AHCMC: Wheaton Cultural Project Grants

The Wheaton Cultural Project Grants, offered by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, support impactful arts and humanities projects in Wheaton, MD. These grants aim to enhance cultural diversity, support underserved communities, and provide professional opportunities for local artists and scholars. Eligible applicants include organizations and individuals residing in Montgomery County, with funding available for a range of artistic disciplines. Projects must engage the public and adhere to current health guidelines.

NOTE: First-time applicants are highly encouraged to contact Grants Program staff.
Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County
The Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC), in partnership with the community, cultivates and supports excellence in the arts and the humanities, expands access to cultural expression, and contributes to economic vitality in the region.
Wheaton Cultural Project Grants (WCPG) are available to arts and/or humanities organizations and groups located in Montgomery County, MD that may or may not be incorporated as non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and individual artists and scholars who reside in Montgomery County, MD. Grant awards support impactful projects within the Wheaton, MD community and provide professional opportunities for artists and scholars to work in Wheaton. Awarded projects engage the Wheaton community in a wide array of arts and humanities disciplines, including performing arts, media arts, visual arts, literary arts, folk and traditional arts, history, and philosophy.
By awarding Wheaton Cultural Project Grants, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) seeks to:
Support communities that have traditionally received insufficient resources and that have limited access to arts/humanities programming;Support Wheaton’s cultural diversity by funding arts/humanities projects in all disciplines, genres, and styles;Support artists and scholars currently living or working in Wheaton; andActivate Wheaton as a cultural destination that stimulates local economic activity
Eligible Project Examples
The following are examples of activities that are eligible for funding. This list is not exhaustive; applicants are encouraged to think creatively about the activities proposed in their grant application.
Performances, presentations, or exhibitions of visual, performing, media, and/or folk and traditional artsFestivals or events that include one or more arts/humanities discipline(s)Historical presentations, archeological programs, or historical reenactmentsPoetry readings, author lectures, or script workshopsPublic art, including community mural projectsArts and/or humanities educational programs

Eligibility

Applicant Eligibility RequirementsOrganizations & GroupsHas its primary mission or objective as the exhibition, presentation, production or performance of, and/or education in, an arts and/or humanities discipline, and/or provides support services to artists and/or scholars and/or arts and/or humanities organizations;Has been in operation for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the application deadline;Has had its primary location and/or a verifiable mailing address in Montgomery County, MD for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the application deadline;Operates as a non-profit:The organization or group may or may not be incorporated and may or may not be formally recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a public charity with tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status.However, the applicant must operate in the manner of a non-profit (the organization’s/group’s net earnings cannot be distributed to those who control it);Has an annual operating budget of no more than $500,000 for the most recently completed fiscal year; andHas met all outstanding requirements for any grant(s) received from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County in prior years.Individual Artists & ScholarsHas resided in Montgomery County, MD with a verifiable mailing address in Montgomery County, MD for at least 12 months prior to the application deadline (P.O. In person activities must follow current COVID-19 guidelines as required by the Montgomery County Health Department.

Ineligibility

More than one submission per applicant for a Wheaton Cultural Project Grant per fiscal year will not be accepted.Grant requests for less than $1,000 will not be accepted. Grant requests for more than $10,000 will not be accepted.Grant requests for the same project in more than one grant category within the same fiscal year will not be accepted.Wheaton Cultural Project Grants will not fund:General operating expenses;General operating expenses are defined as day-to-day operating costs, such as office rent and utilities, to further the general mission or work of an organization/group rather than for a specific project. Strategic planning or organizational development;Indirect costs (costs not directly related to carrying out the funded project);Miscellaneous or contingency costs;Public, private, or charter schools;Capital improvements, construction, or renovation projects;Purchase of real property, including land, buildings, warehouses, offices, and anything affixed to land;Activities for the exclusive benefit of the grantee’s members;Fundraising activities;Cost of receptions, refreshments, or food;Cost of merchandise such as T-shirts;Debt retirement;Re-granting;Scholarships, awards, and/or tuition assistance are considered forms of re granting.Political advocacy or activities that take a position regarding any one political party, candidate, or issue;Administrative and programming costs incurred outside of Montgomery County, MD; andTravel outside the United States.