FWAC: Community Arts Access Project Grants

FWAC: Community Arts Access Project Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Five Wings Arts Council
Amount: Up to US $5,000
Last Updated: February 28, 2026

Summary

The Five Wings Arts Council offers the Community Arts Access Project Grants to support Minnesota non-profit organizations, schools, and governmental units in enhancing arts programming. Grants can fund new cultural activities or enrich existing ones, with a maximum award of $5,000. Applications are reviewed quarterly, and projects must occur within the five counties served by the Council. This initiative aims to boost local arts and provide educational opportunities, fostering community engagement through the arts.

Overview

Five Wings Art Council As one of the eleven Regional Arts Councils of Minnesota, the Five Wings Art Council is entrusted with the stewardship and distribution of funds acquired from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage (ACH) fund as well as funds allocated from the General Budget through the Minnesota State Legislature. We embrace the vision, guiding principles, goals, and key strategies developed in partnership with the Minnesota Regional Arts Councils and the Minnesota State Arts Board. FWAC is committed to working together to accomplish this vision of this constitutional amendment. We embrace this vision through grant programs designed to support the work of community organizations that bring the arts to the citizens of their community. Five Wings Arts Council also grants funds from the McKnight Foundation to support the work of individual artists within our region. The Five Wings Art Council administers grant programs for individual artists living in Cass, Crow Wing, Todd, Morrison, and Wadena Counties. These grant programs have been established to provide assistance for artists at various stages in their career development and for arts organizations. Community Grant Program The Five Wings Arts Council provides grants to arts organizations, schools, and government organizations located in Cass, Crow Wing, Todd, Morrison, and Wadena counties, and the Leech Lake Tribal community. Community Grant programs are designed to enrich communities within our region through meaningful arts and cultural activities. Community Arts Access Project Grants Funds may be requested to initiate cultural activities; to supplement existing arts programming; or to provide enrichment, education, or participatory development opportunities. The Five Wings Arts Council reviews Community Arts Access Project (CAAP) grant applications four times per year.  The maximum award for a grant is $5,000. Types of Arts Grants It is the intent of the Five Wings Arts Council to stimulate and maintain a high quality of artistic experiences. Thus grants must be made to those organizations which are directly engaged in the creation of art, the production of art, the production of arts services, or the sponsorship of arts activities. Arts activities in all disciplines are supported by the council, including but not limited to: Architecture and Design, Theater, Film/Video, Visual Arts, Folk Arts, Dance, Music, Multi-disciplinary Projects, Organizational Development, Literature. Production Assistance GrantsProduction Assistance grants support activities directly involved in the creation, publication, performance, and exhibition of art. The purpose of a production activity must be one or more of the following:The development of an art formThe artistic growth of artists associated with an arts organizationThe development of an arts organization to promote its artistic growth in service to the larger communityA Production Assistance project must have as its primary goal, and final product, arts producing activities or services for artists or arts organizations. Application may be made for the following types of projects:Productions or ExhibitionsGuest ArtistsOrganizational DevelopmentAdministrative or Consultant ServicesProduction or Planning ServicesPublicationsWorkshops, Classes, and Arts Awareness ProjectsSponsorship GrantsThe sponsorship program provides grant assistance to organizations that host arts events by contracting for the services of another organization or individual to provide high quality arts programming to their community.The focus of this program is on the audience and access of that audience to a wide variety of professional artistic experiences which may be brought to a community.General SponsorshipGeneral Sponsorship grants may be used for the following types of events:performances by touring artists or arts organizationsassembled exhibitions on tourfilm and video screeningpublic readings arts education projectslectures, demonstrations, master classes, seminars, or workshops

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicant Eligibility The applicant must be a Minnesota non-profit, tax-exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code with Articles of Incorporation on file with the State of Minnesota; or, a school or a governmental unit or department or agency of the State of Minnesota.An organization not meeting this requirement may apply to the Five Wings Arts Council through a fiscal agent.A fiscal agent is a Minnesota non-profit, federally tax-exempt organization or governmental unit which applies to the Regional Arts Council on behalf of an organization not meeting non-profit, tax-exempt requirements.The fiscal agent must sign the application and, if funds are received, sign the Letter of Agreement and Final Report forms.The fiscal agent is legally responsible for the completion of the project and for the proper management of the grant.A contract or letter of agreement between the fiscal agent and organization clarifying the responsibilities and authority of each is required. Two or more eligible organizations or governmental units may form a partnership to present arts activities within a community or school, and may submit one application.Project Eligibility To be eligible for funding, a project must be for the creation and production of arts programs or projects which are for the development or enhancement of local or regional artists or arts organizations; or, the hosting of arts events by contracting for the services of another organization or individual to provide arts programming to the local or regional community.The project activity must occur within the five Minnesota counties served by FWAC: Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena Counties.

Ineligibility

The following expenses are considered ineligible for FWAC funding:Reception expenses (ie, food, refreshments, decorations etc.)Prizes, ribbons, flowers, gifts, awards, etc.Building space and equipment owned by the applicantMaterials and supplies sold to participants (such as t-shirts, souvenirs etc) Materials, supplies, equipment, etc. used for personal gain of participants Long-life items and permanent fixtures, costs related to construction or purchase of facilitiesMonthly/seasonal/annual office equipment or telephone rentalMonthly/seasonal/annual storage costsExpenses contracted or paid before the Start Date stated on the project application formApplications for grant assistance will not be accepted for review if any of the following conditions exist:Funds are requested from the Five Wings Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board for the same work or expenses incurred while carrying out the same project in a single fiscal year, without the expressed written consent of both the Five Wings Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board.Funds are requested for capital improvement or construction; purchases of capital equipment; purchase of real property (land or buildings); or, endowment funds.Funds are requested to account for fund deficiencies in projects begun prior to the project starting date specified in the "Application Guidelines" section.Funds are requested for projects which are essentially for the religious socialization of the participants.An organization has a report overdue from a past grant.The activity is not open to the public.Funds are requested for publications to be distributed only to the organization's members.Applications will not be considered if the amount requested exceeds the maximum allowable award.General operating support for festivals or fairs is not eligible. Five Wings Arts Council does not provide funding for the services of the grant writer who is writing the grant request.