Capacity Building in Maine’s Cultural Communities

Apply for this grant

The first goal of the Maine Arts Commission’s Long Range Strategic Plan is to “ Develop Maine communities through arts and Culture.” The power of the arts to build quality of life and economic development for Maine communities inspired the legislature to invest in the New Century Community Program. It further inspired Maine communities and the Governor to embrace creative economy initiatives.

The community arts program at the Maine Arts Commission focuses its attention on building the capacity of community cultural organizations.

In so doing, the agency strengthens communities economically, culturally and socially. This program is aimed at umbrella cultural organizations that serve the community at large, providing broad access to the arts. It is not intended to serve individual arts organizations such as galleries, individual theatres or performing arts organizations.

Evaluation and planning confirm the critical need to develop capacity of cultural organizations that encourage artists and produce and present the arts in Maine communities. While the earlier Discovery Research program created new local arts agencies that should be sustained, most community cultural leaders describe the need for funding, information and training, networking and links with economic development sectors.

This new Community Arts Development program focuses on sustainable capacity building for the community organizations that provide access to the arts and build public awareness and support. It builds on the success of the Discovery Research program, continues the tradition of community arts development, and helps sustain the momentum of creative economic development.

The following guidelines are designed to further the Maine Arts Commission’s goal to “develop and build Maine communities through arts and culture.” This is a capacity building program for Maine local arts agencies, creative economy organizations and other community organizations that strengthen cultural organizations, artists, and the infrastructure that supports arts programming and services. The program seeks to strengthen local arts and cultural organizations through convenings, cultural planning, workshops, technical assistance and other developmental efforts. The costs of presenting or producing arts programming will not be funded under this program.

Successful community arts development projects will:

Strengthen local arts agencies and related organizations’ capacity to broaden access to artistic excellence throughout Maine.
Create sustainable community arts organizations working to develop and build Maine communities economically, culturally and socially through arts and culture.
Enhance quality of place in Maine communities.
Build local public awareness and funding support for Maine’s community arts organizations and their work.

Deadline

The application deadline is December 12, 2008 for projects beginning after July 1, 2009.

Applicants may submit applications for preview by staff at least three weeks prior to the deadline listed above.

Completed applications must be electronically submitted using the Maine Arts Commission's e-GRANT format no later than 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on the on the date listed above. NOTE: e-GRANT applications may require an original signature or artist materials that can not be submitted electronically. These must be postmarked by the deadline as well.

The agency is unable to accept late applications under any circumstance.

Examples

Examples of initiatives that might be funded under the Community Arts Development grants program include, but are not limited to:

Community cultural planning that identifies a community or region’s cultural needs and opportunities and develops a plan of action to respond.
Community cultural assessments.
Strategic planning for a new or new or established local arts organization.
Planning and development of capacity building partnerships with other local and regional businesses or community development agencies.
Start-up of local arts agency (costs to incorporate or seek tax exempt status, advice to develop plans, recruit a board of directors, by-laws, etc.)
Creative economic development planning or implementation of a creative economy plan that encourages creative businesses, helps retain or recruit creative professionals or integrates creative industries into a local or regional economic development plan. Creative economy related proposals must have a strong arts component.
Salary assistance for professional staff to a local arts agency, (must demonstrate how salaries may be sustained beyond the Maine Arts Commission grant period.)
Board development training or assistance (training, on-site consulting, fees to attend a board development conference, etc.)
Marketing and audience development initiatives to encourage local arts participation and/or cultural tourism.
Professional training or consulting to increase the management capacity of staff, board or volunteers.
Regional or statewide convening or conference that strengthens connections among community arts organizations and their service organizations.
Public awareness campaigns or organization of a local or regional advocacy network.
Increased operating support for a local arts organization matched 1:1 by new municipal funding, (must demonstrate how this may be sustained beyond the Maine Arts Commission grant period.)
Other good ideas that will emerge from Maine communities.

Note: The Capacity Building program is not intended to fund discreet projects and must include efforts that foster broad community arts infrastructure activities. Multiple efforts from contiguous communities should be presented in one application. Those wishing to propose specific community arts projects should review the Maine Arts Commission's Artists in Maine Communities, Arts & Humanities, and/or SMART: Schools Make Art Relevant Today grant programs.

Who is Eligible to Apply

A Maine community organization that:

strengthens cultural organizations, artists, and the infrastructure that supports arts programming and services or promotes, presents, produces and/or teaches art(s) as its primary purpose, and
is a nonprofit organization, legally established in the State of Maine, and
has tax exempt status 501(c)(3) from the Internal Revenue Service or is a unit of local, county, state or tribal government, and
is freestanding and not part of a larger institution such as a university, and
has completed and filed all final reports required for previously awarded Maine Arts Commission grants.

Applicants from communities served by local arts agencies or active Discovery Research committees are strongly advised to involve these entities in any Community Arts Development proposal. Preferably the local arts agency will be the lead applicant. If not, please explain how the local arts agency is involved in planning and implementing the capacity building project.

Partnership applications are encouraged, but not required. If the application is from a partnership, one of the nonprofit partners must meet all eligibility requirements above and serve as the lead applicant and be legally responsible for the management of funds. Applicants from communities that support more than one community arts organization should communicate with those organizations and assess the possibilities of partnerships, avoiding overlapping proposals.

