Resource Bulletin

Creative Howard Grant Program Guidelines

Grant activities must take place within this grant period, ending June 30, 2023; projects are not funded retroactively, please plan ahead.

FY23 Application Calendar

September 1, 2022: Grant applications available online (Rolling deadline based on funds available; applications due 60 days prior to proposed project start date.)

November 1, 2022: Earliest project start date for projects. (Applications submitted by 11:59 PM EST on the first day of the month will be reviewed that month; applications received after that will be reviewed the following month.)

April 1, 2023: Last deadline for FYE June 30, 2023.

Final Report Due within 15 business days of project completion.

Creative Howard Overview

The purpose of the Creative Howard grant program is to strengthen the vitality of the Howard County arts community and recognize the role of small nonprofit arts organizations and arts businesses in Howard County’s creative eco-system.

The goals for Creative Howard are:

• To increase access to the process of requesting grants to arts organizations and support needs in the arts community that may fall outside of the eligibility requirements of HCAC’s Community Arts Development grant program.

• To provide small non-profit 501c3- designated arts organizations with a foundation to apply for future Community Arts Development grants.

• Creative Howard supports eligible activities of small arts organizations (both 501c3 nonprofit arts organizations and for- and nonprofit arts businesses) with grants up to $2,500. There is no matching fund requirement for Creative Howard grants. Applicants may receive funding for only one application per fiscal year (July 1-June 30).

Deadline

The deadline for Creative Howard is rolling. The deadline to submit the application is the first day of each month at 11:59PM.  Applications will be reviewed monthly and Creative Howard grants will be awarded throughout the fiscal year until total funding allocated for the program is awarded.

HCAC will begin accepting applications on September 1, 2022 for the FY23 application cycle. The grant period for FY23 ends June 30, 2023. Funded activities must occur within the grant period. HCAC does not fund projects in progress or completed before the grant application deadline.  Applications must be submitted at least 60 days before the proposed activities occur.

The application process will be closed once funding allocated for the program is fully awarded and will only be reopened should new funding become available.

Eligibility

Nonprofit arts organizations and arts businesses (see definitions below) located and operating in Howard County for at least one year prior to the application’s submission and throughout the funded project with an operating revenue of $100,000 or less (see application process below) are eligible to apply.

Not eligible to apply are current FY23 HCAC grant recipients, Howard County governmental agencies, and organizations that receive direct funding from Howard County, such as, Howard County Public Schools, Howard County Recreation and Parks, Howard Community College.

Eligibility:

· Applicant must maintain their primary physical office and conduct at least 50% of all business operations, programs and activities in Howard County (i.e.: 50% of rehearsals, 50% of Board and committee meetings, 50% of performances, workshops, etc.). Corporate papers, such as the 990 and Personal Property Tax forms, letterhead, website, and program materials submitted must show primary office is located in the County.

• Applicant must have one fully completed and documented fiscal year of operations as of the date of the application submission.

• Applicant must produce or present arts programs, services or projects that are accessible to the public and relevant to its community (demonstrate need).

Applicant may receive funding for one Creative Howard grant per fiscal year; the program may consist of a one-time activity or a series of related activities.

A program is eligible for funding through Creative Howard if it supports an arts and/or cultural activity that is presented at a location in Howard County.

Program activities must be open to the public with or without an admission fee, virtual programming is eligible.

Program activities may include, but are not limited to, dance, design, folk and traditional arts, history exhibit  or historic reenactment, lectures or seminars, literature, media arts, music, theater, visual arts, and workshops. This list is not exhaustive and applicants are encouraged to think creatively about their programs.

Program budget must be based on cash income and expense only.

Program  expenses must be directly related to the artistic activities described in the application.

Submission of an application constitutes an understanding and agreement of the conditions set forth in these guidelines.

Please read the full guidelines, before starting the application. https://www.hocoarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/FY23-Creative-Howard-Guidelines-8.19.22.pdf. Only successfully submitted, complete, on-line applications will be accepted and reviewed. Incomplete or hard copy applications will be disqualified.

