Building Fund for the Arts Grant

Building Fund for the Arts Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Mississippi Arts Commission
Amount: US $25,000 - US $500,000
Last Updated: July 05, 2025

Summary

The Building Fund for the Arts (BFA), managed by the Mississippi Arts Commission, aims to enhance arts facilities across Mississippi through repair, renovation, and expansion projects. The initiative is designed to support organizations that provide year-round arts programming, ensuring these facilities can serve as vital community access points for the arts. Eligible applicants include Mississippi-based non-profits and local government units, promoting a vibrant arts culture and increasing public engagement in the arts.

Overview

Background The Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) has long recognized the importance of having adequate facilities in order to grow the number of artistic and creative opportunities in the state. To help expand the number of arts facilities in the state, the Mississippi Legislature appropriated funds to support the Building Fund for the Arts (BFA), a special initiative managed by MAC. BFA is focused on supporting the repair, renovation, or expansion of public facilities that are used for arts programming. Program Goal The primary goal of BFA is to support the repair, renovation, expansion or construction of facilities that serve as sites for year-round arts programming in their communities. MAC is focused on maximizing the impact of existing facilities through repair and expansion projects as well as increasing the number of facilities that can serve as points of public access to the arts for Mississippi residents.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Organizations applying for a BFA grant must be:A Mississippi-based non-profit organization with IRS 501c3 non-profit status OR a unit of local government (county or municipal). In good standing with MAC. The organization must not have any outstanding reports or unresolved issues related to past or current grants from the agency.Either the owners of the building/land for which they are requesting funds or doing so with demonstrated support from the owner(s). The sale of the property must be finalized by the time the project is scheduled to begin.An art-based organization, with the majority of their work focused on providing year-round arts programming to the local community. Units of local government applying to BFA must demonstrate that they present year-round arts programming OR have ongoing partnerships with local arts organizations or artists to present arts programming for the general public.Requesting funding for a facility that has been or will be used for arts programming.Past BFA grantees are eligible to apply to support a new phase of renovation on a previously funded property. However, the applicant must demonstrate that the new project is distinct from the one that was previously funded and that a separate, distinct set of matching funds has been or will be secured.Cash Match RequirementApplicants may request up to 60% of the total cost of their proposed project through BFA. The remaining 40% must be matched by cash income for the project. These can come from a variety of sources (such as federal grants, municipal funding, or private contributions).For larger-scale projects requesting funding through BFA, the amount of the applicant’s required match is determined by the minimum amount associated with the grant award rather than the total project cost.More detailed examples of project budgets demonstrating the cash match & grant funding percentages can be found here.Expenses which are eligible for funding support include:Architect, engineer or (project related) consultant fees;Site development costs such as surveys and soil tests;Construction costs, including asbestos and lead paint removal;Bid advertisements;Architectural renderings or models;Duplication and distribution of plans and specifications;General repairs to the facility, such as carpeting, painting, tile work, HVAC or plumbing;Purchase of furniture or equipment necessary for the type of arts programming taking place in the facility, such as theatre seating, lighting and sound equipment, and heat/humidity monitors for gallery spaces;Landscaping when associated with major renovations or when required to stem soil erosion resulting from construction or renovation projects;Parking and paving improvements;State Board of Health review of plan fees.

Ineligibility

State agencies or other state entities are not eligible to apply.Cultural organizations with a primary mission outside of the arts, such as history or science museums, are not eligible to apply.Match LimitationsNo state funds can be used to match BFA grants. No in-kind or property donations can be counted towards the match. Ineligible Expenses – MAC cannot provide BFA funding for the following projects:General operating expenses (such as staff salaries, utilities, or upkeep of current facilities)Project expenses incurred prior to the award of a BFA grantPurchase of furniture or equipment not specified for arts programming, such as office furniture or computers used for administrative workFundraising expenses A BFA grantee can count fundraising costs in its match, but these costs cannot exceed 5% of the total matching funds. For example, a BFA grantee with $300,000 grant would have a required match of $200,000. No more than $10,000 of the matching funds could be associated with fundraising expenses.