The Vermont Arts Council now requires all applicants in the Operating Support Grant program to register with the Vermont CDP, complete Data Profiles for two fiscal years, and submit a Funder Report annually with other application materials. Here’s your Timeline for Success:
Contact the Help Desk
Call before you start your data entry. CDP Help Desk staff can give you guidance and specific suggestions for your organization that will save you time. We especially recommend it for the following organizations as there are sections in the database you may be able to skip:
- Organizations with no paid staff (run by all volunteers),
- Programs/organizations that are fiscally-sponsored,
- Programs/organizations that are embedded in a non-arts organizations (i.e. a gallery at a college).
- Non-profit festivals or cooperatives that are unincorporated
Specially-trained personnel can help you match your financial statements, audits, or reviews to the Data Profile; define important financial terms; and show you how to run the report you’ll need for the Operating Support Grant application.
The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Organize Your Data
Collecting and organizing the information you’ll submit will take some time, particularly in the first year. Plan on at least 8-12 hours. You can see what you’ll need at http://www.culturaldata.org/instructions.
Participate in a New User Orientation Session: CDP staff will be offering in-person orientation sessions again in April:
- April 11 Flynn Center, Burlington, 12:30 pm
- April 12 Vermont Community Foundation, Middlebury, 10:00 am
- April 13 Bennington Museum, Bennington, 11:00 am
If you can’t make those dates: The CDP offers regular, free monthly webinars. Typically, those are the First Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. They also provide additional online training.
Submit Two Data Profiles
As soon as you complete your data entry and submit your data into the database, your Data Profiles will be marked “SUBMITTED.” CDP staff will then review your organization’s information and contact you, if necessary, with recommended revisions. It is your responsibility to respond to the Help Desk and to make those changes. After working with them, your status will be changed to “REVIEW COMPLETE.”
Beginning January 1, 2013, the Council will require all historic Data Profiles submitted in calendar year 2012 be marked “REVIEW COMPLETE.” Until then, it is strongly recommended this step be completed before the application is submitted.
Upload your funder report to the Council’s online application system
The Funder Report is the PDF document containing your CDP data which you will generate from the CDP Funder Reports Page for submission to the VAC. The Data Profiles represented in your funder report must display either a "SUBMITTED" or "REVIEW COMPLETE" status. If you need assistance generating this Funder Report, please contact the Vermont CDP Help Desk.