Grants

APPLYING FOR GRANT FUNDING

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council offers several granting programs with State of Minnesota and McKnight Foundation funding.  We welcome you to look over the options available and apply!  Also, please sign up for our e-newsletter to receive the best up-to-date information on additional deadlines and grant writing/info workshops.  Sign up for our Email Newsletter  For ideas you can see our list of grants awarded.

We are transitioning from our www.nwrdc.org/artsgrants.htm web site to this new site.  You may find what you are looking for on our old site so please bear with us.

It is very important to remember that your organization or you, as an individual, must reside within our seven county serve area to apply; this includes Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau counties in northwestern Minnesota.  Our funding in based on our service to only these counties.  If you reside in a different county in Minnesota please look to   http://www.arts.state.mn.us/racs/index.htm for which Regional Arts Council serves your area.

Our tips pages can be very helpful in determining which grant programs listed below, and what services, are the best fit.

• Tips for arts organizations, cities, and non-profit groups
• Tips for school districts and schools >>>
• Tips for individuals and students >>>

The opportunity pages may also be helpful.

• Opportunities for organizations
• Opportunities for schools, teachers, and students
• Opportunities for individuals

Here is a list of our current grant programs.

• Arts Legacy Grants  (up to $10,000)
• Arts Project Grants (up to $3,000)
• Cultural Bank Grants (up to $1,000)
• Artists in the Schools Grants (up to $3,000)
• Arts Legacy Artist in Residency Grants  ($2,100)
• Artist Fellowship Grants  ($1,500 and $4,000)
• Artist Leadership Training Stipends (up to $1,500)
• Student Artist Training Mentor Grants ($500)

You have the following options to request an application:

• call Mara Lunde Wittman, Arts Council Director at 1-218-745-9111 and request materials
• e-mail a request to mara@nwrdc.org and receive the application in a reply message
• download the full guidelines and application form to Acrobat Reader for printing, each file is listed under the brief program description below.  An Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed in order to download and read PDF documents. The Acrobat Reader is commonly bundled with popular graphics and publishing software, and is also available as a free download (viewer only) via the Adobe Web site. You may access the Adobe Acrobat Reader download Web page at http://www.adobe.com
• use the Word version of the application form listed below

ARTS LEGACY GRANTS 

This is our main category for funding artistic activity within our region.  Funding for these grants comes from the Minnesota State Legislature through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.  These grants are a maximum of $10,000.00.   Deadlines: 1st of August, September, November, and February.  Starting in March 2012 this category will have monthly deadlines on the 1st until funds are depleted.

1. First read and become familiar with the entire guidelines for this program.  ACHF guidelines only for 2012
2. The application is available to complete in Word. ACHF Full Application in Word for 2012Please email Mara at mara@nwrdc.org if you have any questions or problems with the application form.
3. Complete the application and mail to our office by the deadline.  You can also email the application.  Please make sure that we confirm that we have printed a copy by the deadline date.  We would prefer that you mail a copy and email a copy if you used our Word form.  This helps our office staff not have to retype your application and it guarantees that your application will not be lost in cyber space.
4. The final report form is available as an on-line survey.  Click here to take survey.  Please email mara@nwrdc.org if you would like to receive a link tied to your email address so you can complete the final report survey in multiple sessions.  You can also request a printed version to complete.

ARTS LEGACY “ARTIST IN THE SCHOOLS” GRANTS 

First come, first served grants to school districts in our seven county area.  These grants are a maximum of $2,100.00 to sponsor in a traditional week long residency.  An extra $400.00 may be requested for visual art residencies for supplies.  Schools are strongly encouraged to use a roster artist from COMPAS.

