Don’t wait, apply now for arts grants

Despite a state budget proposal from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy that slashes spending in almost all areas, there is funding included in that proposal from the state’s Office of the Arts/DECD for the coming fiscal year (which begins July 1).

Guidelines for requests for funds for four different arts grants from the Connecticut Office of the Arts were just released; the deadline is swooping right up, however, with most requests due on either March 15 or 22.

Amy Wynn, executive director of the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, and her staff offered three informational sessions this month on how to apply for the grants and what kinds of projects are most likely to succeed. One was held on Wednesday night, Feb. 15, at the Cornwall Library.

At the well-attended session, Wynn and staff members Maggie Cady and Krista Narciso explained the three major tiers of arts grants.

The easiest one to get is an Arts Learning “access” grant. There is a rolling deadline; no matching funds are required; and the grants are available to pre-kindergarten-through-12 schools, libraries, historical societies and other organizations presenting arts programs for pre-kindergarten-through-12 students. They will be awarded for activities that make art accessible to students, including workshops, in-school performances or field trips to see performances or visit artist studios or museums.

“If you, as an artist, have something to share, let those presenting such programs know that your Arts Learning experience for students can be funded through this grant,” Wynn said.

The funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The application is relatively easy to complete.

“We really want the Northwest Corner to get its share of funding, so we encourage people to apply for this grant as soon as possible for activities starting as early as July 1,” Wynn said.

Even though there is a rolling deadline, there is a finite amount of money available for the coming year. Each successful applicant receives a set amount of $700.

Also available in the coming year are Arts Learning “connection/correlation” and “integration” grants. Again, the emphasis is on sharing art with students in Connecticut schools. These grants favor applicants whose projects involve artists working more deeply with and across the school curriculum, and who have qualified as Connecticut Teaching Artists.

To find out who is on that list, Wynn said to check the Connecticut Office of the Arts website where there is a “robust” list of artists working in many arts disciplines.

Grants in these two categories can provide $3,000 or $5,000 but both have a matching requirement. Applications are due March 15.

Regional Initiative grants offer between $1,000 and $4,000; Project Grants offer between $5,000 and $15,000. Both require a match; applications for both are due March 22.

Regional Initiative grants should stress community participation  with an arts project. Project Grants, as their name implies, support a specific project that involves a Connecticut artist.

There is also a category called “supporting arts in place.” This grant “helps keep the lights on” for arts organizations and is allocated by formula and guarantees funding of a minimum of $500 to qualified applicants. Unlike the other grant programs, it is not competitive. However, the amount of allocation above $500 will be impacted by the over 100 organizations statewide that apply. Grants for this program range from $500 to more than $20,000.

Wynn and her team gave specific tips on how to fill out a successful grant application. Of greatest importance: Answer the questions that are asked.

Also essential is to create a compelling and understandable narrative so it’s clear to the panel that awards the money  what you want to do and why it merits funding with public dollars.

“Your project has to be relevant,” Cady said. “It can’t just be something you want to do for the satisfaction of doing it. It has to apply the arts in a new and imaginative way and it has to engage the community, however you choose to define ‘community.’ Otherwise, why should the taxpayers pay for it?”

Also important is a comprehensive and believable explanation of how the project will be organized, with benchmarks.

“They want to know when you’re going to make it happen and how you’re going to pull it off,” Wynn said.

And of course they want to see a detailed and realistic budget plan.

Start the grant application process by visiting the website of the Connecticut Office of the Arts at www.cultureandtourism.org.

And then contact Wynn and her staff, who are eager to help area artists and organizations apply for the funds.

“We want to be sure our region gets its share of the available money,” Wynn said. “And we want the panelists reviewing these grants to look at these exciting projects and say, ‘Wow, we need to set aside more money for more of these!’”

Find the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council online at www.artsnwct.org or call 860-618-0075.