An applicant is eligible to apply if they meet the following criteria:

• Is an arts-based nonprofit organization with a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service or is a unit of municipal, county or tribal government, legally established in the state of Maine. Non-501(c)(3) applicants cannot apply under a fiscal sponsor or agent.
• Has a primary mission focused on the arts.
• Has evidence of operational planning (e.g. a current strategic plan, business plan, operational timeline, logic model).
• Has completed at least one fiscal year of programming within Maine.
• Has a valid UEI number (www.sam.gov/content/duns-uei). You cannot receive a grant without a valid UEI.
• Has an organization budget over $25,000.
• If applicable, has completed all Final Reports required by the Maine Arts Commission for previous awards.

Eligible Expenses

This grant can be used to support the operations of 501(c)(3) arts organizations such as:

• Facilities costs (e.g. rent, utilities, accessibility needs, mortgage).
• Salaries and wages for personnel.
• Fees for artists and contractual personnel.
• Marketing and promotion costs.
• General overhead/administrative costs.
• Costs for ensuring your programs are accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities

Ineligible Expenses:

This grant cannot be used for the following expenses:

• Debt or loan repayment.
• Equipment purchases over $5,000.
• Construction costs.
• Lobbying or fundraising expenses.
• Donations and contributions.
• Regranting.
• Remote office expenses.
• Events closed to the public.
• Activities and expenses outside the grant period.
• Cost of goods for resale.
• Alcoholic beverages.
• Entertainment costs (such as receptions, parties, galas, dinners, community gatherings, etc.).
• Purchase of artwork.
• Projects that support or oppose a particular political party or candidate for public office.
• Projects that are exclusive to members of a particular religious faith group.

Grant applications are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:

All applications and materials must be submitted using the online Application Portal. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to carefully review these details and call us with questions prior to beginning an application. It’s important to give yourself plenty of time to write a strong application, so be sure to start the process early!

• Create a Maine Arts Commission account. Create Now! Once you start an application, you can make changes anytime before you submit. Get your application going by using the application worksheet!
• Answer the application questions (Questions below in next section)

• All questions are to be completed in the application portal.
  (This application worksheet can be used to help complete application questions)

• Upload organization documentation (required)

1. Copy of IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.
2. Most recently completed federal tax return (990, or 990-EZ if applicable).
3. List of staff and board members, including staff roles and board member affiliations.
4. Operational Plan (current strategic plan, business plan, operational timeline, work plan). We highly recommend submitting a plan that roots your work in your community by including their meaningful involvement. The plan should clearly reflect their participation and result in programs that have direct community impact.
5. Profit and Loss Statement for Last Completed Fiscal Year. A 1:1 cost share/match is required. If your annual budget is over $25,000 and can show $7500 in cash, donations, or in-kind contributions you are eligible to apply. This grant is to support operation costs and can be used in any way the organization decides.

• Upload 4 supporting materials (optional)

1. Additional information that supports the application (artistic samples, images of event, letters of support and/or testimonials).
2. Only 4 total optional support materials will be reviewed. Please do not upload more than 4.

* In order to ensure equitable consideration across all grant applicants we will NOT accept promotional/marketing videos for review.

** For ANY link submitted for review: 1 Link = 1 Support Material. For example, 1 link should go directly to 1 image, 1 video, 1 text sample.

Applications missing any of the required materials or containing more than 4 optional support materials cannot be accepted.

The Maine Arts Commission may use submitted materials solely for the non-commercial promotion of the artist and/or Maine Arts Commission programs.

Mission Alignment: (The goal of this section is to describe how your arts programming and/or services align with your mission)

• Give a brief background of your organization. (500 characters)
• What is your mission statement?  (500 characters)
• How does your programming support your mission? (2000 characters)
• Do the arts comprise at least 50% of your programming? (Yes/No)

Public Access, Engagement and Benefit: 

• Who are the intended participants in your programs? (500 characters)
• How do you include the community in the planning of your programs? (This could include discussions of Partners, collaborators, artist(s), and/or culture bearers)   (1500 characters)
• What are ways you have or plan to remove barriers for underserved populations so that they have access to your physical location and programming.   (1500 characters)

Organizational Health: (This section is intended to give clarity to your provided 990, P&L statement, Board/Staff list and Planning documents)

• In what ways will these funds help your organization to fulfill goals laid out in your strategic plan?   (1500 characters)
• How do you evaluate the success of your programs and services?   (1000 characters)
• What was your last completed fiscal Year? 
• Total Income for last completed fiscal year?  
• Total Expenses for last completed fiscal year?

Submitted applications are first reviewed by staff for completion, eligibility, and adherence to these funding guidelines. Grant applications will be sorted, reviewed, and scored by separate panels based each applicants budget size. Applications are then reviewed by a diverse panel of arts and culture professionals; Panelists review each application and submit scores based on the review criteria (see below). These scores help us determine how we will allocate the funding. 

Review Criteria

Grant applications are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:

If your application is funded, you enter into a letter of agreement with the Maine Arts Commission, and you must comply with all requirements stated in that agreement. Since your award money may take an extended amount of time from when you are first notified, they can be used to reimburse eligible operation costs incurred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

All applicants are notified via email whether their application is approved or declined. If you receive an award, you will also receive future emails with next steps.