Grant Categories

Arts & Cultural Heritage

The Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund will support 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.
  • Organizations having already received an Arts & Cultural Heritage Grant should contact the SEMAC office prior to submitting a subsequent application.
  • Applications are accepted on July 1, October 1, February 1, and April 1 annually.

Artists in Education

The Artists in Education grant is intended to support artist residencies in schools.  A residency is an interactive arts activity involving students, teachers, and artists.  Residencies should serve as a resource for teachers working to integrate the arts into the curriculum.  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 project and at least one full day or up to five full school days in length, and culminate in a capstone event that is accessible and open to the public.

  • Artists in Education applications of no less than $200 and no more than $3,000 will be considered for funding.
  • Artists in Education is an in-kind only matching grant; meaning no cash match is required.  However,
    in-kind donations or support must be worth at least 50 percent of the amount requested.
  • Recipients of Artists in Education grants are eligible to reapply annually.
  • The postmark deadline for applications is July 1.

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 deadline for receipt of applications is thirty days prior to the training start date.

General Operating Support
Proposals for organizational development will be accepted from eligible arts organizations that have been programming for a minimum of three years.  (Colleges and universities are ineligible.)  The McKnight Foundation has long been generous in its support, but no longer participates in this program. 

  • General Operating Support applications of no less than $200 and no more than $4,000 will be considered for funding.
  • Eligible non-profits arts organizations with operating expenses of less than $149,000 in the previous year are invited to apply.
  • Matching funds are not required, as the purpose of these grants is to strengthen and stabilize these organizations. 
  • Applications must be postmarked by February 1.

McKnight Individual Artist Grants

SEMAC will provide Individual Artist Grants to encourage the development of entirely original work by both Emerging Artists and Established Artists from the region.  Such works could include original literary or dramatic scripts, musical compositions, choreographies, visual arts creations, and interdisciplinary works. 
The original work must be earmarked for a public showcasing, via publication, performance, or exhibition, in conjunction with a non-profit arts organization.

  • Individual Artist Grants of no less than $200 and no more than $2,500 will be considered for funding in the Emerging Artist category, and no more than $5,000 in the Established Artist category.
  • No matching funds are required for Individual Artist Grants.
  • Recipients of Individual Artist Grants are not eligible to apply for funds over the next two consecutive deadlines, i.e., application may only be made as often as every three years.
  • The postmark deadline for Individual Artist applications is February 1.

Opportunity

Opportunity grants provide assistance to artists, non-profit organizations, and schools or educational institutions for “sudden” projects.  These grants are intended to enable artists, organizations, and schools to take advantage of opportunities that arise with little advance notice.

  • Opportunity Grants of up to $250 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 thirty days prior to the intended start date.

Presenter/Production Assistance

Presenter Assistance grants are intended to help local arts organizations in Southeastern Minnesota sponsor appearances by touring artists or companies which have demonstrated a high level of artistic quality.  These grants are not intended for local productions or artists’ school residencies.  Production Assistance grants support activities directly involved in the creation, performance, publication, and exhibition of art.  The two distinct subcategories within Production Assistance grants are: 1) Arts Production Projects, and
2) Administrative Support Projects.

  • Presenter/Production Assistance grants of no less than $200 and no more than $3,000 will be considered for funding.
  • Both types are matching grants. The applicant must provide a one-to-one cash match for the proposed project.  The support provided by the applicant (the match) may include in-kind donations, but also must also include cash income equal to at least 50 percent of the amount requested from SEMAC.
  • Recipients of Presenter/Production Assistance grants are eligible to reapply annually.
  • The postmark deadlines for Presenter/Production Assistance applications are April 1 and October 1.

Program/Administrative Consultancies

The Program/Administrative Consultancies program offers professional consultants for board retreats, fundraising, working with volunteers, or budgeting.  Non-profit arts organizations that have been in existence for at least three years and program year-round may apply, unless they have received General Operating Support from the MSAB or the McKnight Foundation.  These grants are not competitive, but rather handled by staff and a Board committee.

  • Funds for Consultancy grants are not always available; check with SEMAC.
  • Consultancy grant proposals of no less than $200 and no more than $3,000 will be considered for funding.
  • These are in-kind only matching grants; meaning no cash match is required.  However,
    in-kind donations or support must be worth at least 50 percent of the total.
  • Recipients of Consultancy grants are eligible to reapply annually.
  • The deadline for receipt of Consultancy applications is thirty days prior to the intended start date.

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 or assistance in administrative, operating, or capital expenditures.

  • Small Towns/Rural Areas grants of no less than $200 and no more than $3,000 will be considered for funding.
  • Small Towns/Rural Areas grants are matching grants.  The applicant must provide a one-to-one cash match for the proposed project.  The support provided by the applicant (the match) may include in-kind donations, but also must also include cash income equal to at least 50 percent of the amount requested from SEMAC.
  • Recipients of Small Towns/Rural Areas grants are eligible to reapply annually.
  • The postmark deadlines for Presenter/Production Assistance applications are April 1 and October 1.

For a complete guide to grant eligibility and the application process, please download Guidelines.