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 E-Newsletter |
May, 2013
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Greetings! MRAC Grants Go Online!In January 2012, after successful implementation of an online application system for our Next Step Fund program and positive feedback from constituents, we set a goal to have all our grant programs online by the beginning of our 2014 fiscal year. I joined the MRAC staff seven months ago, and since then I have worked on designing the online application, grant agreement and final report forms, and reconstructing internal processes and communication pieces to make the system work for everyone's needs. Today I am very pleased to announce that the MRAC Grant Interface will be live May 15th and will be accessed via our website! Some great features about the Grant Interface:- Easy to use
- Save-as-draft feature
- Most of the application material will be file uploads, not text boxes with fussy character counts
- Automatic email notification of submissions
- Applicants may view recent grant history in their online profile
- Electronic grant agreements
- Automatic final report reminders
- Electronic final reports
Advantages to using an online system:- Quicker staff response time and processing time
- No more reliance on postal service or battling traffic to make it to our office before the deadline
- Electronic application and records that can be accessed from anywhere with internet connection
- Elimination of paper for most of the granting process
- Electronic panel book option
- Trackable electronic communication
MRAC staff will be available for any technical assistance, and we will provide a work station in our office that may be reserved for those who do not have access to a computer. Tutorials for using the Grant Interface will be included in our application workshops and available via our website. Applications can be started online six weeks prior to each deadline. Full guidelines and application procedure information will be available on our website for the entire 2014 fiscal year beginning May 15th. All applications will now have a 4:30 p.m. deadline and will be accepted via online submission only.We are very excited about this big change and believe it will greatly improve our ability to serve you all! As always, we are available for any questions regarding our programs or the application process. Please don't hesitate to contact us.
Katie Kaufmann
MRAC Grants and Operations Coordinator
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Creative Intersections Grant Awards
On April 23, 2013, MRAC awarded  118,422 to 9 projects in its FY 2013 Creative Intersections grant program. The Creative Intersections Program provides grants up to 15,000 to support innovative partnership-projects that engage the arts as a strategy for building and enriching communities in the seven-county metropolitan area. Click here for a list of this round's grant recipients sorted by county affiliation that includes award amounts, project summaries, and links to the grantees' websites when available. Please note that the core cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are separated from the surrounding suburban Hennepin and suburban Ramsey counties. |
New Website Design Coming May 15!
To accompany the move to online applications, we've redesigned our website, which will be launched on May 15. Our goal is to make it easier for you to find the information you need. You'll notice that the deadlines, upcoming workshops, and news-related links are front and center with easier navigation on our grant pages. We also have a new slider that links to our Online Applications information page, Grants at a Glance page, Recent Grant Awards, and MRAC-Funded Events Calendar. Did I say--"MRAC-Funded Events Calendar"? Yes!We are very excited to introduce the MRAC-Funded Events Calendar and an Arts Impact Blog! These platforms were developed to highlight the value of arts funding, the important work that MRAC-funded arts organizations do in their communities, and as a way for MRAC groups to build connections with MRAC staff, its board, other grantees, local media, and the arts loving public looking to explore the many arts opportunities that MRAC funds. Information will be entered by you, our constituents, and approved by MRAC before posting. More information will be sent to you about how to add your events to the calendar and your reflections to the blog when we launch on May 15! Questions and comments about the new website should be directed to Mara Miller, mara@mrac.org. |
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FY 2014 Grant Deadlines
No more need to fight traffic to get your application to the MRAC office. Starting in FY 2014 all MRAC grant applications are online. Please note: the deadline time has changed to 4:30 p.m. for all grant deadlines (except for the Next Step Fund for individual artists) so that we can process the online entries.
