Submit an Appeal to the Council on the Arts

Applicants considering an appeal should contact the applicable PCA program director/point of contact for advice and guidance.

An appeal must be made in writing, within ten business days from the date of the notification of the award.

• Letters of appeal should be addressed to the attention of PCA’s Deputy Executive Director, Heather Doughty.
• The letter should identify the error or omission and the effect such error had on the recommendation of the advisory panel or PCA staff review.
• If the appeal is supported by the PCA’s Council, funds will be awarded only if they are available.

The PA Council on the Arts (PCA) recognizes that errors may occur in the application process. The PCA is committed to acknowledging any errors and responding to rectify the effects of an error. The appeals process enables applicants to identify these errors and omissions, and bring them to the attention of the PCA.

If the applicant can satisfactorily document that an error or omission occurred, through no fault of the applicant, an appeal may result in a change in the determination of eligibility or the grant award amount. Appeals are awarded only if the error or omission had a substantial effect on the PCA's evaluation of an application or its determination of an applicant's eligibility.

Please note:

• Appeals are not intended to provide the applicant with an opportunity to challenge the assessment of the application's status or viability. 
• Disagreement with the judgment of the application review is not grounds for an appeal.
• Missing the published application due date or failure to submit required information or documentation are not grounds for appeal.