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Program Description
The Creative Intersections program is designed to foster cross-sector partnerships between public, private nonprofit, and commercial sectors for enhancing arts and culture in community. The program is intended to support communities currently under-served by MRAC—specifically, communities in the greater metropolitan area, communities of color, and new immigrant communities.
The Creative Intersections grant program provides up to $8,000 for projects that will build bridges among community sectors and that have the benefit of building momentum toward strengthening the community as a whole through a quality arts development project. The program is intended to support the work of a local arts agency, community arts council, or other agency with a similar purpose, such as a community education or parks and recreation program.
There will be five awards made in FY2008 to five communities with well-formulated projects. This funding stream is not an alternative pathway to funding the "usual and customary" programs of your group. Please review the Creative Intersections grant guidelines and FAQ page for the specific eligibility requirements and to help you consider whether your project idea clearly meets the program intent and grant review criteria.
Program Requirements
Requirements listed here are intended to give a sense of the program.
For full description of requirements and eligibility rules, see
guidelines.
Cross-Sector Partnership
All applicant organizations must demonstrate that there are partners from within
the three economic sectors of their community: (a) public, (b) private nonprofit, and
(c) business or commercial (see guidelines page 4).
Budget
This grant can fund up to one-half of your total project costs.
MRAC funds must be matched dollar for dollar. At least 50% of
the match must be in cash. The remaining match may include cash
and/or in-kind goods and services (for a definition of in-kind,
see guidelines, page 10).
Your request may include costs for personnel, postage, supplies,
equipment, printing, travel, and other activities necessary to
carry out your project.
Oversight
Your group must have a board of directors or an advisory committee
that provides input on your project.
Nonprofit Status
Your group must be incorporated as a nonprofit in the State of Minnesota. If you are incorporated but do not have IRS tax-exempt status, you must apply using a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization as a fiscal agent (see guidelines for definition, page 9).
You must be able to furnish proof of your organization's IRS tax-exempt status -or- furnish a letter of agreement with your fiscal agent and proof of your fiscal agent's IRS tax-exempt status.
Eligibility
To ensure eligibility, all applicants are strongly encouraged
to discuss proposal ideas with MRAC staff before beginning an
MRAC application. All eligibility requirements are fully outlined
in the guidelines. For general eligibility, see the Eligibility
page.
Who does the Creative Intersections grant fund?
- Incorporated nonprofit arts groups located in the seven-county
metropolitan area with annualized operating expenses less than
$300,000 and at least a one-year history of programs/services.
About nonprofit and tax-exempt status: Groups must be incorporated as a nonprofit in the State of Minnesota
to be eligible for this program. If you are incorporated as
a nonprofit but do not have IRS tax-exempt status, you must
apply using a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization as a fiscal
agent (see definition, page 9. For-profit organizations may
not apply for an MRAC grant using a nonprofit fiscal agent.
- Nonprofit non-arts organizations with annualized arts programming
expenses less than $300,000 may be eligible if:
For a description of what the Creative Intersections grant does not fund,
see the guidelines and the Eligibility
page.
Deadlines
Creative Intersections grants have two deadlines per MRAC fiscal year, July
1 - June 30. See "Important Dates" at the top of this page.
Help
For answers to frequently asked questions review the Creative Intersections FAQ answer page.
Currently, there is no workshop for this grant. Organizations interested in applying should contact Gwen Cannon at 651-523-6389 or by email at gwen@mrac.org for technical support in the application process.
Application Materials
Click the links above to download the grant guidelines and form(s) in PDF format.
You must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader or the commercial Adobe Acrobat
installed on your computer to view these files. Click
here to download Acrobat Reader. If you have trouble downloading or reading
these forms, call the MRAC office at 651-645-0402 and ask them to send you the
application materials by U.S. mail.
Read the instructions carefully before filling out the grant application.
You may fill out the grant application electronically by filling in the
fields and printing.
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