Pictured: Outreach Art Class
This grant provides reimbursement funds for services that increase access to arts events such as American Sign Language interpretation, video captioning, audio descriptions, and language translators. Read grant guidelines.
Applicants outside of the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas, follow the directions below to access the application for the Rural Communication Access Fund which provides funds for American Sign Language interpreters.
For applicants in Lincoln and Omaha and for all applicants seeking funds for video captioning, audio descriptions, and language translators, please continue to the heading entitled, “Eligibility”.
In April of 2022, Gov. Ricketts signed LB1014 into law, a bill to appropriate federal funds to the state of Nebraska pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. §84-901.03. This federal funding includes money appropriated to the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NCDHH) to provide communication support in rural areas of the state. Two programs have been created with these funds and are entitled ‘Rural Communication Access Fund’. The funding is available for two fiscal years, beginning July 1, 2022.
This program can provide monetary support for the reimbursement of expenses incurred to obtain an on-site, in-person licensed sign language interpreter for an eligible appointment in any approved rural area in Nebraska outside of the Lincoln or Omaha metro areas.
Full information on the program funding including a reimbursement guide, forms, FAQs, and contact information can be found on the agency website at: www.ncdhh.nebraska.gov/arpa.
Rural Communication Access Fund for Nebraskans who who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing.
Federal funding provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and LB1014 will provide reimbursement of reasonably incurred costs (such as travel time, mileage, per diem, lodging, actual interpreting time) in the provision of on-site sign langue interpreting services by a qualified, licensed interpreter to rural areas of the state.
Rural is defined as outside of Lincoln or Omaha metro areas and their suburbs.
Examples of reimbursement requests that are covered include, but are not limited to:
Nonprofit organizations incorporated in Nebraska that are federally tax-exempt, public agencies and sub-divisions of governmental agencies.
Applicants may submit more than one application per year if the maximum amount is not exceeded within the fiscal year.
Grant applications are due six weeks before the event and are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. A Letter of Interest (LOI) may be submitted instead of an application if the applicant is not yet certain they will hire the service.
$300 maximum per event or $1,500 for a series. No match is required.
Contact Joshua Brown for more information.