MCA’s Cultural Grants for Nonprofit Arts Organizations in Florida

The Marion Cultural Alliance is pleased to announce its Cultural Grants to support local arts and cultural nonprofits.

Donor Name: Marion Cultural Alliance (MCA)

State: Florida

County: Marion County (FL)

City: Ocala

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 07/15/2023

Size of the Grant: $1,000-$12,500

Details:

The MCA’s mission is supporting local arts organizations with direct funding. Cultural grants are an important means to promote excellence in the creative sector and the cornerstone of MCA’s fund-raising efforts.

Ocala/Marion County arts nonprofit organizations are awarded grants to enhance, expand, or support their artistic or cultural endeavors.

Cultural Grants are available for all artistic disciplines, including: music, theater, dance, visual arts, cinema, literary arts, folk arts, and photography. Historical and scientific museums may also apply.

Funding Information

Grant awards may range from $1,000-$12,500. However, the grant amount requested may not exceed 50% of the total program or project costs.
The grant project start and end dates must fall within the period of September 1, 2023-June 30, 2024 during which grant related expenses may be spent.

Eligibility Criteria

Marion County arts and culture, history, heritage, and science nonprofit organizations ARE eligible to apply.
Projects/Programming based in arts and culture, science, or history that takes place in Marion County and are open to the public. Exhibits, performances, festivals, arts education, outreach programs, and art-based community development are examples of typical projects. It is recommended that professional artists or arts administrators be involved in the planning and execution of each project. For arts education programming, teachers must have an arts background. Administrative costs can be included up to 15% of the project budget. Subgrants cannot support general operating expenses.
Applicant organization must have a current 501(c)3 status for a minimum of two years as of the grant deadline, in good standing with the State of Florida Division of Corporations and IRS. MCA will verify the organization’s current 501(c)3 status.
- The applicant must document they are one of the following:
  - A public agency governed by a county, municipality, school district, institutions of higher education, or an agency of state government
  - A not-for-profit, tax-exempt Florida corporation incorporated or authorized as a not-for-profit corporation, in good standing, pursuant to Chapter 617, Florida Statute. (Some private schools may be determined to be not-for-profits under Chapter 623, Florida Statute.
  - Designated as a tax-exempt organization as defined in Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Exemption must be issued in the name of the applicant organization.
  - Federally recognized Indian tribal governments
- The nonprofit 501(c)3 must be in Marion County or the grant project must occur in Marion County, Florida
- Organizations must submit prior two years’ budget
- Arts and Culture, History, Heritage, Arts Education, or Science as the primary mission
- Local governing board that meets at least quarterly and operates under a set of bylaws
- An organization may submit only one cultural grant application each year
- The applicant organization must have established policies and procedures which address diversity, as well as nondiscrimination against persons with disabilities. The organization’s facilities and programs should be accessible to persons with disabilities. The organization must provide equal access and opportunity in employment and services and may not discriminate on the based-on race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, geography, age, varying disabilities, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, citizenship status, or socioeconomic status.
- Applicants must certify that the participants in the MCA/NEA grant are not disbarred, suspended, or have any other exclusions or disqualifications from doing business with the federal government
- Any publicity or publications related to programs or projects funded by MCA shall include the MCA Supported logo and the NEA Logo and/or the following statement: Sponsored in part by the Marion Cultural Alliance and the National Endowment for the Arts
- Applicant organizations must comply and be in good standing with any previously funded MCA grant
- All grantees must submit a final report that documents program excellence and success to the Marion Cultural Alliance no later than 30 days after the completion of the grant. Four electronic images depicting the grant program activity and electronic documentation of credit line and MCA and NEA logo usage must be submitted with this report. Organizations must meet this final report requirement to be considered for future funding.