Goal:
To promote a vibrant and accessible arts community for all Marin residents.
Overview:
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 diverse audiences more effectively. MCF's grantmaking in this area will focus on both arts programming and capacity building of the arts sector.
Under this goal, MCF will support projects undertaken by arts and cultural organizations, as well as interested non-arts organizations that incorporate the following strategy:
Strategy: Strengthen Marin’s arts sector to increase public engagement in the arts.
Approach A: Grantmaking to support arts and cultural programming, with a special emphasis on underserved residents
MCF will focus its support on arts programming for underserved populations, including low-income residents, people of color, LGBTQ, immigrants, and at-risk youth. The Foundation is looking to support an array of arts and cultural programming and activities aimed towards these groups.
In addition, MCF recognizes that many Marin residents are unable to engage in arts and cultural programs and activities due to isolation and/or institutionalization. The arts offer a powerful mechanism to make a difference in the lives of these residents and assist their continued or renewed participation in community activities. MCF will support organizations providing programs or activities that use the arts to enrich and improve the lives of those who are isolated or institutionalized.
Process for Approach A:
MCF will solicit new proposals for Approach A in fall 2010, with decisions announced in early 2011. Dates are listed below. Applications will be submitted through MCF's Grant Application Center, which enables completion and submission of all application materials online.
To help you prepare the LOI, you cen preview the questions you will be asked to answer by clicking on the icon to the right.
Open Registration Date: August 25, 2010
Deadline for LOI: September 7, 2010
LOI decision announced/Full Proposals invited: September 13, 2010
Deadline for Full Proposal (if invited): October 15, 2010
Note: The most competitive projects will include:
- A clearly demonstrated community need
- Proven organizational capacity to meet those needs
- Arts programming that is culturally relevant to constituency
- Constituency involvement in developing programming
- Clearly defined and measureable outcomes
- Clearly articulated tools for measuring outcomes and effectiveness of project
Go to the Grant Application Center.
Approach B: Grantmaking, technical assistance, and convening to build the capacity of arts organizations
MCF will focus on building the capacity of the arts sector in order to increase public engagement in the arts and to help arts organizations focus their missions and streamline their operations during difficult economic times. Capacity building projects may include: arts sector convenings; grantee networking groups; professional development; strategic planning; and innovative arts programming.
In addition, MCF will provide technical assistance support to providers to craft strategies aimed at broadening, deepening, and diversifying their audiences and will provide targeted assistance to implement and evaluate these strategies. Specifically, MCF will provide technical assistance and planning grants to two cohorts of organizations. Selected organizations that have received planning grants will then be eligible for implementation grants in subsequent years. Cohorts of grantees and other interested organizations will be encouraged to participate in a learning community. This learning community is designed to foster collaboration among arts providers and explore innovative efforts to enhance public engagement in the arts and culture.
Process for Approach B: Grantmaking in this area has been completed for 2010. The next round of grants will be by invitation only and open only to organizations that received funding in the first round of grants.
Cohort #1:
Open Registration Date: March 1, 2011
Deadline for LOI: March 15, 2011
LOI Decision Announced/Full Proposals invited: March 18, 2011
Deadline for Full Proposed (if invited): April 4, 2011
Cohort #2:
Open Registration Date: January 5, 2011
Deadline for LOI: January 12, 2011
LOI Decision Announced/Full Proposals invited: January 17, 2011
Deadline for Full Proposed (if invited): February 1, 2011
Approach C: Grantmaking to support a community census
With support from diverse partners, MCF will conduct a community census of public engagement with the arts and culture in Marin County, including an inventory of cultural assets, an assessment of public attitudes about the arts, and research on the motivations of arts donors.
Process for Approach C:
The Foundation will invite proposals from selected organizations. This approach will not use an open competitive process.
A logic model for this strategy has been developed that further explains the approaches, activities, and desired impact of this goal area.
