Organizational Grants

NOTE: This year we return to an LOI stage for all Organizational Grants. The LOI must be submitted at least one week prior to the grant deadline. New to the process? Online applications are divided into two sections. The LOI asks questions to determine whether the organization and project are eligible to proceed. Eligible applicants continue to the application itself.

Arts & Cultural Heritage (now called Legacy Grants)

The Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund supports 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.

• No match required this year (although 20% matching fund requirement may return next year).
• Legacy Grant Categories:
  • $10,000 Legacy Grants for Arts Organizations
    • Due to the larger awards available, this is a highly competitive category.
  • $5,000 Legacy Grants for Equity Organizations
  • $5,000 Legacy Grants for Non-Arts Organizations, including
    • Nonprofit organizations whose mission is not the arts
    • Public or non-religious private schools, colleges or universities
    • Local government entities
• Two deadlines per fiscal year – October 1 and March 1.

Programming Grants for Arts Organizations

Formerly called Presenter/Production Assistance, these grants are offered twice a year to support activities directly involved in the creation, performance, publication, and exhibition of the arts in Southeastern Minnesota.

• No match required this year (although 20% matching fund requirement may return next year).
• $5,000 Programming Grants may be awarded after earlier grant activities are complete
• Recipients of Programming Grants are eligible to reapply annually.
• Two deadlines per fiscal year – October 1 and March 1.

Small Towns/Rural Areas Grants

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

• No match required this year (although 20% matching fund requirement may return next year). When in force, in-kind donations may constitute up to the full 20% match.
• $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grants may be submitted by arts organizations, local government entities, non-religious nonprofit organizations, and public or non-religious private K-12 schools, either individually or in cooperation.
• Recipients of Small Towns/Rural Areas Grants are eligible to reapply annually.
• Two deadlines per fiscal year – October 1 and March 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 fiscal year maximum of $300 per person.
• 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. Note that expenses related to building and/or facility improvements are NOT eligible in the Opportunity Grant category.

• Requests up to $500 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.