Looser-Flake Foundation Creative Arts Grants

2024 Collaborative Grant Program

PURPOSE

The Looser-Flake Foundation’s 2024 Collaborative Grant Program for Creative Arts Opportunities in Mercer County supports opportunities for Mercer County residents to create or engage with the creative arts by supporting projects that expand arts programming, expand access to arts programming, or build capacity of arts organizations or events. Learn more about the Looser-Flake Foundation here.

Application Process

As the collaborative applicant, Mercer County Better Together will work with participating applicants to collect information and submit a collaborative application.

The Looser-Flake Foundation will decide on the collaborative application as a package, rather than making decisions on each individual project within the collaborative application. The trustees reserve the right to exclude funding for individual projects which are ineligible, which do not strongly meet the evaluation criteria, or which otherwise are not aligned with the priorities of the Looser-Flake Foundation.

All entities interested in participating in the collaborative grant application should fill out the interest form below by May 15:

Eligibility

• One collaborative application will be accepted that must contain projects submitted by at least five entities in or specifically serving Mercer County.

• Eligible entities that may join the collaborative application are: nonprofit organizations with 501(c)3 public charity status, public school districts, and/or government entities.

• Eligible costs may include operating, program, or capital costs.

• All projects must be located in Mercer County or specifically serve Mercer County residents, must be available to the general public, and must be able to be completed within one year.

• All participating applicants must be able to accept and manage grant payments. After the collaborative proposal is evaluated, grant payments for each project will be issued separately to each participating entity.

Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• Projects that expand arts programming: adding a musical or dance performance to an existing community festival; creating a performance series at a community park; adding a “makers market” tent to a farmers market to allow local artists to sell their work; paying an additional teacher to add an art class for youth or adults at a community center.

• Projects that expand access to arts programming: arranging a field trip for school children to an art museum or theatre performance; creating a fund that allows for registration cost waivers for students with financial need to take dance lessons.

• Projects that build capacity of arts organizations or events: purchasing audio-visual technology or other equipment for a municipal bandshell; purchasing a kiln for a school arts studio; contracting with a professional events company to improve the operations of a community event; developing a website for an arts organization; purchasing ticketing software.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Reach: The number and proportion of Mercer County residents served by the projects, including the varied location of applicants and events across the county.

• Goals: The application demonstrates how projects will expand arts programming, expand access to arts programming, or build capacity of arts organizations or events.

• Project plan: The project plans are clear and achievable, and contain plans for maintenance.

• Leverage: The applicants engage and utilize other resources such as funding sources, volunteers, and community partnerships.

• Collaboration: The application demonstrates collaboration among the applicants and other organizations in Mercer County.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We’re here to help you to be as successful as you can with your grant application. To discuss if your project is the right fit, contact:

Kelly Thompson / email
Call (563) 326-2840

Watch the info session

Final Reports

A collaborative final report on all funded projects will be due September 15, 2025, to be compiled by Mercer County Better Together, the collaborative applicant.

LEARN ABOUT PAST GRANT RECIPIENTS