PSYAH Guidelines

• Engage the public across the 11 council districts to enliven and energize a Vibrant Denver throughout our neighborhoods and downtown.
• Demonstrate cultural diversity, social equity, inclusion, and accessibility through the engagement of arts, culture, and creativity in Denver neighborhoods.
• Enrich the lives of Denver residents and visitors by integrating arts, culture and creativity into daily life. 
• Foster community collaboration and encourage partnerships among artists, performers, businesses and organizations.
• Create public spaces that promote health, happiness and well-being.
• Create a sense of place, purpose and belonging.
• Promote our vibrant and diverse communities as destinations to live, work and play.
• Nurture and honor community identity and heritage.
• Inspire creative and innovative thinking.
• Showcase locally cultivated talent.

• Projects must be located in an outdoor, public space within the City and County of Denver and be consistent with city policies and neighborhood plans.
• Public space is defined as an area that is accessible and free and open to the public, such as an alley, park, plaza, sidewalk or street.
• Projects must be on display for a minimum of 3 months and up to 1 year (timelines may be flexible on a case-by-case basis).
• Applicants are encouraged to have highly collaborative partnerships and inclusive engagement strategies in their project’s communities.
• Proposals can be conceptual and do not need to identify all details regarding implementation and permitting specifics (e.g., insurance needs, precise location details, design qualifications, etc.). Grant recipients will receive guidance from the PSYAH committee to facilitate these implementation areas for their projects.
• Projects can take place in multiples sites or spaces within Denver. 
• Projects must comply with applicable design standards for accessibility based on the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).
• Please visit our toolkit to help you through your process.

To be eligible, primary applicants must be connected to a City and County of Denver neighborhood and identify as: 

• A neighborhood-based group 
• A Registered Neighborhood Organization (RNO) 
• A Business Improvement District (BID), Maintenance District, Business Association or Chamber of Commerce, etc.
• A special district or creative district
• A place-based organization or business (non-profit and for profit)
• An individual that resides or works in the neighborhood
• An individual working with one or more of the above

Non place-based or Denver-based organizations, businesses, ad-hoc groups and individuals may participate through a partnership with the above eligible applicants but may not apply directly.

P.S. You Are Here funding may be used to cover expenses directly related to the project, such as:

Planning & Personnel

• Project management, administrative support, hired contractors, volunteer coordinator, community organizer, etc.

Professional Services

• Permits (parks, construction, etc.)
• Professional consultants (designer, engineer, artist, etc.)
• Insurance (see Insurance & Liability Coverage below)

Material, Supplies & Maintenance

• Art supplies (paint, printing, etc.)
• Building materials
• Equipment rental (audio/visual, tents, tables, etc.)
• Landscaping (soil, shrubs, plants, mulch, rocks, logs, etc.)
• Installation / De-installation
• Maintenance needs

Project funds may not be used for:

• Projects on private property (unless combined with public spaces project)
• Projects that have restricted participation and public access on the basis of race, gender, religion, origin, age, disability
• Neighborhood entrance signage or wayfinding signage
• Purchase of facilities
• Maintenance, operation, or retroactive funding of existing projects
• Activities that are not tied directly to program objectives
• Re-granting
• Fundraising activities
• General operating expenses and activities
• Festivals or general events
• Surveys or studies
• Cash reserves and endowments

• Neighborhood Participation & Community Partnerships (25 Points): Clearly defines how the project will enhance the neighborhood. Demonstrates community support and collaboration, and how the project will create strong partnerships in the neighborhood.
• Creativity, Artistic Scope & Cultural Merit (25 Points): Proposals should be innovative, well-defined, goal-oriented, original, visually compelling, and draw on community resources and talent.
• Planning, Feasibility & Maintenance (25 Points): Proposals should demonstrate how feasible the project is in terms of timeline, budget and available resources. Proposals should also clearly explain how the project will be safely installed, maintained and removed.
• Community Benefit & Social Impact (25 Points): Proposals should demonstrate how the project represents and boasts community identity, heritage, engagement, and sense of place.

The grant program is administered by Denver Arts & Venues. Submissions will be reviewed by designated representatives of the City and County of Denver including Denver Arts & Venues, Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, Denver Parks & Recreation, the Risk Assessment Office, and representatives from the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs. This group will work with and offer guidance to all grantee partners on how to navigate City processes throughout the implementation of the selected projects.

The Denver Arts & Venues team will work with grant partners through the multiple phases of the project, including providing guidance on City processes related to permitting, construction, etc. The team will also provide marketing and promotional support to elevate the grant partners’ efforts and will collect project related photographs, video, text, and related press, to document the project.

Proposals for the P.S. You Are Here grant should include:

• Project Budget
• Up to two images, examples, or sketches of your proposed project
• Defined project concept and site ideas
• Clear ideas on how to involve the surrounding community in the project
• W9 from the entity that will be contracting with the City

All projects require a funding agreement between the grantee and the City & County of Denver

The following insurance MAY be required, depending on the scope of work. Our team will help you navigate this process:
Workers’ Compensation - State mandated coverage for employees injured on the job. Colorado Workers’ Compensation law requires any business with one or more employees to carry this type of insurance. Sole Proprietors (those with no employees) are not required to carry Workers’ Compensation. It is important to notify the City if this rule applies to you.
Business Auto Liability - Coverage for liability (negligence) claims by a third party related to the operation of an automobile. Auto insurance is required of all contractors who will be operating a vehicle as part of their contractual duties for the City. The standard limit required is $1,000,000.  Contractors who use their personal vehicles can substitute their personal auto insurance for the business auto requirement.  It is important to notify the City if this rule applies to you.
General Liability - Coverage for liability (negligence) claims by a third party related to bodily injury (injury to another person) or property damage (damage to another person’s property). Limits will vary depending on the scope of work. Minimum limit is generally $1,000,000.
Professional Liability - Coverage for claims related to a "professional’s" error in judgment, planning or design. Examples of work requiring professional liability are architectural designs and engineering studies. NOTE: if a third party is hired to do such work, that third party is allowed to carry the insurance.

To determine what type of insurance is required, final grantees will need to provide a Project Risk Assessment Form on:

• What is the scope of work? (medium, materials, weight, size)
• How many people are part of the process from inception to completion?
• Are these people employees or all sole proprietors?
• Is specialized/certified knowledge required of the project such as engineering studies or architectural renderings?
• How will it be installed; where will it be installed; who will be installing it?
• Will the public have access to the space during the installation?
• What, if any, special equipment is necessary to install and who will be handling the equipment?

IMPORTANT: Your contract with the City includes indemnification. You are responsible for any claims that arise out of your work with the City. Even if insurance is waived, it is in your best interest to determine any exposures/risks and potentially purchase insurance to cover that exposure/risk.