Hillsborough County Arts Council Division Director Martine Collier and Program Manager Kathy Collins held a virtual workshop for 2026 Professional Development for Artists grantees to explain contract terms, reimbursement procedures, documentation and reporting requirements. The presentation covered how to submit invoices through the Neighborly grant portal, what expenses qualify for reimbursement and the county’s verification process.

Collier opened the session by congratulating grantees and introducing Collins, who said “your grant agreement is a contract” and that the agreement incorporates the applicant’s narrative and budget. Collins advised grantees to carefully review the written agreement before signing and to return a completed W-9 as part of the onboarding steps.

Collins said the grant period runs from Jan. 1, 2026, through Aug. 15, 2026. Expenses incurred before Jan. 1 or after Aug. 15 will not be eligible for reimbursement. She instructed grantees that reimbursements are limited strictly to the equipment or educational experience listed in the approved application; substitutions are only allowed through a formal grant change request and must be similar and equal to or lower in price.

On documentation, Collins told grantees to retain and upload invoices, receipts, packing slips and bank or credit-card statements that show payment date and amount, and she recommended also including a photo of the equipment or the packing slip. She emphasized the applicant must personally incur and pay expenses (own bank account or card); purchases paid for by spouses, partners or third parties are not eligible.

For travel tied to an educational experience, Collins said grantees must follow the itinerary and costs in their application (for example, direct travel to the event location is expected and multi-leg, multi‑city trips tied to one request are not reimbursable). Lodging for out-of-state travel is limited to a single-room rate. All travel receipts, itineraries and lodging invoices should be uploaded to the Neighborly portal.

Collins described the submission workflow: grantees complete the PDAG invoice form in Neighborly, upload required documentation, and click complete so the request reaches staff for review. County staff will verify submissions against the original application; incomplete or incorrect submissions will not extend the Aug. 15 deadline. Collins said she will process completed reimbursements and send them to the clerk’s office after Martine Collier signs off; grantees were advised that direct deposit is the fastest payment option.

Staff reiterated final report requirements: reports are due Sept. 30, 2026, and should explain how the equipment or educational experience advanced the artist’s career, include photos and evidence that Hillsborough County was credited. Collins also encouraged grantees to share exhibit dates or events for the county calendar and newsletter; staff noted a 2025 exhibit of grantee work in Ybor and said a similar exhibit is planned for October 2026.

An attendee reported trouble opening linked PDF documents; Collins agreed to resend the files. Staff will share the slideshow and make the webinar recording available by request. Collier closed by congratulating recipients and offering ongoing assistance through the grant period.