IMPACT: Quality of Place: Community Assets - Arts, Culture, & Heritage Grants

The IMPACT: Quality of Place Grant Program aims to enhance community well-being, foster civic pride, and stimulate tourism through support for arts, culture, and heritage initiatives in Erie County. With a funding cap of $15,000 per application and a total of $200,000 available each grant cycle, the program encourages projects that enrich community life and support economic development. Eligible applicants include local non-profits and municipalities that meet specific criteria.

To promote well-being, foster civic pride, drive tourism, and attract, retain, and mobilize creative talent and innovative businesses through cultural, heritage, service, and recreational organizations and projects. Currently, grant and endowment funds are at work for Lead Assets, Special Events, Community Assets, and Human Services.
Arts, culture, and heritage organizations enrich the lives of residents, protect resources, and add a dimension to quality of life through performances, interpretation, preservation, and creation of new works. ECGRA's investment in arts, culture, and heritage encourages entrepreneurship and innovation, enables communities to engage in creative placemaking, plays an integral role in attracting new residents and businesses by elevating the quality of life, and protects what is unique to Erie County.
Funding
A maximum of $15,000 per application; overall $200,000 per grant cycle. Grant contracts for Community Assets Grants funding shall be for a period of 12 months.

Eligibility

Eligibility CriteriaApplicant is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3), municipal authority, or a municipality.Applicant’s headquarters is located in Erie County.Applicant is in good standing with the IRS and state and local taxing bodies.Applicant is in good standing with ECGRA’s reporting requirements to date.Applicant is current on payment of any mandated workers compensation, payment of unemployment or other required employee related insurances, and real estate taxes.Applicant is making sole request on behalf of organization.Applicant will be the recipient of the grant.Pass through grants are not permissible.Only one application per entity, per project, per funding cycle will be accepted.Applicant must either own or lease property to be improved.Non-profit groups may complete projects on property owned by local government with an executed agreement authorized by the governing body of a municipality, municipal authority, or county.Programs and projects must serve the general public and be open and accessible to the public.Eligible use of fundsAdministration costs (Maximum of 15% of grant award.)MarketingFacility expense related to the projectEquipment and supplies Contracted services (Eg. Design)ConstructionOutcomes measurementMatching RequirementA 1:1 cash matchThe following are generally considered cash-match contributions:Cash contributed by your organization Equipment or supplies to be purchased by your organization for project, program, or event activitiesPaying for an event brochure and/or its disseminationGrants from other government agencies or foundations (not gaming funds)

Ineligibility

Ineligible OrganizationsA state or federal parkAn airport or transportation facilityA public safety organization/facility or volunteer fire departmentAn institution that predominantly provides primary or secondary education/trainingAny organization that was part of the settlement agreement with ECGRA, entered into 12/13/10Ineligible Uses of Grant FundsPersonnelAdvocacyConference attendanceConstructionDebt serviceGolf/sports tournamentsWalksMemberships/subscriptionsResearchTravelAwardsMealsFlowersFood/drinkExecutive/Board InsurancePersonal cell phoneGifts