MSAC: County Arts Development Grant Program (US)

Goals

• County Arts Development (CAD) grants support for County Arts Agencies of Maryland in each of the 24 jurisdictions to extend the service of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) with the goals of providing:
  • a vital connection with artists, arts organizations, and audiences throughout the State;
  • encouragement of local arts activity of all disciplines in all of Maryland’s diverse communities; and
  • equitable funding for the arts on the local level through transparent processes that are accessible to all county constituents.

Role and Responsibilities

• Each county arts agency is responsible for:
  • Adhering to all grant making and reporting requirements, as communicated by MSAC.
  • Making grants to local organizations for arts activities through open, transparent, accessible, and publicized grant programs.
  • Supporting local independent artists through grants, programs, and/or technical assistance.
  • Supporting local Arts in Education programming outside of school curricula.
  • Maintaining programs that are responsive and equitably benefit all county constituents.
  • Maintaining a website that publicizes the county arts agency’s grants and programs with current eligibility and grant deadlines and links to MSAC’s site and relevant opportunities.
  • Maintaining a distribution list of local constituents.
  • Sending regular communications (email, social media, and/or print, etc.) promoting county arts agency and MSAC opportunities.
  • Maintaining a current profile page on MSAC’s website.
  • Notifying MSAC at least two months ahead of deadlines of available local grant opportunities.
  • Providing MSAC with ongoing updates of local needs and concerns through scheduled reports and additional communications.
  • Communicating grant noncompliance and/or concerns about organizations that receive both county arts agency and MSAC funding so MSAC can provide appropriate technical assistance.
  • Arranging regular site visits for MSAC to meet with county arts agency leadership, board, and/or constituents to assess needs and share ideas and opportunities.
• MSAC is responsible for:
  • Providing funding, guidance, resources, and support to aid in the creation and implementation of county arts agencies’ three-year plans.
  • Providing tools and resources to aid the county arts agency’s infusion of equity, diversity, inclusion, and access in all aspects of its work.
  • Maintaining MSAC grant making and reporting schedules, facilitating county arts agencies’ access to MSAC application and reporting materials, and providing technical support as needed.
  • Soliciting professional development needs and providing professional development opportunities for the 24 county arts agencies as well as technical assistance to individual county arts agencies and their constituents as needed or requested.
  • Publicizing the county arts agency grant opportunities, programs, and events.
  • Sharing the impact of county arts agencies’ work.
  • Responding to local needs and concerns communicated by county arts agencies through scheduled reports and other communications.
  • Making regular site visits to each county arts agency to meet with leadership, board, and/or constituents to assess needs and share ideas and opportunities.

Eligible Expenses

• Allowable use of CAD grant funds include the following types of expenses:
  • Re-granting to local organizations, artists, and schools to support arts programming or projects that benefit county residents
  • Arts programming that serves county residents
  • Services to artists and arts organizations working within the county
  • Administrative and operating expenses of the county arts council (a maximum of 60% of annual grant funds may be used for administration and operating expenses)

Ineligible Expenses

• Grant Funds (including re-granted funds) may not be used for:
  • Activities not open to the general public
  • Operating grants to organizations outside of the county
  • Programming or projects outside of the county
  • Non-arts programming or projects
  • Projects, performances, expenses, and activities that are part of school curricula
  • Capital expenses, improvements, or purchases of permanent equipment
  • Accessions
  • Allocations to cash reserve
  • Acquisition of capital assets
  • Depreciation
  • Deficits
  • Loan principal payments
  • Contributions to endowments
  • Scholarships awarded by the applicant for its own activities
  • Contributions to any persons who hold, or are candidates for, elected office
  • Contributions to any political party, organization, or action committee
  • Activities in connection with any political campaign or referendum.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for CAD funding, the county arts agency must be designated by the jurisdiction’s government as the official arts agency or council of the jurisdiction. If the county arts agency is not a branch of the county or city government, it must be registered as a not-for-profit corporation in Maryland exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

For more information, visit MSAC.