7/8/2013 Arts Activities Support, Round 1 9/9/2013 Capital 9/9/2013 Organizational Development 10/7/2013 Community Arts, Round 1 11/4/2013 Arts Learning, Round 1 1/6/2014 Community Arts, Round 2 3/3/2014 Arts Learning, Round 2 3/3/2014 Next Step Fund 4/7/2014 Arts Activities Support, Round 2 4/14/2014 Arts Achievement Award Weekly Management Training Fund Weekly Emergency Accessibility Monthly Management Consulting Fund
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MRAC Biennial Plan
The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council develops a two-year plan to guide our work for each legislative biennium. Constituent input is very important to us as we do this planning. A public meeting will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. at the MRAC office. Although you are welcome to just show up, we encourage you to let us know you are coming. To register, call Katie at 651-645-0402. A draft of the Biennial Plan is available on our website. If you prefer, you can e-mail your input to Jeff Prauer at jeff@mrac.org or call 651-645-0402. Back to top |
Arts Learning, Round 2 Grant Panels
FY 2013 Arts Learning, Round 2 grant applications will be reviewed the week of May 20, 2013. The panel review meetings will begin at 9:00 A.M. with a short panel re-orientation. Click on the linked panel date to see the order of reviews for that day. Tuesday, May 21, 2013Wednesday, May 22, 2013Thursday, May 23, 2013
The panel meetings are public, open meetings. Constituents are encouraged to come and listen to the reviews to gain a fuller understanding of the process and hear the panelists' comments directly. Applicants may listen to the proceedings but are not invited to make presentations or participate in the panel's discussion. |
Next Step Fund Grant Panel
FY 2013 Next Step Fund finalist grant applications will be reviewed Tuesday, June 11, 2013. The panel review meetings will begin at 9:00 A.M. with a short panel re-orientation. The panel schedule will be available in the June e-newsletter and on our website in June.
The panel meetings are public, open meetings. Constituents are encouraged to come and listen to the reviews to gain a fuller understanding of the process and hear the panelists' comments directly. Applicants may listen to the proceedings but are not invited to make presentations or participate in the panel's discussion.
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Arts Activities Support, Round 2 Grant Panels
FY 2013 Arts Activities Support, Round 2 grant applications will be reviewed the week of June 17, 2013. The panel review meetings will begin at 9:00 A.M. with a short panel re-orientation. The panel schedules will be available in the June e-newsletter and on our website in June.
The panel meetings are public, open meetings. Constituents are encouraged to come and listen to the reviews to gain a fuller understanding of the process and hear the panelists' comments directly. Applicants may listen to the proceedings but are not invited to make presentations or participate in the panel's discussion.
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FY 2014 Arts Activities Support, Round 1 Grant Workshops
The FY 2014 Arts Activities Support, Round 1 grant application deadline is Monday, July 8, 2013 with an earliest project start date of September 25, 2013. Grant guidelines will be available on the Arts Activities Support grant program page of the new MRAC website starting May 15.
MRAC offers workshops designed to help groups prepare MRAC Arts Activities Support grant applications. Participants will become familiar with the program and online application process and learn how to write effective MRAC grant proposals. This is a great opportunity to get questions answered on your project ideas. The Arts Activities Support workshops will be held:
Tuesday, June 4, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.Wednesday, June 5, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.Thursday, June 6, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.Saturday, June 8, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The workshops are free, but we ask that you register in advance. To register, click on the linked workshop date. The workshops will be held in the MRAC conference room at 2324 University Avenue West, St. Paul, MN 55114. Please contact us if you need special accommodations to attend an application workshop.
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ADA Access Improvement Grants for Metro Arts Organizations
Nonprofit arts organizations in the 7-county metropolitan area can apply for grants of up to 15,000 to make their arts facilities and programs more accessible to people with disabilities. Funded projects will have the potential for significant or long-term impact in involving more people with disabilities as participants or patrons in arts programs. Projects might include the installation of a ramp, elevator/lift, or an accessible bathroom; a Braille guide or docent training for an art collection; captioned videos; assistive listening systems; accessible pottery wheels; adjustable-height work spaces; etc. Application Deadline: May 17, 2013.This program, administered by VSA Minnesota, is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. For more information, call VSA Minnesota at 612-332-3888 or email access@vsamn.org, or find out about informational meetings and download the grant guidelines/application at http://www.vsamn.org/new.html#grantinfo2. |
Upcoming Arts Management Workshops:
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, 2324 University Ave W., St. Paul, MN 55114
Presented by Jamie Millard and Chris Oien
This session will unpack the power of social media by sharing real-life stories of online success of other organizations. After hearing stories highlighting the social media strategies of other arts organizations, the presenters will walk participants through specific social media strategies geared toward increasing engagement and interaction with fans and followers. Come prepared to ask questions and to engage in discussions for launching your social media presence.
Jamie Millard, Client Relationship Manager for Fast Horse--an innovative, integrated agency offering traditional and non-traditional marketing services, specializes in understanding audiences and digital media strategies. She is the co-founder and volunteer executive director of Paper Darts, a literary arts organization, and currently serves as vice chair of the board of directors for the Twin Cities chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network.