An applicant must demonstrate a fiscal structure that allows them to legally and responsibly utilize grant funds. The applicant must provide a minimum of 1:1 cash or in-kind contributions match. A substantial cash match greatly strengthens the application, and demonstrates the applicant’s ability to take on the project and must be documented as part of the application package.

The maximum award for Capacity Building projects is $10,000.

The Maine Arts Commission expects to make eight to ten awards for capacity building projects per year. For clarification on specific eligibility information, contact Keith Ludden, community & traditional arts associate, 207/287-2713, keith.ludden@maine.gov or TTY/NexTalk 877/887-3878 User ID: keith.ludden.

Review Process

The Maine Arts Commission will appoint a committee including Maine Arts Commission members and several public members who have expertise in community arts development. The committee will review only applications that have been forwarded by staff as complete.
Recommendations will be presented to the Maine Arts Commission, which approves the selection process at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Applicants will be notified of grant determination after March 14, 2008.

Review Criteria

Capacity Building grant proposals are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:

Potential of the project to increase the capacity of local arts organizations.
The potential of the project to provide valuable outcomes to the applicant organization
The potential of the project to provide valuable outcomes to the community.
Sustainability of enhanced local organizational capacity beyond the grant period.
Quality of planning that includes key community stakeholders.
The likelihood that the proposal will result in increased access to artistic excellence in the community.
Planning for implementation and evaluation.
Relevance of proposal to the community's cultural, social, and economic needs.
Potential of the proposal to raise local public awareness and funding support for local arts organizations.
Financial stability of the applicant.

Although not listed here as a criterion for individual applications, the grant review committee also considers the question of geographic balance in evaluating the total pool of funded applications.

How to Apply

Guidelines are available in large print format by request. All Maine Arts Commission programs are accessible. All programs funded by the Maine Arts Commission must also be accessible.

Accessible Print Symbol Telephone Typewriter Symbol Sign Language Interpretation Symbol

Before developing the final application, discuss the idea or project contact Keith Ludden, community & traditional arts associate at 207/287-2713, keith.ludden@maine.gov or TTY/NexTalk 877/887-3878 User ID: keith.ludden. This is required.

The community arts & traditional arts associate may recommend follow up with Kathy Ann Shaw, senior development associate, 207/287-2750, kathy.shaw@maine.gov or TTY/NexTalk 877/887-3878 User ID: kathy.shaw.

Defining e-GRANT

Applicants are now required to apply through the Maine Arts Commission e-GRANT system. Forms to accompany e-GRANT applications can be downloaded on your computer, filled out and electronically uploaded to the e-GRANT system.

e-GRANT provides the following advantages over the standard application format:

e-GRANT allows applicants who apply for multiple grants to supply contact information only once. Only one copy of the electronic application is required.
e-GRANT guarantees that an application will be received by the deadline. Applicants are notified as soon as the e-GRANT application is downloaded.
e-GRANT will not allow an incomplete application to be submitted, but rather will identify missing materials. Complete applications are guaranteed to be reviewed.
e-GRANT allows an applicant to submit narrative, budget information and resumes, letter of intent, etc. by attaching word processed documents.
e-GRANT applications may require an original signature or artist materials that can not be submitted electronically. These must also be postmarked by the deadline as well.

NOTE: Applicants who have a compelling reason that they are unable to apply through the e-GRANT system must contact Kathy Ann Shaw, senior development associate, 207/287-2750, kathy.shaw@maine.gov or TTY/NexTalk 877/887-3878 User ID: kathy.shaw.

Please review the following guidelines carefully in preparing your application. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in disqualification of the application. Only complete applications will be accepted.

Applicants who have been encouraged to proceed must submit:

Maine Arts Commission Application Form.
Application Budget Form providing evidence of cash or in-kind match or volunteer resources (a cash commitment strengthens the application.)
A copy of the complete operational budget for the applicant’s most recently completed fiscal year demonstrating evidence of the applicant's financial stability.
State of Maine Vendor Form.
Letters of support from all collaborators, including a representative of your governing board.
Resumes of all key personnel.
Digital images representing a sampling of previous program activities.
Application narrative with answers to each of the following questions addressed sequentially and by number. Answers should not exceed in five (5) pages:

What is the project? Please be clear and succinct.
Describe the project activities and provide a timeline for planning and completing the project.
Who will the project serve?
Outline the planning process for the project and how it fits a larger community vision?
What organizational values does the project address for the applicant?
What community cultural, social, and economic needs does your project address and what will happen as a result of this funding?
What are the short-term intended outcomes or results? What are your long-term goals?
How will you monitor and evaluate the progress to achieve your intended outcomes? How will you evaluate success?

Please do not submit applications in elaborate file folders or packaging or use fonts below 12-point print. Make copies of all forms and other application materials for your records prior to submitting them to the Maine Arts Commission. If you have questions about your Capacity Building in Maine‘s Creative Communities application, please contact Keith Ludden, community & traditional arts associate at 207/287-2713, keith.ludden@maine.gov or TTY/NexTalk 877/887-3878 User ID: keith.ludden.