Arts Council staff is available to assist applicants with any questions about completing this application by mailing grantsandprojects@hocoarts.org.

To apply click HERE 

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) manages two galleries at the Howard County Center for the Arts with over 21,000 square feet of exhibit space. The HCAC gallery program was established to enhance the public's appreciation of the visual arts, provide a venue to exhibit the work of local, regional, and national artists in a professional space, and provide leadership in the arts by presenting a broad spectrum of arts in all media from both emerging and established artists. 

HCAC presents 11-12 exhibits per year of national, regional, and local artists, including two-person, small and large group, juried, curated, and community shows. HCAC rarely exhibits solo shows.

For more information, view the General Exhibit Prospectus.

To apply, please submit the following:

1. Contact Information, including artist or curator name

2. 10-20 digital images representative of the work to be included in the exhibition. Files should be named to correspond to image list. Entries must be JPG or JPEG files, each no larger than 1 MB. If submitting time-based work, work must be submitted as .avi, .wav, .mov, or .m4a files. HCAC has limited technology for use in the gallery, so any special technology needs should be addressed in the proposal. The images should be named using the “LastName_FirstName_01.jpg” format, where the numbers (01, 02, 03, etc…) correspond directly to your image script.

3. Image List which contains artist's name, title, medium, year completed, and dimensions for each piece. The image list should correspond directly to your application images. So, if you have an image named “Doe_Jane_01.jpg” then your image script should have an entry for “01” with that image’s title, medium, dimension, and date. The image script should be a Word document or PDF. Do not send Powerpoint presentations, movies of any kind, or slide shows.

4. Resume which lists education, exhibitions, awards, publications, etc.

5. Artist statement or description of your artistic goals and recent work.

Individual curators: in addition to the above, individual curators should include a brief description of the proposed exhibit and identify the artists invited to participate. Provide information describing your curatorial experience, organizational skills, and samples of written materials used to organize a previous show (letters, marketing, etc). 

Organizations: In addition to the above, provide your organization's mission statement and describe your programs and services that meet that statement. Include a brief description of the proposed exhibit and state how it furthers your mission and goals.

Questions can be directed to Annie Braunschweig, Exhibits and Programs Assistant at exhibits@hocoarts.org

Click HERE for to apply.

As one of 24 County arts agencies established by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Allegany Arts Council receives annually more than one-third of its operating budget through the County Arts Development program. This funding provides operational and programmatic support to the organization, allowing it to meet its strategic objectives.

As a Community Arts Development funding recipient, County arts agencies are expected to serve as funders in their own communities, supporting a broad range of creative endeavors. Annually, the Arts Council provides a portion of its funding to Arts in Education initiatives, and operates two grant funding programs.

In 2020, the Arts Council funded more than $45,000 in general operation grants, creative placemaking grants, and individual artist relief grants.

Creative Placemaking projects help transform communities into beautiful and resilient places with the arts at their core. Creative placemaking projects are intended to enhance the quality of life for community residents, encourage artistic community development, and create a sense of place. Individuals, arts-based organizations, artists or collaborators may apply. Applicants are eligible to apply for a maximum of $5,000 annually and must provide a final grant report at the conclusion of the grant period.

For more information and to apply, click here.

As one of 24 County arts agencies established by the Maryland State Arts Council, the Allegany Arts Council receives annually more than one-third of its operating budget through the County Arts Development program. This funding provides operational and programmatic support to the organization, allowing it to meet its strategic objectives.

As a Community Arts Development funding recipient, County arts agencies are expected to serve as funders in their own communities, supporting a broad range of creative endeavors. Annually, the Arts Council provides a portion of its funding to Arts in Education initiatives, and operates two grant funding programs.

In 2020, the Arts Council funded more than $45,000 in general operation grants, creative placemaking grants, and individual artist relief grants.

General Operating Grants support the daily operations of arts agencies, and are intended to fill critical funding gaps which often limit arts organizations in paying professional staff, managing facilities or in pursuing capital improvements. Organizations are eligible to apply for a maximum of $3,500 annually and must provide a final grant report at the conclusion of the grant period.

For more information and to apply, click here.