History The OAC led the field of online arts and cultural grantmaking when OLGA launched in 2005, as one of the first state arts agencies to move grant applications online. As an early adopter of the Cultural Data Project in 2010, the agency again took advantage of emerging technology designed to capture data describing the state of Ohio's arts and cultural sector. Now, with the introduction of ARTIE, the OAC aims to once again position itself at the forefront of the ever-growing field of online grantmaking within the arts and cultural sector. 

What is ARTIE? ARTIE stands for Arts Resources Through Innovation and Engagement—two pillars in the OAC’s State Arts Plan. ARTIE was built using the GMS360 platform, designed by developer SmartSimple, and features a variety of upgrades focused on improving the constituent experience. 

We have been thrilled with the development process so far, which included significant constituent input and beta-testing, and even a public naming contest. As with any new online portal, some initial adjustments are to be expected—but after an 18-month development process, we are ecstatic the new system has launched successfully.

Resources and tutorials are slated for future release as grants season picks up in the spring. Here’s how ARTIE alleviates application frustration, one update at a time: 

IMPROVED NAVIGATION & PERSONAL LOGINS Above all, ARTIE is designed with intuitive navigation in mind. Users can browse from tab-to-tab to view new funding opportunities, open applications, and past awards. Each staff member of an organization will have their own login, which eliminates the need for shared passwords and allows more than one person to work on an application. 

NEW COMMUNICATION TOOL Within each application you’ll also see a back-and-forth communication tool called Notes. Use Notes for conversation between users on your grant application, and even OAC staff members. So whether you and a colleague are sharing ideas with one another, or you’d like to send a short note to your OAC coordinator, you can keep your ideas in one place -- no more losing thoughts in your inbox. 

RICH TEXT, HYPERLINKS, & FILE UPLOADS Grant applications through ARTIE are easier than ever. Real-time word counts and automatic budget totaling speed up the process while ensuring accuracy. Grant writers can use bold, italics, bullets, and other previously unavailable rich text options to share their story. 

Embed hyperlinks in narratives to online resources, so panelists are connected to support items like marketing items, educational materials, planning documents, streaming video, and more. 

For items that don’t exist online, such as images or audiovisual work samples, now you can upload files directly to the system. 

SAVE A STAMP Final submission is online as well—no more stamps or rushed overnight mailings. Submit partial payment requests, final reports, and other items online. 

Coupled with streamlined program guidelines and review criteria, especially for smaller requests and rolling deadlines, we’ve made it as simple as possible to prepare and submit a grant proposal. 

PANEL REVIEWS & AWARD MANAGEMENT Updates aren’t just for grant writers—if you serve as an OAC panelist, you’ll appreciate the improved panel review sections of the system as well. Along with access to online support materials, panelists will have enhanced abilities to sort, review, and score materials. Applicants can also view grant agreements, panel comments, award amounts, and other information in one place.  

SECURITY & STORAGE ARTIE features dramatically improved security and privacy protection. Data storage is cloud-based with off-site daily backup, ensuring uninterrupted system access. The system provides OAC staff with powerful data analysis, reporting, and communications tools, as well as the flexibility to add future enhancements. 

ARTIE will also evolve over time as SmartSimple adds new features and functions. The best news we can share is that ARTIE is designed with future improvements in mind. 

As we refine the system your suggestions and thoughts are welcome! Send a note to ARTIE@oac.ohio.gov and we’ll be in touch.