MNSAB Operating Support Grant Program

The MNSAB Operating Support Grant Program offers vital funding to established arts organizations in Minnesota, enabling them to maintain operations and fulfill their missions. Grants, starting at $15,000, support organizations that produce, present, or exhibit art, as well as those providing services to artists and community arts education. The program emphasizes the importance of stability and ongoing programs, ensuring that organizations can thrive without needing to justify funding through new initiatives.

NOTE: First time applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Program Overview and Application Instructions and then call the program officer prior to beginning an application.
Operating Support provides general operating support to high quality, established arts organizations that produce, present, or exhibit works of art; to organizations that provide a broad range of services to artists; and to community arts schools and conservatories that make arts learning available to Minnesotans of all ages and abilities.
The Operating Support program recognizes that organizations with an established record of programmatic service and administrative stability should have access to funds to support their organizational goals and objectives, and to maintain their ongoing programs, services, and facilities without special emphasis on new initiatives as justification for funding.
Varies; minimum award amount is $15,000
Operating Support grants include two components: formula award and merit award. The formula award will vary, depending on the overall number of grantees and the total dollars available for this program, and will be based on the applicant's qualifying expenses, averaged over fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019. The merit award will vary based on the number of grantees in the applicant's assigned budget group that are recommended for merit awards, the merit dollars available for this program, and the merit score assigned by the advisory review panel.