Grant Eligibility Requirements

This grant program aims to support youth art and music programming and education in communities across Hennepin County. Grant funds are meant to be the last funds for a project; therefore, funding is not meant to be used for fundraising purposes or as seed money for new projects. Grants up to $25,000 are available. To be eligible for the Grant:

• Applicants must be local units of government, including local park systems, cities, and school districts
• Local units of government must be located within Hennepin County
• Local units of government are strongly encouraged to partner with businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations to promote youth activities in their communities
• The majority of youth served by the proposed project should reside within Hennepin County
• Youth served by the project must be 21 years of age or younger, with preference given to projects focusing on youth 18 years or younger

Arts and music education and programming encompass:

• Arts education and programming, including but not limited to:
  • Fine arts
  • Photography
  • Sculpture
  • Multimedia
  • Graphic design
  • Drama/Plays/Theatre performance
  • Dance
  • Public spoken word
  • Poetry
  • Storyboarding
• Music education and programming, including but not limited to:
  • Concert bands, marching bands, jazz bands, and small ensembles
  • Orchestra
  • Choir
  • Musicals, musical performances
  • Concerts and/or talent shows

Grant funds may be used to reimburse:

• Arts equipment and supplies
• Music equipment and supplies
• Materials needed for programming, educational purposes, and performances
• Advertisement and/or outreach materials

Questions and Pre-Application Assistance

Applicants are invited to contact Encouraging Leaders for feedback on project ideas before applying. For more information visit www.encouragingleadersmn.org or contact Marcus Hamilton at support@encouragingleadersmn.org or (612) 662-5323.

Application Format and Content

Applications must adhere to the following format:

1. Statement Attestations

The Applicant must attest:

1. That the Applicant has reviewed and agrees to be bound by Hennepin County Grant Agreement.
2. The Local Government Unit (LGU) has reviewed this application and believes it is consistent with its program goals. The LGU is prepared to be the fiscal agent for the award, to disburse the funds, and ensure the funds are used as listed in this application.
3. Disclosure of any conflicts in accordance with the Solicitation.

2. Application

The Application shall contain the following information (and in the same order):

• Application Information
  1. Legal name of Local Government Unit (LGU)
  2. LGU Mailing Address
  3. Application Contact and Title, Telephone Number, Email address
  4. Signatory Title and Contact Information (must have signature authority for the grant amount and/or amount of the matching funds)
  5. Collaborating/Partnership Agency
  6. Collaborating Agency Address
  7. Collaborating Agency Contact and Title, Telephone Number, Email address
  8. Delegation of authority – list contacts and/or agencies to whom you wish to delegate authority
  9. Name of Project/Program
  10. Address of program locations(s)
  11. Hennepin County District (if unknown, please leave blank)
  12. Number of estimated youth to be served/impacted by the program
• Organizational Capacity and Parameters
  1. A profile of the Applicant, including, as applicable, the size, organizational structure, and history.
  2. Describe your organization’s mission and major program areas. Describe the relevance of the Grant to your organization’s mission.
  3. Describe the communities and geographic regions that your organization serves.
  4. As applicable, provide the number of people served annually. What communities, if any, do you exclude from your services?
• Project/Program Model and Features
  1. Describe your proposed project that will be funded by the Grant. As applicable, please include the staffing model and metrics.
  2. How many people do you plan to serve through your proposed project
  3. Describe how your project will address your community’s specific challenges and opportunities.
  4. For collaborative groups, please include a list of partner organizations and the intended role each organization will play within the collaboration.
• Program Cost and Budget
  1. Total Project Budget
  2. Requested Grant Amount and Justification
  3. Matching Funds
• Additional Information
  1. Written letter of support from the signatory authority for the LGU
  2. Community letters of support (Optional)
  3. Additional information deemed relevant to the application (Optional)