The Special Events Partnership Grant (SEPG) Program is a grant award that supports Arts and Cultural Events (“Events”) held in the County and is available only to nonprofit organizations.
Donor Name: Hillsborough County
State: Florida
County: Hillsborough County (FL)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/26/2024
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The grant is designed to strengthen and promote cultural assets through growing and supporting arts and cultural events that encourage place-making and community-building outcomes aligned with Hillsborough County’s economic and community prosperity goals. These events should communicate the authentic County story, activate public spaces, enrich the lives of residents, and leverage private sector financial support while aligning to economic development objectives of achieving greater patron spending and maximizing visitation to the market.
A cultural asset, for the purposes of this program, is defined as a contributing element of the County’s uniqueness, personality, and character, which falls under one or more of the following categories:
- Fine arts
- Historic
- Natural and or recreational
- Lifestyle, culinary, and or creative industries.
Eligible Events
Examples of Eligible Events:
- Art Festivals
- Local Food Festivals
- River Celebration Events
- Film Festivals
- Celebration of Local Authors
- Music Festivals
- Local Community Historic Events.
Funding Information
The maximum grant award amount per event available for applicants is $100,000.
There are four (4) funding categories based on the applicant’s Estimated Cash Expenses per the Event budget and ratio for required matching funds:
- CATEGORY 1 (MICRO EVENT):
- Total Event Estimated Cash Expenses are less than $50,000
- Required match of 1:1 (Applicant: County)
- CATEGORY 2:
- Total event Estimated Cash Expenses between $50,001 to $100,000
- Required match of 2:1 (Applicant: County)
- CATEGORY 3:
- Total event Estimated Cash Expenses is between $100,001 to $500,000
- Required match of 3:1 (Applicant: County)
- CATEGORY 4:
- Total event Estimated Cash Expenses is above $500,001
- Required match of 4:1 (Applicant: County)
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for SEPG Program funding, the applicant must be a nonprofit organization classified by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt, charitable organization under one of the following sections of the United States Internal Revenue Code: 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6). To be an eligible project, the Event must:
- Be a one-day event, a multi-day event occurring on consecutive days, or a related series of events over an extended period.
- Be inclusive (no barriers on who may purchase tickets or attend);
- Take place in Hillsborough County.
- Be held in a publicly visible and accessible location.
- Not already receive County funding through certain County programs offered by the Arts Council of Hillsborough County or through other direct County funding arrangements;
- Be ticketed or non-ticketed.
- Charitable fundraising events are not eligible for this grant.
Ineligible Events
Examples of ineligible events:
- Charitable Fundraisers
- Trade shows, conventions, conferences, workshops, classes, etc.
- Annual lunches, galas, conferences, holiday parties, etc.
- Class or family reunions
- Sporting Events
- Beauty pageants
- Events organized around political or religious purposes
- Festivals or events based solely on alcohol, drugs, sexually oriented content, etc.
For more information, visit Hillsborough County.
