Fund For the Arts Grants
The Central Minnesota Community Foundation is a public charity which enables and promotes the ability of individuals and organizations to make significant contributions that impact the needs of our region.
The goal of the Community Foundation is to identify and address social and cultural needs and to foster a sense of human interdependence dedicated to building self-capacity and fullness of life for all.
Area Served
The primary geographic focus of the Foundation includes Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns counties. However, it is recognized that these core counties are part of a larger independent community of rural counties located in Central Minnesota and the Foundation will reflect this reality it its activities.Focus Areas
The purpose of the Fund for the Arts program is to support small and medium-sized arts organizations in Central Minnesota. The fund also supports arts activities conducted by community organizations. The Fund for the Arts is an important resource for both new and existing arts organizations. It allows depth and diversity of the arts in Central Minnesota and makes the arts more accessible to area residents.
Applications will be reviewed according to the following criteria:
- The artistic quality and merit of the art project or program.
- The ability of the organization to accomplish the art project or program described, or the organizational goals as presented.
- The manner in which the applicant has demonstrated community demand or need for the art project or program.
- The manner in which the applicant intends to use the grant to develop the resources of the organization.
- The manner in which the applicant has used matching grant opportunities in the application.
Restrictions
Only one grant application per year will be considered from eligible applicants. The Foundation will look favorably upon matching grant opportunities. However, multi-year commitments will be limited, and funding preference will be given to agencies that have not previously received support from the Foundation.What We Don't Fund
The Foundation will not fund individuals, endowments, medical research, capital campaigns to which the Foundation can contribute no more than a tiny fraction of the total need, debt retirement or deficit financing, dollar-for-dollar replacement of government funding that has been reduced or eliminated, religious organizations for direct religious activities, political organizations or political campaigns, fraternal organizations, societies or orders, telephone solicitations, and national fund raising efforts.
