Overview
The goal of this Community Grant area is to help underserved Marin County residents access, participate in, and learn from high-quality, relevant arts and cultural programs. We believe that participation in arts and culture enriches the lives of individuals, promotes interaction among residents, provides opportunities to deepen learning, and builds community across groups with diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Under this goal, MCF will support projects that are aligned with the strategy and approaches described below.
A logic model for this strategy has been developed that further explains the approaches, activities, and desired impact of this goal area.
MCF has developed a list of resources about arts and culture.
Grants, Results, and More
Until 2012, MCF made arts and culture grants through two Community Grants areas: Arts in the Community and Arts Education. These two areas have been combined under the new goal area, Arts and Culture. You can learn about grants made under Arts in the Community, along with results, an impact story, and background about this issue, by clicking here. And you can learn about grants made under Arts Education, along with results, an impact story, and background about this issue, by clicking here.
Eligibility
To be eligible for funding, organizations must have a nonprofit tax-exempt status or a fiscal sponsor with a nonprofit tax-exempt status. In addition, applicants must serve Marin County residents.
Strategy: Reduce disparities in access to and participation in arts and culture education and programming
Approach A: Grantmaking to support programming that provides equitable access to high-quality and relevant arts and cultural activities.
MCF focuses its support on arts and cultural programming for underserved populations, including low-income residents; people of color; members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning communities; institutionalized or isolated residents; immigrants; individuals living in rural settings; and youth involved with the juvenile justice or child welfare systems. The Foundation is looking to support an array of arts and cultural programs and activities that engage underserved residents.
Process for Approach A:
Grantmaking in this area has been completed for 2012.
Approach B: Grantmaking, convening, and technical assistance to support audience development efforts.
Engagement with arts and cultural activities is an important aspect of an individual's personal development and quality of life and is a primary factor in fostering a sense of community, respect, and understanding of others. Many factors are undermining the effectiveness of the arts in building community: impediments to the public's awareness of arts and cultural opportunities; time constraints on individuals and families; competing sources of recreation; the segregation of audiences; and the continued economic pressure facing arts organizations. Arts and cultural organizations need improved understanding of the economic and cultural marketplace in Marin County and strategies to engage audiences more effectively.
Process for Approach B:
This area does not use an open competitive grants process. Only invited applicants will be able to apply for grants under this approach.
Approach C: Grantmaking, convening, and technical assistance to support a standards-based arts education demonstration project.
Arts education proponents and advocates firmly believe that understanding, learning, and appreciating the arts are vital components of every young person's education and development. Without meaningful opportunities for progressive skill-building in and through the arts across age and grade levels, Marin's students will not be fully prepared for healthy and productive participation in their adult lives and in their communities.
For several decades, however, funding for arts education programs has been progressively reduced or eliminated. MCF believes that the reversal of decades of marginalization of arts education will require systemic change. This change will only result from informed leadership among multiple stakeholders; professional development opportunities for school administrators and teachers; technical assistance and program evaluation to develop rigorous educational curricula and opportunities for high achievement in each arts discipline; investment of resources to develop and nurture programs where resources are currently lacking; and networking, communications, and advocacy to create and sustain effective arts education.
Process for Approach C:
This area does not use an open competitive grants process. MCF has made grants to the Larkspur-Corte Madera and Sausalito Marin City School Districts under this approach.
Approach D: Grantmaking, convening, and technical assistance to support standards-based in-school and out-of-school arts education
Public schools across Marin face enormous challenges in providing arts education for their students. While most schools face challenges in providing arts education as part of the core curriculum, some students in Marin County schools face even greater disparities in access to high quality arts learning opportunities. MCF defines underserved students as students of color; low-income residents; people who live in rural settings; members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities; and those who are institutionalized, isolated, or youth involved in the juvenile justice or child welfare systems. MCF will support the provision of arts education programs and activities in school districts other than those funded through the Arts Education Demonstration Project. This project is currently taking place in the Sausalito Marin City School District and the Larkspur-Corte Madera School District.
In addition, many students do not have equitable access to out-of-school arts education opportunities. Support will also be available for out-of-school arts education programs that work with underserved students.
Download detailed guidelines for Approach D.
Instructions for Letters of Engagement
Process for Approach D:
Register with the Grant Application Center starting February 13, 2012. This system enables you to complete and submit all application materials online. If you have already registered with the Grant Application Center, you do not need to do so again.
Open Registration Date: February 15, 2012: Applicants may begin the process for completing a Letter of Intent (LOI)
Applicant Workshop (optional): February 21, 2012 3-4 pm at MCF
Deadline for LOI: March 2, 2012
LOI decision announced/Full Proposals Invited: March 16, 2012
Deadline for Full Proposal (if invited): April 13, 2012
Decisions announced: June 2012
Grant period begins: July 1, 2012
Go to the Grant Application Center.
