Grant Categories

With limited funding available each fiscal year, every SEMAC grant category is competitive and includes an LOI stage used as an initial screening for eligibility.

Opportunities for Individual Artists

SEMAC awards competitive Individual Artist Grants to encourage the development of entirely original work by artists who are full-time residents of the SEMAC Region.  Original creations in each of the five artistic disciplines - Dance, Literary Arts, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts, as well as interdisciplinary work- will be considered. The original work must culminate in a public showcasing or Capstone Event, via publication, performance, or exhibition, at an accessible venue provided by a non-profit organization.

• All applicants must be age 18 or older on the grant deadline. Current high school students are not eligible. 
• Emerging Artists may request up to $2,500.  Advancing Artists may request a maximum of $5,000
• No matching funds are required for Individual Artist Grants.
• Two deadlines are offered per fiscal year – July 1 and February 1.

GRANTS SPECIFICALLY FOR ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.

Arts & Cultural Heritage

Due to the larger awards available, this is a highly competitive category.  The Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund will support arts programming activities in three key areas:  1) Arts and Arts Access,  2) Arts Education,  3) Arts and Cultural Heritage.  SEMAC encourages applicants to research and develop projects that incorporate two or more of the key areas with an emphasis on creating lasting partnerships among regional nonprofit arts organizations and other nonprofit groups.

• Arts $ Cultural Heritage Grants are for a minimum of $3,000 and a maximum of $10,000. 
• Arts $ Cultural Heritage Grants require a 20% match.
• Recipients are eligible to request up to the $10,000 maximum annually.
• Two deadlines per fiscal year – October 1 and April 1.

General Operating Support

These grants are designed to strengthen and stabilize small and medium arts organizations.  Colleges and universities are not eligible to apply.

• General Operating Support proposals that support administrative expenses will be considered for funding.
• Matching Funds are not required for General Operating Support.
• Recipients of General Operating Support are invited to reapply every biennium as long as they remain eligible.
• Although there is no set deadline, the application window opens July 1 and remains active until allocated funds are exhausted.

Presenter/Production Assistance

Programming grants are offered twice a year to support activities directly involved in the creation, performance, publication, and exhibition of the arts in Southeastern Minnesota with three distinct funding categories.

• Presenter/Production Assistance proposals from $500 to $3,000 will be considered for funding.
• Presenter/Production Assistance grants require a 20% match.
• Recipients of Presenter/Production Assistance grants are eligible to reapply annually.
• Two deadlines per fiscal year – October 1 and April 1.

School Residencies

The School Residency grant is intended to support artist residencies in schools.  A residency is an interactive arts activity involving K-12 students, teachers, and artists.  Residencies provide young people with a direct arts experience with artists, as well as encourage the artist’s professional development by providing a unique employment experience and audience contact.  Residencies must be based upon a well-defined educational experience that is at least one full day or up to five school days in length, and culminate in a capstone event showcasing the students that is accessible and open to the public.

• School Residency proposals from $500 to $3,000 will be considered for funding.
• No matching funds are required for School Residency grants.
• Recipients of School Residency grants are eligible to reapply annually.
• The deadline for receipt of application is sixty days prior to the planned artist residency.

Small Towns/Rural Areas

SEMAC wishes to support and encourage the creation and development of art and arts organizations in communities with populations under 7,500.  This support may be used for assistance in activities, which directly involve the creation, performance, publication, or exhibition of art.

• Small Towns/Rural Areas proposals from $500 to $3,000 will be considered for funding.
• Small Towns/Rural Areas grants require a 20% match.  In-kind donations may constitute up to the full 20% match.
• Recipients of Small Towns/Rural Areas grants are eligible to reapply annually.
• Two deadlines per fiscal year – October 1 and April 1.

Small, limited-availability grants exclusively for arts organizations:

Arts Management Training

SEMAC offers Arts Management Training Grants to help regional nonprofit arts groups send key staff, board and volunteers to management education workshops, seminars or conferences.  Examples of management training topics include fundraising, audience development, financial management, organizational development, marketing, and volunteer management.

• Arts Management Training Grants are for a maximum of $300 per event, per person, and for a fiscal year maximum of $600 per organization.
• Funds for Arts Management Training are not always available; check with SEMAC.
• No match is required for Arts Management Training.
• The submission deadline is thirty days prior to the training start date.

Opportunity Grants

Opportunity grants provide nominal assistance to nonprofit arts organizations and schools or educational institutions for “sudden” projects intended to enable them to take advantage of opportunities that arise with little advance notice.

• Proposals up to $300 will be considered for funding.
• Opportunity Grants do not require matching funds.
• Recipients of Opportunity Grants are eligible to apply twice in a given fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) if funds are available.
• The deadline for receipt of Opportunity Grants applications is fifteen days prior to the intended start date.