Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants

Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants

Arts Midwest is now accepting applications for Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants, a pilot program that offers grants of up to $67,000 to small arts and culture organizations that are rooted in communities of color.

What is it?

Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants is a general operating grant pilot program that offers grants of up to $67,000.

About Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants

Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants is a pilot program offered by the six U.S. Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs) in partnership with The Wallace Foundation. It will give general operating support grants to arts and cultural organizations rooted in communities of color with annual operating expenses up to $500,000.

In total, Arts Midwest will be awarding 18 general operating grants across our nine-state region.

• 9 Organizations (one per state) with operating expenses between $0-$249,999 will receive a $55,000 general operating grant.
• 9 Organizations (one per state) with operating expenses between $250,000-$499,999 will receive a $67,000 general operating grant.

Over the 15-month pilot program, Arts Midwest will offer five virtual workshops on topics focusing on long-term visioning and sustainability planning. Grantees will also be invited to join virtual peer networking sessions and quarterly check-ins with Arts Midwest staff.

Arts Midwest believes that equity means ensuring that everyone has access to the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• A pilot program that offers grants of up to $67,000 to small arts and culture organizations that are rooted in communities of color.
• The following organizations are eligible to apply:
  • 501c3 nonprofit organizations of color.
  • Fiscally sponsored organizations of color.
  • If an applicant is fiscally sponsored, the fiscal sponsor needs to provide application information on behalf of the group that is seeking the grant.
  • Federally recognized tribes or tribal communities.
• Arts and cultural organizations rooted in communities of color with annual operating expenses up to $500,000.
  • Applicants with current operating expenses of up to $500,000, or pre-COVID (2021) annual operating expenses of up to $500,000.
  • Nonprofit organizations, fiscally sponsored organizations, and federally recognized tribes can all apply for this grant.
• All eligible arts and cultural organizations of color must have at least two of the following:
  • Led by a person(s) of color, artistically and/or administratively.
  • Predominately in service of Indigenous/Native American, Black, Latine, Asian, Pacific Islander, and/or Caribbean communities, or another community of color.
  • Founded by and for a community of color.
• Your organization must be located and operate within Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, or the Native Nations that share this geography.
  • If your organization is located outside of Arts Midwest’s nine-state region, you still may qualify for a Cultural Sustainability grant through another US. Regional Arts Organization.
• Applicants must have programs and services centered primarily on arts/culture and community.
• Applicants must have at least three years of creative practice or arts programming.
• There is no minimum budget requirement.
• Applicants are not required to have full or part-time staff.
• Applicants must be in good standing with Arts Midwest and have no overdue or incomplete reporting requirements on any other projects.

Ineligibility

• The following are not eligible to apply:
  • Individuals
  • For-profit entities
  • Federal agencies or local departments of federal agencies
  • Units of municipal, county, or state government
  • Colleges or universities and affiliated centers, institutes, and foundations
  • Public, private and charter K-12 schools and pre-schools
  • Organizations/entities that have had their IRS status revoked.
  • Tax-exempt status of applicant or fiscal sponsor must be current at the time of application.
• Late applications are considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding.