The Vermont Arts Council is seeking applications for its Creative Futures Grant to provide aid to creative sector organizations, businesses, and sole proprietors that continue to struggle financially due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Donor Name: Vermont Arts Council
State: Vermont
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/30/2023
Details:
The Creative Futures program of the Vermont Arts Council is made possible by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Department of Economic Development.
What is the Creative Sector?
The following segments make up the creative sector:
- Culture & Heritage
- Historical societies, museums, libraries, independent curators, and exhibit designers
- Design
- Product, interior, graphic, architecture, and fashion design firms and designers
- Film & Media
- Creators of film, video, animation, digital games, including technicians, costumers, editors
- Literary Arts & Publishing
- Print or electronic publishing businesses and content creators, editors, and writers
- Performing Arts
- Producers, venues, studios, sound and light technicians, set designers, and performers
- Specialty Foods
- Specialty and artisanal food producers.
- Visual Arts & Crafts
- Galleries, artists, artisans, craftspeople, culture bearers, and makers.
Special Consideration
Organizations serving and led by members of communities traditionally under-resourced in the arts and humanities are encouraged to apply and will be given special consideration. These groups include:
- People of color or indigenous people
- People who identify as LGBTQ+
- People who live in rural areas
- People with disabilities
- People who identify as immigrants or refugees
- People whose first (or only) language is not English
These funds are for any regular operating expenses, including but not limited to payroll and benefits, utilities, rent, and insurance.
Eligibility Criteria
This program is open to all Vermont-based creative economy nonprofits and for-profit businesses including sole proprietors that can demonstrate economic harm caused by or exacerbated by the Covid– 19 pandemic. Unincorporated arts, humanities, or cultural groups without official nonprofit status may apply using a fiscal agent provided they are otherwise eligible. In addition, eligible applicants must have:
- Fewer than 500 employees
- Been in operation or had taken substantial steps toward becoming operational as of March 13, 2020 or
- Been created as a new creative sector business after March 13, 2020 due to pandemic economic changes and has documented income from qualifying creative sector work.
Eligible humanities organizations include museums, libraries, historical societies and historic sites, and civic and social organizations designed to support the cultural or artistic needs of underserved populations. l
Criteria Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- Severity of Covid-19 Pandemic Harm (as identified in the Final Rule from Treasury: financial insecurity, decreased revenue, increased cost, challenges meeting payroll and other operating costs)
- Community and Cultural Impact (mission, cultural significance, and communities served)
- Economic Impact (role in local economic recovery, ability to retain or rehire jobs, provider of unique products or services, likelihood of post-pandemic resilience)
For more information, visit Creative Futures Grant.