1. Reading main ACHF guidelines will help you become familiar with the goals and purpose of the Arts Legacy grant categories.  ACHF guidelines only for 2012
2. The application is available to complete in Word. Arts Legacy School Residency Application in Word  Please email Mara at mara@nwrdc.org if you have any questions or problems with the application form.
3. Complete the application and mail to our office by the deadline.  If you email the application make sure that we confirm that we have printed a copy by the deadline date.  Email is not the preferred method of sending the application.
4. The final report form is available as an on-line survey.  Click here to take survey.  Please email mara@nwrdc.org if this link does not work correctly or request a printed version to complete.

ARTS PROJECT GRANTS 

Supported by general allocation funds from the Minnesota state legislature, locally produced projects and events – as well as sponsorship of performances of touring companies and artists – are supported through the Council’s grants program. These grants are a maximum of $3,000.00.   Deadlines: 1st of August, November, and February.

1. First read the Acrobat Reader version of the Arts Project Guidelines with Application.
2. The application is available in Word.  Arts Project Grant Application Form in Word
3. Complete the application and mail to our office by the deadline with attachments and signatures.
4. In 2012, we started an on-line survey final report to collect information.  Click here to take survey  If you would like to be able to go in and out of the survey over a few days please email mara@nwrdc.org to receive a link tied to your email address. Last years forms are also available here.  (Acrobat Reader version) (Acrobat Reader version 2010) or complete the final report form on-line.  This report is due 60 days after your project’s ending date.

ARTISTS IN THE SCHOOLS 

Artists in the Schools Grants: Under this program, school districts may apply for grants of up to $3,000.00 to sponsor residency activities with artists.  A 10% cash match is required to be eligible.  Each school district can receive up to $3,000.00 of grant funds each fiscal year.  Deadlines: 1st of August, November, and February, if funds are available.

1. First read the Artists in the Schools Guidelines and Application
2. Decide whether you would like to fill in the application on-line or print the Acrobat Reader version of the application.
3. Complete the application and mail to our office by the deadline.
   • The application form is available in Word for your convenience  Artists in the Schools Application in Word 2007
4. If you are awarded a grant, you will need to fill out our final report form survey.   Click here to take survey  If you would like to go in and out of the survey over multiple days please request from mara@nwrdc.org a link directly tied to your email address.  This report is due 60 days after your project’s ending date.

ARTIST FELLOWSHIP GRANTS 

Assistance for adult individual artists, living in our seven county region, to enhance their careers. These grants are for $1,500.00 each with two applications receiving a $4,000.00 fellowship award.  Deadline: 15th of October.

1. First read the Instructions for Completing the Northwest Minnesota Artist Fellowship Application.
2. Decide whether you would like to fill in the application on-line or print the Acrobat Reader version of the application.
3. Complete the application and mail to our office by the deadline.
4. If you are awarded a grant, you can use this web site to print out an additional copy of the Individual Artists Final Report (Acrobat Reader version).  This report is due 60 days after your project’s ending date.

ARTIST LEADERSHIP TRAINING STIPENDS

Assistance for adult individual artists, living in our seven county region, to attend a training that offers them skills in being a better leader in their art form, their community, or their artistic peer group. These grants are first come, first served.  Grants are for  80% of certain costs capping at $1,500 per individual.  Please view the Leadership Stipend App Form in Word or email mara@nwrdc.org for more details on applying.  Deadline: first come, first served.

STUDENT ARTIST TRAINING MENTOR GRANT

Assistance is available to students for a mentorship and/or to attend a training workshop that is not related to credit. Students must be in high school and a resident of our seven county region. These grants are for $500.00.  Deadline: October 15th   There will be an extra deadline on March 15, 2012.

1. First print out the Fact Sheet for a quick reference to the program.
2. Then read the Instructions for Completing the Student Artist Training Application.
3. Decide whether you would like to fill in the application on-line or print the Student Full App and Guidelines of the application.
4. Complete the application and mail to our office by the deadline.
   If you are awarded a grant, you can use this web site to print out an additional copy of the Student Individual Artist Final Report or request a copy from our office.  This report is due 60 days after your project’s ending date.