Of these criteria, artistic merit/program strength will be of determinative significance, balanced with community participation. For example, one organization might be doing artistically significant work that, by its nature, may have more limited audience appeal, and another group might be doing more standard fare (e.g., a Nutcracker), but which has a large, supportive audience. Both cases fit these criteria as envisioned. The criteria of "ability to plan, governance and managerial capacity, and fiscal health" come into play after it has been determined that we have an organization of quality valued by its community.

• Artistic merit/program strength.Does the organization do good work that is important to the community? Are the artistic programs of consistent merit and of significance in the cultural marketplace? To what extent are the artistic activities appropriate and responsive to the organization’s constituents? What is the organization’s capacity for self-evaluation of its artistic strengths and weaknesses, and the reasonableness of its plans for artistic improvement? What is its quality on a national standard measured against like organizations?
• Community participation. To what degree is this organization grounded in and informed by the community as evidenced by attendance, participation, volunteer support, and donor base, appropriate to the nature of the enterprise? Does the community care about this organization? Does the organization make an effort to introduce newcomers to its art form in a way that enhances their understanding and appreciation?
• Ability to plan. Does the organization have a long-range strategic plan currently in place? Does the organization know where it is going and how to get there? What is its capacity to plan its business, to implement its plans, to track performance against plan, and to make appropriate course corrections as circumstances change?
• Governance and managerial capacity. What is the current capacity of staff and volunteer leadership to guide the organization in the future? Are the critical decisionmakers in place to run the organization? Is there community-based oversight of the organization?
• Fiscal health. What is the capacity of the organization for integrity, fiscal responsibility, critical self-review, honest representation, discipline, and adaptability to implement the hard decisions necessary to live within the limits of its available resources? Is there evidence of contingency planning? What do the organization’s budget and audited financial statements tell us about its current ratio of assets to liabilities, its management of assets which may include a cash reserve fund, endowment fund, and facility?