The Flexible Support grant provides funding to help organizations/groups create and sustain Minnesotans’ access to the arts.
Donor Name: Metropolitan Regional Arts Council
State: Minnesota
County: Selected Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 11/06/2023
Size of the Grant: $4 million
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
Eligible projects include operations, and/or organizational capacity, and/or arts programming:
- Activities that support the operations of an organization/group (such as paying staff salaries or rent on a space) to provide arts access to Minnesotans.
- Organizational capacity activities, meaning a coordinated management effort that bolsters an organization/group’s ability to do its work (like rebranding, building a website, or overhauling financial tracking systems) to enhance Minnesotans’ access to the arts. Organizational capacity projects could also be the purchase of equipment and/or making facilities improvements to provide arts access.
- Arts Programming activities in Minnesota, whether a single event (such as a theater production) or a series (such as a series of music workshops).
There is approximately $4 million available in funding for this year’s Flexible Support program. MRAC has set aside $3 million specifically for groups whose Leadership is majority people who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC); and/or disabled people/people with disabilities; and/or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Agender, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2+). These groups may request up to $25,000. Other eligible groups may request up to $15,000.
Funding Information
There is approximately $4 million.
Funding Period
Projects must occur during the Eligible Funding Period, May 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025.
Organization/Group Eligibility
This section is about your organization/group.
- Select the county in which your organization/group’s primary address is located
- All organizations/groups must have a primary address in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, or Washington county. For all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations: MRAC uses the address on file with the IRS to determine your primary address.
- Which of the following best describes your organization/group? In addition to geography eligibility, organizations/groups must be one of the following:
- Arts 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization: Federally recognized tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organizations with total annual cash expenses of $400,000 or less during its most recently completed fiscal year (not the fiscal year you are currently in). If total cash expenses from your most recently completed fiscal year were $400,000 or more, your organization/group is ineligible.
- Cultural 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization: Federally recognized tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural organizations with annual cash arts programming expenses of $400,000 or less during its most recently completed fiscal year (not the fiscal year you are currently in). Cultural nonprofit organizations must isolate their arts programming expenses from non-arts financial activity. If total arts programming expenses from your most recently completed fiscal year were $400,000 or more, your organization/group is ineligible.
- Non-arts & Non-cultural 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization: Federally recognized taxexempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with annual cash arts programming expenses of $400,000 or less during its during its most recently completed fiscal year (not the fiscal year you are currently in). Non-arts & non-cultural nonprofit organizations must isolate their arts programming expenses from non-arts & non-cultural financial activity. If total arts programming expenses from your most recently completed fiscal year were $400,000 or more, your organization/group is ineligible.
- Public entities: A public entity such as a unit of state, local, or tribal government with annual cash arts programming expenses of $400,000 or less during its most recently completed fiscal year (not the fiscal year you are currently in). The public entity must isolate their arts programming expenses from non-arts financial activity. If total arts programming expenses from your most recently completed fiscal year were $400,000 or more, your public entity is ineligible.
- Community education units: Community education units of a school district with annual cash arts programming expenses of any size during its most recently completed fiscal year (not the fiscal year you are currently in). Community education units must isolate their arts programming expenses from non-arts financial activity.
- Fiscally sponsored group with arts projects: Groups with arts projects not registered as a federally recognized tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization must apply with an eligible fiscal sponsor. Fiscally sponsored groups must consist of at least 3 people who are on the Leadership team and have total annual cash expenses of $400,000 or less during its most recently completed fiscal year (not the fiscal year you are currently in). If total arts programming expenses from your most recently completed fiscal year were $400,000 or more, your group is ineligible.
- A fiscal sponsor is a federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that receives MRAC grant monies and manages the financial aspects of the project on behalf of a group that does not have tax-exempt status.
- Eligible MRAC fiscal sponsors must be 1) registered with the IRS as a federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit, 2) have a Minnesota address, and 3) have an active registration with the Minnesota Secretary of State as a nonprofit organization.
- Fiscal sponsors may not be public, private, alternative, charter, transitional, or home schools (this includes school support organizations such as PTAs, PTOs, school foundations, etc.).
For more information, visit MRAC.
