Arts in Neighborhoods Community Event Mini Grants

Fund for the Arts Community Event Mini-Grants support the implementation of short-term or one-time innovative and creative events that engage communities within specific neighborhoods of Greater Louisville. This grant program is part of the Arts in Neighborhoods initiative. 

What is the goal of Community Event Mini-Grants?

The Community Event Mini-Grants support arts organizations and neighborhood associations, individual artists, groups of artists, non-arts nonprofits and community-based organizations with project expenses associated with presenting multi-disciplinary, multigenerational, free gatherings with arts components in communities.

Arts in Neighborhoods programs support asset-based community development, leveraging arts, artists, and arts organizations to unify and connect people, building deeper engagement with one another and celebrating the places where we live, work, and create. 

Who may apply?

Organizations and artists are eligible to apply for a Community Event Mini-Grant if they meet the following criteria:

Are based in the Greater Louisville area, which includes the following counties: Bullitt, Jefferson, Oldham, and Shelby counties in Kentucky; Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties in Indiana.
Share Fund for the Arts commitment to access, equity, and inclusion.
Are partnered with at least one additional organization as a secondary partner. Partnerships with local businesses or restaurants or with neighborhood associations are encouraged to ensure neighborhood alignment and integration. Preference will be given to applications that include a second partner from a different industry or affiliation than the primary partner. Examples might include:
- Primary partner is a non-profit arts agency and secondary partner is a local business.
- Primary partner is a non-profit and secondary partner is a neighborhood association or artist.
Applicants who are previous and/or current Fund for the Arts grantees must be compliant with all grant requirements and reporting in order to be eligible for this grant opportunity.  
You do not have to be a 501(c)(3) or be affiliated with a 501(c)(3) to apply for Community Event Mini-Grants. If you apply as an individual or as a non-tax exempt organization or group and are selected for a grant award, your grant award will be considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service.

Eligible Requests

Event must contain an element that is artistic in nature, including either performance, exhibit, culinary arts, or creation and engagement in artistic exercise.
Event should include a physical, in-person event to happen in a specific neighborhood in Greater Louisville.
Event budget should be reasonable and sufficient to execute the project within the project period.
Event must be free and open to the public or have a component that is free and open to the public.
Event should be multigenerational, to appeal to audiences of all ages.
Applicant should be able to define the project’s target audience and have a plan for attracting this audience to the experience.

Ineligible Requests

The following are not eligible for the Fund for the Arts Community Event Mini-Grants:

General operating support.
Fundraisers.
Re-granting.
Religious or primarily faith-based programs or organizations receiving a significant portion of their funding from a religious organization.
Advocacy of specific political causes or candidates.
Fund for the Arts will not award grant support to organizations that, in their constitution, bylaws, or practices, discriminate against a person or group because of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religious belief. In doing so, we seek to promote respect for all people.

Grant Awards

Grant awards will be made between $500-$5,000 (no more than 50% of the total event budget) for the proposed project. Most grant awards will likely be in the range of $500 – $2,500. Match can include cash and / or in-kind contributions.

Applications are awarded on a rolling basis and may be submitted at any time during the year. An applicant may only submit one application per grant cycle. If a grant is awarded, applicants will be required to wait for the next 3 grant cycles before applying again. Primary applicants can only be awarded 1 time in a 12– month period. Organizations serving as fiscal agents for another awarded project may apply for their own event during the 12-month period. Applicants are not required to resubmit their application. If an application does not receive funding and the event date has passed, the applicant can apply for a new event at any time.

Award Criteria and Determination

Receiving a Community Event Mini-Grant is a competitive process. All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a panel consisting of community volunteers. Proposals will be scored as follows:

Project meets the eligibility guidelines.
Applicant is able to define the project’s target audience and has a plan for attracting this audience to the experience.
The project budget is feasible and meets funding requirements.
The project can be completed in the proposed timeline.
Project aligns with Fund for the Arts goals to empower every person to see themselves as an artist and belonging to a City of Artists.
Fund for the Arts will prioritize events that are accessible and provide an opportunity for meaningful participation for people of all abilities, and for underserved and under-represented populations.

Grant Periods and Deadlines

Community Event Mini-Grant applications may be submitted on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed quarterly, with awards made on the following timeline:

Fall 

Applications received through Friday, August 25 are eligible
Notification to applicants by Friday, September 29
Grant Period – events happening October – December* 
Grant Report due by December 31

Winter 

Applications received through Friday, November 17 are eligible
Notification to applicants by Friday, December 15
Grant Period – events happening January – March* 
Grant Report due by March 31

Spring 

Applications received through Friday, February 16 are eligible 
Notification to applicants by Friday, March 15
Grant Period – events happening April – June* 
Grant Report due by June 30

Summer 

Applications received through Friday, May 17 are eligible
Notification to applicants by Friday, June 14
Grant Period – events happening July – September* 
Grant Report due by September 30

*If an application’s event date does not fall within the grant period, the application will be carried forward into the next round of reviews. Grants will not be awarded retroactively for events that took place or began before the grant period. 

Helpful tip: If your event spans different grant periods, consider applying for a specific opening event, closing event, or a free community night.

What is expected of me and my organization if our application is approved?

Reporting:

Click here for the Mini-Grant Report Questions and Guide

Report the number of artists, or arts organizations who were paid through the grant award.
Report attendance numbers with information on age and race.
Share 1-3 stories of impact on the neighborhood and 1-3 photos/videos from your event.
Report the primary neighborhood(s) (and council district(s) that your event impacted.

Recognition:

Include Fund for the Arts logo on any materials printed or distributed digitally, in accordance with event sponsorship guidelines. This may include marketing, advertising, signs, programs, or other materials. Fund for the Arts may ask you to display a banner or sign. If so, this will be provided to you.

Application includes:

Primary & Secondary Applicant information (name, telephone, email, physical location, EIN).
Description of the primary applicant’s business, mission statement, artist statement, and/or programs and services provided.
Description of secondary partner and their role in the community event.
Description of the Community Event, including date, time, location, and intended audience.
Basic budget for the event. This budget can include both direct and indirect expenses as well as in-kind expenses provided.
Amount applying for. This can be between $500-$5,000. Please note that the total amount applied for must be no more than 50% of the total event budget listed.
Attachments (Statement of Commitment, IRS determination, existing marketing for event)

Timeline and At-A-Glance Information

Grant Opportunity Announced	August 1, 2023
Virtual Info Session	See recorded info session below.
Rolling grant application, Grant Periods and Deadlines for 2023-2024	August 25, 2023, November 17, 2023, February 16, 2024, May 17, 2024
Award Amounts	Community Event Mini-Grants range from $500-$5000. Total award can be no more than 50% of your total event budget.
How many awards will be made in each grant period?	That is dependent on the quantity of applications in a given period. FFTA anticipates 5-10 awards will be made each project period.
How can I learn more?	See recorded info session below or join virtual office hours:  Tuesdays, 4 pm Click here to join

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*returning applicants, this link gives you access to the Community Events Mini-Grant application

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Still Have Questions? Contact the Fund for the Arts Community Investment & Support team at grants@fundforthearts.org

Check out this virtual information session on the Community Event Mini-Grant.

Arts in Neighborhoods Community Event Mini-Grants