How We Review Grants
In evaluating applications, PAE employs a multi-step process involving staff, peer-review panels, and our board of directors.

Staff Analysis
PAE Program staff reviews applications in relation to the partnership criteria. Whenever appropriate, staff will communicate or meet with applicants prior to application submission to clarify data and verify facts. PAE staff does not make recommendations. They can confirm information and present supplemental materials (funding history, photos, curricula, resumes, etc.) Staff also visits facilities, attends programs, or otherwise attempts to become familiar with the organization and its work.

Peer Panels
Application materials are presented to a panel composed of diverse individuals drawn from communities throughout the state with specific expertise in the area of arts in education. This peer-review panel evaluates each request according to grant guidelines, and makes a funding recommendation. Panelists are nominated by arts in education field experts. To make a nomination please email Sue or telephone 315-234-9911.

Board of Directors
At periodic meetings, the Board of Directors reviews funding recommendations and votes to approve the grants. Upon Board approval of a grant, a contract to that organization is issued.

Appeals Process
An applicant denied funding or wishing to appeal the level of funding of a panel decision must initiate a formal appeal. The applicant should first consult with the appropriate program staff to review the considerations that went into the panel decision. If, after such a consultation, the applicant wishes to pursue an appeal, such an appeal must be made in writing to the executive director. This letter must be received within 21 calendar days of the date of the notification letter of a panel decision. If the applicant has not been able to consult with the appropriate staff member within the time limitation, a written request must still be submitted within the 21-day time period.

Thereafter, the applicant will receive a written response and the appeal will be assigned to an Appeals Panel. In that response, a deadline for the submission of all material supporting the appeal will be established. No deadline date will be set earlier than seven days from the date of the letter. Failure to meet any deadline date in the appeals process will result in the loss of the right to appeal.

The appeals panel evaluates the review process by which the decision was made. The appeals process is not intended to impose different aesthetic choices over the panel's original choices and decisions.

An applicant may appeal all or some of the panel decisions. Dissatisfaction with the denial of a grant or with the amount of the grant is an insufficient reason for appeal.

Valid grounds for appeal include the following:
Nonpresentation of information: Information known to PAE staff prior to the panel decision that was not presented and that might have altered the decision.
Misrepresentation of information: Information known to PAE staff prior to the panel decision that was changed in its presentation and that, if presented differently, might have altered the decision. Improper procedure: Contention by the applicant that: 1) the review of the funding request by the appropriate advisory panel was biased; 2) the decision by the panel was arbitrary and capricious.

If the appeal request is successful, the decision will be reconsidered by the panel and then by the board of directors except when an appeal is upheld based on the lack of impartiality by an advisory panel. In that case, the decision will be reconsidered directly by the board.
All Appeals Panel meetings are open to the public.