The City of Columbia Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) provides annual grant funding support to the arts programming to eligible applicants.
Donor Name: City of Columbia
State: Missouri
City: Columbia
Type of Grant: Grant | In-Kind
Deadline: 04/29/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The City of Columbia’s arts grant program nurtures the new and existing arts organizations thereby bringing greater appreciation for all arts forms to Columbia’s diverse populations.
The OCA’s Commission on Cultural Affairs assists in the process by evaluating requests and recommending funding levels. The City Council finalizes allocations.
Types of Projects
- Education Projects
- The purpose of this program is to support more effective involvement of artists and arts organizations in the life-long learning process of all citizens. The program seeks to provide residents with a greater opportunity to participate in quality visual, literary, and performing arts experiences by one or more of the following:
- Developing audiences through art in education, programming for non-traditional audiences in non-traditional venues, forging non-traditional links in the community
- Providing new arts experiences
- Integrating art in all aspects of life, targeting those not fully participating in the arts such as the business community, senior citizens, social service agencies, etc.
- Increasing the interaction between arts organizations and artists in the education of youth
- Enhancing classroom teachers’ ability to teach about and with the arts.
- Examples of Education Projects…classes, workshops, seminars, symposiums, in-school programming, literary publications, etc.
- The purpose of this program is to support more effective involvement of artists and arts organizations in the life-long learning process of all citizens. The program seeks to provide residents with a greater opportunity to participate in quality visual, literary, and performing arts experiences by one or more of the following:
- Presentation Projects
- The purpose of this program is to maintain and enhance the quality of arts services and to broaden the artistic scope of the city’s cultural activities. The program seeks to provide residents with a greater opportunity to be exposed to traditional artistic activities as well as new and imaginative endeavors in visual, performing and literary arts by one or more of the following:
- Assisting local nonprofit arts organizations in producing and/or presenting quality arts programs
- Increasing the availability and range of quality arts experiences throughout the community
- Developing a broader audience base for a range of creative and artistic experiences
- Promoting excellence, diversity and vitality in Columbia’s cultural environment.
- Examples of Presentation Projects…concerts, performing arts series, special events, exhibits, etc.
- The purpose of this program is to maintain and enhance the quality of arts services and to broaden the artistic scope of the city’s cultural activities. The program seeks to provide residents with a greater opportunity to be exposed to traditional artistic activities as well as new and imaginative endeavors in visual, performing and literary arts by one or more of the following:
Funding Information
Organizations may request up to 25% of last fiscal year’s total revenue, with a minimum request of $1,000 and a maximum request of $7,500. If an organization’s last year’s total revenue is less than $4,000, up to 50% may be requested, not to exceed $1,000. Proposed projects must be matched dollar-for-dollar with cash, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.
Project Period
Applications must address projects occurring between November 1, 2024, and October 31, 2025.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be either, (1) a single, 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts & culture agency; (2) a collaboration of arts & culture agencies; or (3) a collaboration of an arts & culture agency and one or more nonprofit agencies (schools, social service agencies, public entities).
- An arts and culture agency is defined as an organization whose primary mission and/or more than 75% of its annual operating expenses are dedicated to cultural activities: the performing arts (music, dance, theatre), visual arts, literature, film, or whose primary mission is the promotion of their culture through educational and/or artistic activities.
- Proposed projects must occur within the Columbia city limits.
- Organizations may request up to 25% of last fiscal year’s total revenue, with a minimum request of $1,000 and a maximum request of $7,500. If an organization’s last year’s total revenue is less than $4,000, up to 50% may be requested, not to exceed $1,000.
- Proposed projects must be matched dollar-for-dollar with cash, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.
- Collaborative proposals are encouraged. In collaborations, a nonprofit arts organization must serve as the lead agency. Letters of support must be obtained from collaborators. This shows that you have contacted them and that they are supportive and involved. Two organizations cannot request funds for the same project (there must be one lead agency applying for funds for project).
- Organizations may submit one application only.
- Funded projects may not discriminate against any segment of the community on the basis of sex, race, color, age, religion, creed, national origin, veteran, disability, economic status, familial status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
- Receipt of City funding is conditional upon the arts agency signing a grant agreement. The executed agreement must be returned by the stated deadline in order to receive funding.
- If City funding is received, a final report of the project is due within 45 days after its end date; 10% of each contract will be held until the report is submitted. If the report is not received after 90 days, the 10% is forfeited.
- City grant funding is conditional on meeting these guidelines. If an agency is approved for funding by the City Council, but does not meet these guidelines, the Commission on Cultural Affairs may recommend to City Council that the funding award be withdrawn.
Last fiscal year’s total revenue are defined as the actual (not budgeted) amount of money (cash or in-kind) that the organization received in exchange for goods and/or services that it provided. Total revenue includes support: revenue that consists of contributions or grants to the organization
Exclusions
City funds may not be used for any of the following…
- Capital improvements or the purchase of permanent equipment
- Political, legislative and lobbying activities
- Projects completed or in process before November 1, 2024
- Organization administrative and operational expenses (such as administrative salaries, rent, utilities, etc.).
- Projects which by their design or operation discriminate against any segment of the community whether on the basis of sex, race, color, age, religion, creed, national origin, veteran, disability, economic status, familial status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
For more information, visit City of Columbia.
