Organization Mini-Grants range from $200 to $1,000 and require a dollar-for-dollar cash match (in-kind matches are not eligible).

An organization may apply for funding to pay half of a professional artist’s fee, consultant’s fee or other eligible expense, up to $1,000. For example, if you are presenting a Roster Artist and their total fee is $800, you may apply for $400. If you are hiring a consultant for board development and their total fee is $2,000, you may apply for $1,000.

Organizations that can apply for a Mini-Grant must:

• Be based in Mississippi
• Be incorporated in Mississippi as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization OR
• Be a unit of local government, such as a school, library, or another county or municipal agency. Units of local government may be required to provide documentation of their status as a governmental agency.

Mini-Grants are reviewed in-house by MAC staff and recommended for funding to the Grants Committee. The final funding decision is made by the MAC Board of Commissioners.

There are types of activities that may be supported through Organization Mini-Grants:

-Presenting/Hiring Professional Artists:

Mini-Grants can pay for up to half of the total fee to hire a professional artist.

Those hiring members of MAC’s Artist Roster will be given funding priority.

Other professional artists must include proof of artistic excellence and professionalism. Examples of how to establish this within the application include, but are not limited to: Artist’s resume and work samples, signed intent to hire agreement, link to professional website or listing on another adjudicated roster program, such as the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, the Poet Laureate of Mississippi, or a program managed by another state or regional arts agency.

• Organizations may hire artists (Priority will be given to those hiring MAC Roster artists or MAC Teaching artists) to: 
  • • Present a performance, workshop, or other presentation
    • Create public art on/in your building or for your organization
    • To create arts curriculum

-Organizational or Curriculum Development:

Mini-Grants can support up to half of the total fee of a consultant to support organizational capacity building, organizational professional development or curriculum development.

• Organizations may hire professional consultants to provide a short-term consultancy that is focused on overall organizational development such as: 
  • Organizational long range Strategic Planning
  • Organizational Fundraising Planning
  • Diversity Training or other professional work to diversify and organization’s Board of Directors
  • ADA Compliance and Accessibility Trainings
  • Board Member Training
  • Arts Related Emergency Preparation
  • Convening focus groups of different types of artists, stakeholders or members of the community touched by your organization
  • Curriculum development in a K-12 school

Please note: The applicant organization must demonstrate through the required attachments that the consultant is qualified to do the work.

• Conference Support:

Mini-Grants can support up to half of the total cost for an arts organization to send staff or board members to an in-person or online professional conference or workshop that directly relates to the organization’s work in and through the arts.

If you are a non-arts organization, please contact MAC staff to discuss eligibility.

Grant awards to organizations, unless otherwise specified in the program guidelines, must be matched dollar-for-dollar. For example, if an organization requests $1,000 from MAC, they must have at least $1,000 in cash income from another source (other than state funds) towards the expenses of that same project. Sources of matching funds may include revenue from the project activities, contributions from foundations or corporations, government support from federal or local sources, or cash from the organization’s own accounts.

Grantees cannot match MAC funding with other state funds.

In-kind contributions cannot be counted as part of a cash match. In-kind contributions are the dollar value of materials and services that are provided to a project at no cash cost from sources other than the applicant, i.e., volunteer hours or donated space. However, it is important to document and include information on in-kind contributions as part of the application budget. In-kind donations help to demonstrate a community’s support of a project.

Please note: Apply online using MAC’s E-Grant system.

Applications should be complete, including all required information and materials. Incomplete applications, defined as applications missing one or more of the following documents, will not be considered for funding. Please be prepared to submit the following information through the E-Grant system:

• • In 2022, the federal government transitioned from the use of the DUNS Number to a new SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEI) as the primary means of identification required to apply for and receive federal funding. Due to federal regulations, MAC will be unable to award any funding to organizations that fail to provide this information. It is 100% free for an organization to request a UEI, and you need not complete the full SAM.gov registration in order to obtain your ID. Follow the steps outlined in this guide to obtain your organization’s UEI, or click here to view a video which provides a detailed explanation of the SAM.gov Unique Entity ID (UEI). For further assistance in obtaining a SAM.gov UEI, you can reach the help desk by calling 866-606-8220 to speak to a registration specialist.
  • Budget itemization (if needed to show additional information on the project budget).
  • Biographies (no longer than one half page for each) of the key artistic and administrative personnel working on the project (paid and volunteer).
  • A list of your organization’s board of directors. Please indicate their racial/ethnic make-up and members with disabilities. Public schools should submit a list of the current members of their school board. Governmental entities should submit a list of their municipal or county level governing boards.
  • If your organization is applying to MAC for the first time: a copy of your official IRS 501(c)3 determination letter. You do not need to send a copy of the letter if your organization has applied for a grant from MAC in the past three years. Public schools, libraries and other agencies of local government are exempt from this requirement.
  • If your organization is:
    • Presenting an Artist: If the artist you are presenting is not on MAC’s Artist Roster, you must be able to show proof of artistic excellence and professionalism. Examples of how to establish this within the application include, but are not limited to: providing an artist’s resume and work samples, signed intent to hire agreement, link to professional website or listing on another adjudicated roster program, such as the Craftsmen’s Guild of Mississippi, the Poet Laureate of Mississippi, or a program managed by another state or regional arts agency.
    • Conducting Organizational or Curriculum Development:
      • a) the consultant’s resumé and a list of their recent clients with contact information.
      • b) a one page narrative that includes:
        • a description of the organization’s specific needs that will be addressed through the consultation
        • details of the project activities and the rationale for working with the proposed consultant
        • the expected outcome(s) for the organization once the project is completed
    • Attending a Conference: A complete conference brochure and registration form that shows the registration and related fees for the event. If travel funds are also being requested, please also include estimates from a travel agent or airline.
    • For Presenting an Artist or Organizational Development applicants: A copy of the signed contract or letter of agreement between your organization and the artist or consultant. The agreement should include all pertinent details including date of performance, type of presentation or performance, fee, payment schedule, and other necessary information.

Round 1 applicants can expect to be notified in July.

Round 2 applicants can expect to be notified in December. 

Successful applicants will receive payment in two installments. 50% of payment will be disbursed two weeks prior to the approved project start date and the remaining 50% upon completion of Final Report, receipts and other completed grant documents. All recipients are also responsible for turning in a completed contract, W9 and Unique Entity ID (UEI) number.