In response to the disastrous impact of this pandemic on a highly vulnerable sector, the Montgomery County Government and AHCMC are providing emergency relief funds. The Arts & Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund is available to non-profit arts and/or humanities organizations/groups and individual artists/scholars based in Montgomery County, MD experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19.
Donor Name: Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County
State: Maryland
County: Montgomery County (MD)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/16/2022
Details:
The Montgomery County Government and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) understand that due to COVID-19, the creative sector continues to deal with significant uncertainty. Many arts and humanities organizations/groups are experiencing serious challenges affecting their programming, staffing, and financial stability.
Funds will support organizations/groups that work in a wide array of arts/humanities disciplines including performing arts, folk and traditional arts, media arts, visual arts, literary arts, history, and philosophy
Purpose
By providing Arts & Humanities COVID-19 Relief Funds, the Montgomery County Government and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) seek to:
- Promote stability in arts and humanities organizations/groups by providing emergency funding to support vital operating costs;
- Stimulate local support and involvement in the arts and humanities, including volunteer participation, audience development, and financial contributions despite the abnormal circumstances and financial detriment caused by COVID-19;
- Strengthen the scholarly and artistic capabilities of arts and humanities organizations/groups; and
- Improve and/or stabilize the management infrastructure and effectiveness of arts and humanities organizations/groups.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations/groups eligible to apply must have met all the following requirements by the published application deadline:
- Has its primary mission or objective as the exhibition, presentation, production or performance of, and/or education in, an arts and/or humanities discipline, and/or provides support services to artists and/or scholars and/or arts and/or humanities organizations;
- Has been in operation for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the application deadline;
- Has had its primary location and/or a verifiable mailing address in Montgomery County, MD for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the application deadline;
- Operates as a non-profit:
- The applicant has 501(c)(3) status, as evidenced by their U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Letter of Determination;
- The applicant operates as a specific arts and/or humanities entity or division within a larger 501(c)(3) organization whose primary mission is not arts or humanities based;
- If the applicant is not formally recognized by the IRS as a public charity or otherwise officially established as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) institution, the applicant must operate in the manner of a non-profit organization (the group’s net earnings cannot be distributed to those who control it).1
- Is governed by an independent, legally liable Board of Directors operating under a mission statement for the organization and an operating budget specific to the organization.2;
- Maintains Good Standing status with the state of Maryland;
- A Certificate of Status (generally called a “good standing” certificate) is a legal document issued by the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation verifying that an entity is up to date on their state filings. Click here to check whether your organization/group is in Good Standing with the State of Maryland.
- Has offered at least one public program/event in Montgomery County, MD since 2019, in person or virtually; and
- Is ADA compliant.
Use of Funds
The Arts & Humanities COVID-19 Relief Fund allows recipients the flexibility to use funds for their most urgent needs, supporting day-to-day operating costs and furthering the general mission or work of an organization/group. Rather than funding a particular project, relief funds are holistic awards that can be used for programming costs, professional development, and/or vital administration costs, such as rent, utilities, and employee salaries.
For more information, visit AHCMC.
