- Connect Minnesotans with arts and cultural experiences;
- Integrate artistic engagement to accomplish a community’s non-arts goals;
- Provide Minnesotans with opportunities for arts learning;
- Pass along expressive cultural traditions from Minnesota communities.
Creative Connections: The Basics
Have an idea for an arts project or program that fits the description above? First review a few basics with these frequently asked questions.
What if I have received a Creative Connections grant in the past? (New for 2027!)
If you received a Creative Connections grant in 2025 or 2026, your Final Report for that grant must be submitted and approved by MRAC staff before Friday, November 20, 2026, to be eligible for a 2027 award.
What is the required grantee orientation? (New for 2027!)
Starting with our 2027 grant cycle, all grantees are required to attend a virtual 30-minute presentation about their grant program. This will include important information about the Grant Agreement, the Legacy Amendment, and using Submittable to manage your grant.
If you receive a grant, you will be required to sign up for one session.
When can my proposal happen?
The eligible funding period for Creative Connections 2027 is April 5, 2027–June 30, 2028. All grant-funded activities must take place between these dates.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants must have a primary residential address in one of the seven metro counties (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington) and also be a United States citizen or have attained permanent resident status in the United States.
Eligible applicants must reside in the seven-county metro region for at least six (6) months prior to the application deadline and continue to do so for the entirety of their proposed grant period.
Who should benefit from this proposal?
The primary beneficiaries of proposed activities must be community members in Minnesota. At least three (3) Minnesotans other than the applicant must participate in the proposal (for example, if you are designing an art-making activity for children, at least three kids must be involved).
Important Dates for 2027
| Application Window Opens | Application Assistance Ends | Application Deadline |
| October 26, 2026 | November 20, 2026, 5 pm | November 20, 2026, 11:59 pm |
Grant Program Overview and Application Instructions
We update our overviews every year, keep an eye out for this logo for rules or changes that are new for 2027!
To submit an application, you’ll need to be very familiar with the requirements for Creative Connections. Read through the Grant Program and Overview and Application Instructions. View and download the version that works best for you, PDF or Word!
Great for viewing on your phone or computer, or for printing a hard copy. This PDF opens in a new window.
Created for screen readers and other assistive technologies. Also a good choice if you like a standard, clickable table of contents. New rules or changes are flagged with text. This Word file downloads directly to your computer.
Apply on Submittable
You must have a Submittable account to apply.
Start Your Creative Connections App
Application Assistance
We provide the following resources to help you complete your application.
Pre-recorded Informational Webinar
Hosted by grant program staff, this webinar reviews the information in our Grant Program Overview and Application Instructions, available above. Staff go through each section step by step, including what happens after you submit your application. Helpful to use if you take in information better by listening or by seeing it laid out on slides!
Public Q&A Sessions
Still have questions after reading the Grant Program Overview or watching the Webinar? Sign up for one of our Q&As, hosted by program staff. They will answer questions related to eligibility, using Submittable, and more!
Sign up links not working for you? Send an email to creativeconnections@mrac.org to get added to the list.
| Date | Time | Location | RSVP Link |
| Wed, Nov 4, 2026 | 6–7 pm | Virtual, on Zoom | Now Passed |
| Mon, Nov 16, 2026 | 12 noon–1 pm | Virtual, on Zoom | RSVP for Nov 16 |
| Thu, Nov 19, 2026 | 6–7 pm | Virtual, on Zoom | RSVP for Nov 19 |
One-on-One Assistance
If you would like to meet with a program staff member with specific questions related to your eligibility or the eligibility of your proposal, please fill out this meeting request form. A staff member will be in touch shortly!
Please note that application assistance ends at 5 pm on November 20, 2026.
Application Assistance Request Form
Instructions: Filling Out Your Budget Plan Spreadsheets
A walk-through of Part 3: You Budget Plan in your 2027 Creative Connections application. (This PDF opens in a new window)
Download the Budget Plan Instructions
Additional Planning and Rough Draft Resources
You can download and use the following resources to help you prepare and plan your application.
Application Scoring Guide for Reviewers
Reviewers use these criteria when they are scoring Creative Connections applications. (This PDF opens in a new window)
Application Questions and Explanations
This document presents all the parts, sections, and questions in MRAC’s 2027 Creative Connections grant, and describes the reasons behind many of the questions. The instructions and explanations are also on Submittable. This is not the Creative Connections application. You cannot upload this document to Submittable and MRAC staff will not accept it via email. (This PDF opens in a new window)
Download the Application Questions and Explanations guide
Proposal Drafting Document
Use this document to work on rough drafts of your answers to the 2027 Creative Connections Proposal Description questions. You will have to copy and paste your answers into the application in Submittable. You cannot upload this document to Submittable and staff will not accept it via email. It is for your own personal use only. (This Word document downloads directly to your computer)
Download the Proposal Drafting Document
Budget Plan Drafting Sheet
Use this document to work on your estimated budget for your 2027 Creative Connections proposal. You will have to input your answers into the Budget Plan Spreadsheet in Submittable. You cannot upload this document to Submittable and staff will not accept it via email. It is for your own personal use only. (This Excel file downloads directly to your computer)
New for 2027: There are multiple tabs in this Excel sheet, allowing you to create rough drafts of the Budget Plan Spreadsheet, the Additional Expenses Description Spreadsheet, and the Additional Funding Sources Spreadsheet.