The Vermont Community Foundation is seeking Letters of Interest for projects and events in the visual, performing, music, and literary arts that create opportunities for positive social interaction, engagement, and collaboration.
Donor Name: The Vermont Community Foundation
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/13/2023
Size of the Grant: Up to $10,000
Details:
The grant program is made possible by a VCF Donor Advised Fund holder in alignment with the Health & Wellbeing impact area of Foundation’s Opportunity Gap framework.
Projects should strengthen belonging and community cohesion in ways that are likely to persist and grow.
Ideally, people who experience a project funded through this program will feel that they have participated in something special, had a positive encounter with their neighbors, and become more connected to their community.
Here are some examples of what the program will fund:
- Participatory mural projects
- Artist residencies that connect artists with community members for co-design and co-creation
- Public arts installations with community engagement elements
- Interactive musical or dance performances
- New choral collaborations
- Talent shows
- Hands-on workshops
- Free public classes and events
Funds may be used for salaries, benefits, contracted workers, project materials and equipment, reasonable overhead costs, and similar, necessary project expenses. Priority will be given to new projects but existing programs that have a track record of success are eligible for this opportunity.
Successful projects will:
- Reach broad and diverse audiences, including those who may feel marginalized in their community
- Engage people as participants, co-designers, and co-creators
- Feature diverse artists as leaders and facilitators
- Create a safe, inclusive environment for creative expression
- Build new connections between neighbors
- Foster trust, fun, and resilience
Funding Information
The program will award grants up to $10,000. They intend to fund a range of project types and sizes in communities across the state with an average grant size of $5,000.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations, municipalities, or schools whose primary service area is in the state of Vermont. These might be arts organizations, libraries, museums, community centers, senior centers, youth programs, therapeutic programs, cultural organizations, or other entities. Projects without 501c3 status who have a fiscal sponsor are eligible.
The Foundation especially encourages LOIs from community-based organizations serving low-income youth, older adults, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ Vermonters, people with disabilities and other marginalized groups.
General Applicant Guidelines and Requirements
- Grant applications will be accepted from organizations that are located in or serve the people of Vermont. Organizations must be tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a public agency or municipality in the state of Vermont. Nonprofit organizations or community groups who do not have 501(c)(3) status may apply for grant awards if another tax-exempt organization acts as a fiscal sponsor.
- No person in the United States shall, on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available (meaning any funds having a competitive application process) by the Vermont Community Foundation, and any other program or activity funded in whole or in part with funds appropriated for grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance administered by the Foundation.
- If grant applicants employ staff or engage volunteers, they must do so and provide services without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity (as defined in paragraph 249(c)(4) of title 18, United States Code), sexual orientation, marital or parental status, political affiliation, military service, physical or mental ability.
What cannot be Funded
- Capital costs and campaigns
- General operating support
- Performance ticket subsidies or scholarships that are not directly connected to community-building work
- Events and performances that do not have any components of audience or community participation
- Debt reduction or deficit funding
- Individuals (applicant should apply as part of a nonprofit organization, community group, municipality, or similar entity)
- Expenses that have already been incurred
- Programs with religious instruction
- Indirect expenses unrelated to the project such as fiscal sponsor fees, rent, or financing costs.
For more information, visit VCF.
