Art creators
Creative Initiatives Impact Funding
Creative Initiatives Impact Funding is for organizations or initiatives who support Jackson County or Kansas City, MO neighborhood and community development with arts and culture projects, activities, or programs. Creative Initiatives funding is meant to promote accessibility to the arts, arts education, as well as partnerships and collaborations in the arts.
This grant is currently closed. More information coming soon.
To be eligible for funding in the Creative Initiatives category, the applicant must:
- Be located in Jackson County, MO or Kansas City, MO
- Apply for a specific arts and culture and/or arts education program, project, or activity
- Identify as one of the following categories:
- Registered nonprofit organization (have 501c3 status)
- In good standing with MO Secretary of State as a Missouri nonprofit
- Individual or small group affiliated with a 501c3 organization or Missouri nonprofit
- Community-serving collective, collaborative, or initiative with a charitable purpose associated with a 501c3 organization or Missouri nonprofit
- Types of organizations encouraged to apply include: neighborhood associations, community centers, faith-based organizations, libraries, rotaries, chambers, education centers, and charitable initiatives associated with these organizations (non publicly-funded organizations only).
- Have not been awarded an ArtsKC Mission Support or Project Support grant since 2019
*Funding will not be awarded to individuals
Applications are submitted online using the ArtsKC Grant System.
If you have not applied before, when you go to the ArtsKC Grant System, click on the “Create New Account” button, and follow the directions there. If you are a new user but your organization has applied for ArtsKC funding before, email Grantmaking@ArtsKC.org to help set up your user profile.
If you have applied before, log in to your existing account in the ArtsKC Grant System and click on the “Apply” link to start a new application. Use the “Forgot Your Password?” link if you don’t remember what your password is. When you return to work on a saved application, be sure to look for your previously started form!
If you need assistance with the online application process, please see this video: Grant Applicant Tutorial.
*Note: The online grants system is compatible with screen reading systems, but does not have an in-application screen-reader.
Draft applications may be submitted for review by staff. This step is strongly encouraged for new applicants. Draft applications do not require a full set of attachments or support materials to be reviewed and should be completed via the online grants system. Once the application has been completed for a draft review, email the ArtsKC Grants staff to say that the application is ready for draft review. ArtsKC staff will review applications in the order they are submitted and will provide timely feedback to the applicant. Applicants will be able to make changes directly in the application without having to start the application over. Draft applications must be submitted 30 days before the application deadline in order to allow time for staff to review it.
A preview of the 2021-2022 Creative Initiatives Impact Funding application is linked below:
2022-2023 Creative Initiatives Impact Funding Application
Project Budgets
The Creative Initiatives Impact Funding Application requires applicants to upload a Project Budget that includes all project income and all project expenses. In-kind or donated resources should be included. The income should include the amount of your ArtsKC grant request. The total amount for expenses and the total amount of income should be equal to each other, so your budget is balanced.
We have created an OPTIONAL template that can be accessed below.
Recipients are chosen by a continually renewed and representative group of community members with a variety of expertise and diverse perspectives. Committee Members are selected for their artistic knowledge and experience, awareness of community needs and issues, and other contributing factors. An ArtsKC Board Member leads each committee. Funding is approved by the ArtsKC Board of Directors.
The committee will consider:
Arts and Culture Goals
Community Impact
Audience and Reach
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Accessibility
Financial Management and Need
The application in comparison to all other applications in the competitive process.
Committee members will use the following Evaluation Form:
Two amounts will be offered: $5,000 and $2,500. Applicants will be asked to identify which amount they are requesting. A project budget must be uploaded to the application. Evaluators may decide to award a different amount than requested based on the project budget.
To accept funding from ArtsKC, you must return your signed Agreement Letter and W-9 within 15 business days of the notice, or you will forfeit your entire award.
You do not have to accept funding. If you have been awarded funding and would like to turn it down or return it because of a change in plans or for any other reason, please notify ArtsKC Staff immediately.
Funding is paid in two payments. The recipient must return a signed Agreement Letter and W-9 in order to receive the first payment of 80%. To receive the second payment of 20%, the recipient must turn in an Impact Report, which must be approved by ArtsKC. Please allow two weeks after submitting Agreement Letters and Impact reports to process checks.
Impact Reports due May 17, 2023.
Impact Reports are submitted through the ArtsKC Grant System.
You are required to submit an Impact Report by the deadline, or you will forfeit your final payment. We understand that it may become necessary to request a reasonable extension. Please do so by contacting ArtsKC well before the deadline to ensure timely processing of your request. ArtsKC will work with applicants in the event your project is delayed or postponed. Please contact us to discussion the circumstances. If an Impact Report is not received after the agreed upon date, you will become ineligible to apply for ArtsKC funding. Ineligibility can be reversed by the submission of an acceptable Impact Report.
A preview of the Impact Report is available below:
During the duration of your active status as a Creative Initiatives Impact Funding recipient, we ask that you recognize ArtsKC publicly in your promotional materials and programs in a manner consistent with your policy of acknowledging other donors. Please recognize ArtsKC by name, and use the ArtsKC logo. As part of this agreement, ArtsKC respectfully requests to use your name and any photos you are willing to provide in our promotional materials and online.
Please notify ArtsKC staff in writing of any major changes in leadership, programs or operations as described in your application. Updates to contact information are also necessary to stay in contact and to mail checks to the appropriate address.
The 2022-2023 Creative Initiatives Impact Funding Committee:
Committee Chair: Miguel Rivera, Chair, Printmaking, Kansas City Art Institute
Committee Members:
ari bonner, image maker & arts worker
Cesar Lopez, Artist
Dwight O. Smith, Major U.S. Army retired
Kerry Grant, Resin Artist
Shirley Scott, Mazuman Branch Leader, Crossroads
Rob Reeder, Marketing Manager
Glenda Masters, Cultural Arts Manager, City of Lee's Summit MO