Chris Oien is the Web Communications Associate for the Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF), where he is responsible for digital communications and outreach. Prior to his work at MCF, he won Minnesota Monthly's award for Best Twitter Feed for his work at the Lake Street Council. He also sits on the board of the Twin Cities chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, where he currently serves as national liaison.
The workshop is free, but we ask that you register in advance. To register, click on the linked training date. Please contact us if you need special accommodations to attend a training event.
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Resource Updates (These non-MRAC opportunities are listed at MRAC's discretion. The listing does not indicate an endorsement.) The Minnesota Theater Alliance invites artists, administrators, educators, and students to a collective conversation around critical challenges and opportunities in leadership, inclusion, and diversity facing our community. Register to attend: Who's in Charge? A Minnesota Theater Forum on Leadership and Diversity, May 6-7, 2013 at Hamline University, St. Paul, MN. More information is available at mntheateralliance.org/content/whosincharge. Sign up for a Minnesota Cultural Data Project "New User" or "CDP Reports" orientation session. The New User Orientation will walk you through the process of completing your Data Profile, applying to participating grant-makers, and generating reports. The CDP Reports Orientation will teach you more about the powerful trend and comparison reports available free-of-charge through the CDP and offer tips for using these reports in your organization's financial management, planning, and evaluation. More information is available at http://www.mnculturaldata.org/news.aspx. The Minnesota State Fair is accepting registrations for its 2013 Fine Arts Exhibition, one of the largest juried art competitions in the state. Details are available at www.mnstatefair.org/competition/fine_arts.html. Deadline: July 1, 2013. The National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Fast-Track (CAFT) grant provides support to primarily small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations--those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. For more information, visit the NEA's website: www.arts.gov. Deadline: May 23, 2013. Learn how the arts can be at the center of building thriving communities. John Davis, a nationally recognized leader who uses the arts to strengthen rural economies, is one of three inspiring keynote speakers at the 2013 Rural Arts & Culture Summit, June 5 & 6, in Morris, MN. Learn more at http://www.racsummit.org. Interested in a non-MRAC training opportunity, but not sure that your organization can afford the fee? MRAC offers a training fund grant for management or administrative-related training opportunities that will strengthen your organization. Click on the link for more information on MRAC's Management Training Fund grant. Back to top
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Collecting Photos!
The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council uses photos of arts activities from the past year on our website and in our print materials such as our brochure and annual report. We look for a variety of photos that will show the diversity of our community and the range of arts activities and arts disciplines that MRAC funds. Photos are selected for use based on our needs and photo quality.
For more information and to submit your photos, please visit our photo submission page or contact Mara Miller by email at mara@mrac.org. |
 Logos Webpage! 
Trying to find the MRAC and/or Legacy Logo to use in your
publicity materials? Now MRAC has a webpage with downloadable logos and the required acknowledgement language. Visit www.mrac.org/resources/logos.html and help inform your fans about the importance of arts funding!
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Central Corridor LRT ConstructionThe Central Corridor LRT line is under construction along University Avenue. This will cause delays as traffic is re-routed and/or streets are closed. Please allow extra travel time when coming to visit our office.At times, access to the MRAC parking lots from University may be difficult due to the LRT construction. To get to our back entrance, use Myrtle St.--behind the MRAC building. You can access Myrtle from Raymond or Pelham. Click here to see a map to our back entrance.
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 Forward to a Friend
Please forward our e-newsletter to people who may be
interested in information about MRAC grant deadlines and awards,
workshops, training opportunities, resource updates, and other MRAC
news. We do not share our e-mail
subscriber list with others.
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| MRAC's on Facebook
There is another way to find out what is happening at MRAC. Connect with us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/MetropolitanRegionalArtsCouncil.
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MRAC FY 2012 Summary
In FY 2012, MRAC received 840 applications and awarded 419 grants totaling 2,738,936 to arts organizations and/or projects including a grant to VSA Minnesota for its regranting program, the ADA Access Improvement Grants for Metro Arts Organizations. These grants were funded by an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the State's general fund, and by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. MRAC also received 366 applications from individual artists in the Next Step Fund program and awarded 32 grants totaling 155,900 with funds from The McKnight Foundation. MRAC provided 32 arts management training sessions and 26 grant application workshops.
Photos for top ribbon provided by: FOCI Glass, Ballet Minnesota, Thursday Musical (© Virginia Padden), Caponi Arts Park (Photo of CAAM Chinese Dance Theater), Oratorio Society (© Kyrsten Gustafson), Masquers Theatre Company, and T.V. by Girls.
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