McKnight Foundation: Arts & Culture Grant Program

The McKnight Foundation's Arts & Culture Grant Program supports initiatives that empower artists and culture bearers in Minnesota. With a focus on enhancing the visibility of underrepresented groups and fostering community engagement, the program provides both unrestricted and restricted grants. Organizations can apply for funding to develop innovative projects that align with the foundation's commitment to justice and creativity. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis, with a three-month review period.

NOTE: McKnight has a one-step application process and accepts proposals on a rolling basis. We strive for a three-month turnaround time from your application to a decision and, if your grant is approved, receipt of payment. We will make a decision within three months of receiving your application. Given year-end priorities, grants submitted and reviewed in the fourth quarter may take additional time. We recommend submitting your request by September 1 if funding in the current calendar year is critical.
If, after reading our approach and funding FAQs, here , you feel your organization fits within our funding strategy, please contact the Arts & Culture team before submitting an application.
Arts & Culture:

Eligibility

Eligibility and Types of Support
We provide general operating (unrestricted) and specific program/project (restricted) grants to organizations, groups, and Tribal Nations primarily in Minnesota. We consider capital grants only in exceptional circumstances. With very few exceptions, applicants must be classified by the Internal Revenue Service as tax-exempt, nonprofit organizations to be eligible for a grant.Government entities may apply for funding for innovative projects. We generally will not fund, however, activities that are traditionally the sole responsibility of government.

Ineligibility

What we don't fund
Foundations can be most effective by concentrating their resources in a few areas. This means we cannot support worthy projects outside our program interests. For example,
We do not generally make grants for organizations, groups, or projects that:Do not pay artists and culture bearers
Primarily present rather than produce/create art
Offer singular productions, events, exhibitions, conferences, or festivals
Primarily serve youth, or are primarily arts education or social service based
Are seeking to create or grow endowments
Engage in lobbying prohibited by the Internal Revenue CodeAs required by the Internal Revenue Code, however, the Foundation will not fund attempts to influence specific pending or proposed legislation, including referenda, local ordinances, and resolutions.