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Creating a Budget

Scroll down for Guidelines & Restrictions for Itemizing the Budget

If you haven’t created a project budget before, below are the expense categories you can use for your Spending Plan. Choose only the categories that make sense for this specific grant activity.

Artist Fees, Honoraria & Stipends

  • List payments to artists INCLUDING YOURSELF by name or job title. Give the method of calculation (number of hours, rate per hour, etc.).

Cost of Evaluation

  • Grants will be REQUIRED to evaluate the grant activity in their Final Reports. Therefore, you will incur some costs. Example; Survey Supplies (such as copies, pencils, incentives) and/or reimbursement for time spent tabulating results.
  • Up to 5% of the grant may be used for this purpose.
    • $150 for Emerging Artists
    • $250 for Advancing Artists and Oganizational Grants up to $5,000
    • $500 for Legacy Grants for Arts Organizations

Equipment & Non-Expendable Materials

  • List necessary equipment or other non-expendable materials to be purchased. Unless already addressed in the Proposal Narrative section, explain how the item(s) will be used once the project is complete.
  • Facility improvements not directly related to this specific grant activity are PROHIBITED.

Expendable Supplies & Materials

  • List and label amounts for purchase of supplies and materials, but DO NOT include supplies already on hand.

In-State Travel

  • Include in-state travel, transportation and incidental expenses. If Out of State Travel or activities that take place outside the State of Minnesota are necessary to your proposal, contact director(at)semac.org for instructions.

Publicity

  • Include cost of ads, printing costs, postage, etc., that WILL NOT BE provided by your host venue. Be specific, every item should be listed and itemized.

Rental of Space or Equipment

  • Include rental rates and number of hours or days that you expect to rent.

Other Expenses

  • Any other expenses necessary for this specific grant activity that were not previously identified.

Guidelines & Restrictions for Itemizing the Budget

Guidelines
  • Always round budget items to the nearest $5. We get that $1.98 rounds to $5 and realize that final expenses will not precisely match your estimates.
  • Always double check your math. Math errors are the single most frequent cause for disqualification.
  • Place each item on a separate line. DO NOT group items together. Simply stating “$200 for publicity” is not itemizing.
  • List dollar figures first, then add labels or explanations.
Restrictions
  • Budgets MUST be presented using one or more of the standardized categories.
  • Budgets MUST include an itemized list of expenses, with the following exceptions:
    • Budgets MAY NOT include any Disallowed Expenses.
    • Expenses incurred (or paid for) prior to the Start Date MAY NOT be listed.
    • Out of State Travel or activities that take place outside the State of Minnesota MAY NOT be included.
    • Items covered by MSAB grants MAY NOT be listed.