Flexible Support

Overview

The Flexible Support grant provides funding to help organizations/groups create and sustain Minnesotans’ access to the arts. Eligible projects include operations, and/or organizational capacity, and/or arts programming: 

• Activities that support the operations of an organization/group (such as paying staff salaries or rent on a space) to provide arts access to Minnesotans.
• Organizational capacity activities, meaning ​​a coordinated management effort that bolsters an organization/group’s ability to do its work (like rebranding, building a website, or overhauling financial tracking systems) to enhance Minnesotans’ access to the arts. Organizational capacity projects could also be the purchase of equipment and/or making facilities improvements to provide arts access. 
• Arts Programming activities in Minnesota, whether a single event (such as a theater production) or a series (such as a series of music workshops).

There is approximately $4 million available in funding for this year’s Flexible Support program. 

MRAC has set aside $3 million specifically for groups whose Leadership is majority people who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC); and/or disabled people/people with disabilities; and/or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Agender, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2+). These groups may request up to $25,000. Other eligible groups may request up to $15,000. Refer to the full guidelines for more information. 

Organizations/groups may submit only one application.

Contacts
  Program Directors: Mirella Espino and Masami Kawazato

Important Dates

• Application deadline: November 6, 2023
• Panel Review: March to April 2024
• MRAC Board of Directors review funding recommendations: April 2024
• Staff send out grant notifications via email to applicants: May 1, 2024
• Eligible Funding Period: May 1, 2024 to May 30, 2025

Full Guidelines

This is a summary of the grant program's key details. Please do your best to read the full Flexible Support guidelines thoroughly. We have created additional resources that can help you prepare a submission, including a recorded grant information webinar that has been embedded below. 

Webinar

Arts Impact for Individuals

Overview

The Arts Impact for Individuals grant provides up to $5,000 for artistic projects in Minnesota led by individuals who identify as any of the following:

• Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Color (BIPOC); and/or
• Disabled/a person with a disability; and/or
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Agender, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2+)

Individuals must have primary residential address in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott or Washington county, and be a United States citizen or an individual who has attained permanent resident status in the United States. Awardees must also continue to reside in this region for the entirety of the project period.  Individuals do not need prior artistic experience or to identify as an artist to apply. 

Grant awards will be made only to individuals. While this grant program may be appropriate for individuals who are connected to organizations, Arts Impact for Individuals is designed to support projects working outside of traditional organizational structures. Projects may be in partnership with an organization, but projects managed by an entity other than the applicant, such as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or LLC, should instead review MRAC's Flexible Support grant program.

This grant is designed to support individuals leading efforts to create access to the arts. Projects must be focused on creating access to the arts for Minnesotans, and/or engaging with Minnesota communities through artistic endeavors, and occur within the Eligible Funding Period (April 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). Projects could focus on:

• Connecting Minnesotans with arts and cultural experiences; and/or
• Integrating artists and/or artistic engagement to accomplish a community's non-arts goals; and/or
• Providing Minnesotans with opportunities for arts learning and passing along expressive cultural traditions.
   

There is $400,000 available for this program. In the previous two years, approximately 50% of eligible applicants were successfully funded.

Contacts

Program Director: Scott Artley

Arts Impact for Individuals Important Dates:

• Application deadline: October 23, 2023 at 11:59 PM 
• Panel Review: January 18 to February 16, 2024
• MRAC Board of Directors review funding recommendations: March 2024
• Staff send out grant notifications via email to applicants: April 1, 2024
• Eligible Funding Period: April 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

Full Guidelines 

This is a summary of the grant program's key details. Please do your best to read the full Arts Impact for Individuals guidelines and website thoroughly. We have created additional resources that can help you prepare an application, including a recorded webinar that has been embedded below and application templates. We love working with applicants and encourage you to connect with MRAC staff for help navigating the process.

Webinar