This gets into the thorny issue of whether to fund performances of Native American arts by non-Native performers as well as to support the sale of material arts by non-Native artists.  As a folklorist who formerly worked with the Festival of Native American Arts (Flagstaff, AZ), and with various individuals/tribes in Florida, Mexico, and Wyoming, I take this issue very seriously and also apply it to performances of Native arts. (see quote below from the Indian Arts & Crafts Board)

While several of the performers are verifiably Native (Robert Mirabal, etc.), the majority do not seem to be.  Moreover, the genre on which the festival is based (Native American flute) seems to be one that arose in the 1980s as a combination of Native traditions and New Age pop).  So their is some question about whether or not to consider this part of the traditional arts category or the music category.

In terms of vendors, I did not see a statement about compliance with the act by the festival--and this should be part of the information shared with a granting agency.  However, after inquiries to employees of the Seminole Tribe, I received information that a tribal member was there and said that they did distinguish between Native-made and Native-like products. 

There are also some problems within the application.  Applicant race is listed as Native American, but this is not justified in terms of a clear majority of the board or performers.  It also claims that 25% or more of people benefitting are Native American.  Since the population of the counties served do not have that percentage of residents, how did they arrive at this determination? 

This program does not seem to have established much contact with Seminoles or Miccosukees as audience or performers--and they likely constitute the majority of Native Floridians.  In fact, I asked someone working for the Seminole Tribe as a historian, and he was unaware of the event and hadn't seen it advertised on the reservation or in other Seminole communications. He in turn reached out to a board member/flute enthusiast from the tribe who attended the last two retreats, which he saw as geared to a non-Native audience.  And here is more of his response, "It is not a Native American run festival, but it is Native American themed. ...they are respectful of the culture and they don’t make a mockery of it. There are Native and non-Native there. They sell top quality items, but they are sure to say they are Native-style flutes, and not Native-made flutes. ... it doesn’t benefit and not associated with the Seminoles of Miccosukee, per se, but they [the Seminoles & Miccosukees] are not against it either."

Overall, it is a good thing to introduce authentic Native arts to outside audiences, but this project is somewhat problematic because the art it supports seems not to be traditional, it claims but does not provide evidence that the applicant race is Native American, and it does not seem to serve 25%+ Native Americans or many Seminole or Miccosukee for instruction or performances. 

My scoring is based on excellence, impact, etc. in terms of traditional arts.

https://www.doi.gov/iacb/act :  "The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. For a first time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. If a business violates the Act, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000.

Under the Act, an Indian is defined as a member of any federally or officially State recognized Indian Tribe, or an individual certified as an Indian artisan by an Indian Tribe.

The law covers all Indian and Indian-style traditional and contemporary arts and crafts produced after 1935. The Act broadly applies to the marketing of arts and crafts by any person in the United States. ....

All products must be marketed truthfully regarding the Indian heritage and tribal affiliation of the producers, so as not to mislead the consumer. It is illegal to market an art or craft item using the name of a tribe if a member, or certified Indian artisan, of that tribe did not actually create the art or craft item.

For example, products sold using a sign claiming "Indian Jewelry" would be a violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act if the jewelry was produced by someone other than a member, or certified Indian artisan, of an Indian tribe. Products advertised as "Hopi Jewelry" would be in violation of the Act if they were produced by someone who is not a member, or certified Indian artisan, of the Hopi tribe.

....If the event organizers make no statements on compliance with the Act or on the authenticity of Indian arts and crafts offered by participating vendors, you should obtain written certification from the individual vendors that their Indian arts or craftwork were produced by tribal members or by certified Indian artisans."

This event straddles the line of new age/popular culture and traditional culture.  An item which is traditional among a number of Native Americans - none historically in Florida - is being represented as folk art.  Yet, I see very little Native American representation.  The primary instructors are not Native American.  Are any people who attend Native American, this is not shown in the narrative?  Are any vendors Native American, again not shown in the narrative?

I honestly do not believe this proposal should be at this panel - it is a festival.

In the Excellence section, the Proposal Description instructions request fully measurable objectives, however I do not see any identification of success metrics.

You indicate that 25% of your participants are Hispanic/Latino, but there is no indication as to how you address language barriers in your Accessibility narrative.