The Arts & Culture
Program Support Grant
This grant program will provide programming support to SRAC members who transform Springfield through the arts. Learn more about the Program Support Grant.
Program Support Grant Overview
The Springfield Regional Arts Council’s Arts & Culture Grant Program aims to transform lives and enrich the community through arts by providing funding support, collaborative partnership opportunities and program assistance for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations that are members of the SRAC.
This year, one grant option is available to support Springfield’s Arts and Culture community. The Program Support Grant offers up to $10,000 to nonprofit arts organizations for events, performances, classes and collaborations. Program Support grants should prioritize advancing arts advocacy, education, collaboration, tourism and ensuring high-quality cultural access for the community.
The Operating Support Grant is in the second year of a 3-year cycle and is not open for new applications in 2025.
Program Support Grant Guidelines
The Arts and Culture Program Support grantmaking program aims to transform lives and enrich the community through the arts by providing funding support, collaborative partnership opportunities and program assistance for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations within the Springfield Regional Arts Council’s service area. This grant program is supported by a portion of the local hotel/motel tax collection allocated to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, and additional funding is made possible by the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation and the Community Foundation of the Ozarks.
This grant program will provide programming support to organizations working primarily in the arts, including funding for events, performances, classes, readings, outreach activities, exhibitions, public art, collaborative partnership projects and other programmatic strategies.
The total amount available in this grant round is $120,000. Agencies may apply for up to $10,000 in funding. While $30,000 is designated for Springfield agencies, the remaining $90,000 is available to agencies within the SRAC’s 27-county service area, including Barry, Barton, Bates, Cedar, Christian, Dade, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Henry, Hickory, Howell, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Webster and Wright counties.
Eligibility Requirements:
- The applicant must be a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, government entity, school district or tax-exempt faith-based organization with a primary mission in the arts. Fiscally sponsored organizations are not eligible.
- The agency must be a current member of the SRAC [add link to membership]
- Organizations not primarily working in the arts are not eligible for this grant program.
- Matching funds are not required for this grant application, but they are encouraged.
- Requests cannot represent more than 50% of the organization’s annual budget.
Funding Priorities:
- Advancing arts advocacy, education, collaboration and tourism in Springfield.
- Improving diversity, equity and inclusion of audience, arts offerings, board members, etc.
- Project-based funding with an emphasis on collaborative projects.
- Marketing efforts with the goal of increasing audience and/or community engagement and promoting regional tourism.
- Outreach projects focused on youth (birth to 17 years) and/or senior citizens.
In awarding grants, the CFO, the Musgrave Foundation, and the Springfield Regional Arts Council welcome applications from all types of organizations that meet the eligibility requirements listed above. With shared values including creativity in all forms, collaboration and partnerships, growth and education, innovation, quality, and accessibility, we acknowledge that the greatest impact comes from investing in arts and culture in a way that authentically celebrates communities.
Contact Ashley Fleming ([email protected]), Grant Program Officer, at 417-864-6199 with questions about this grant program.
Applications to this grant program are due April 17, 2025, at 11:45 p.m.
Program Support Grant FAQs
Q: How much funding will be awarded this cycle?
A: A total of $120,000 will be available this grant cycle to support programming. Arts & Culture grants are supported by a portion of the local hotel/motel tax collection allocated to the Springfield Regional Arts Council. Additional funding is made possible by the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and the Jeannette L. Musgrave Foundation.
Q: Why is the Operating Support cycle not available this year?
A: The Operating Support grant is a 3-year commitment to 5 arts organizations. 2025 is the second year of that commitment. The next cycle will open in 2027.
Q: How much can I ask for?
A: The maximum request for the Program Support grant is $10,000.
Q: What is the timeframe of this grant?
A: Awards will be distributed on the first Friday of June. Annual reporting on the grant’s impacts and successes will be due May 1, 2025.
Q: Can I apply for both the Operating Support and Program Support grant?
A: Yes, you can apply for both, but the organization will only be able to receive one grant if awarded by the Grant Committee. An Operating Support grant recipient is ineligible for addition Program Support funding for the duration of the 3-year funding period.
Q: Are there geographical limitations to the grant award?
A: Program Support project may take place in the SRAC’s 27-county region.
Q: Why is tourism included in the arts and culture grant priorities?
A: A large portion of the Arts & Culture grant program is funded through the increased allocation of the local hotel/motel tourism tax. Ensuring investments in arts and culture help attract more tourism to Springfield will grow the pool of funding for future spending on arts and culture projects and demonstrate the impact arts and culture have on the local economy. Have you seen the data the SRAC has collected about the local economic impact of the arts? Learn more here.
