigned to all entities (public and private companies, individuals, institutions, or organizations) who are required to register to do business with the federal government. The SAM UEI is issued at no cost through the federal System for Award Management website (SAM.gov).
SEMI-ANNUAL GRANT: Grant programs with application deadlines occurring twice a year.
TITLE 1 SCHOOLS: Title 1 schools are K-12 public schools that receive federal assistance for serving predominantly low-income students. The Title 1 designation is determined by a federal formula based on census poverty estimates and the local cost of education.
UNINCORPORATED ORGANIZATION: An organization that has not been incorporated in accordance with the laws of Texas or any other state.