After your organization’s eligibility status has been confirmed, you will receive a link to the application form by email. All of the information that will be required for the application is detailed below.

Applications are due no later than 11:59 pm on Friday, September 15th. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted, and application materials cannot be updated after the deadline. Required attachment templates must be submitted where requested. Panel review will take place in October, and grants will be announced on November 10, 2023.

Staff will be available to answer questions or assist with technical difficulties until 5 pm on Thursday, September 14. Please contact us with any questions as far in advance as possible by sending an email to communityarts@createbirmingham.org. Due to the number of applicants, staff may not be able to assist with technical difficulties or answer questions received regarding the application on the day of the deadline.

Before preparing your application, please carefully review the partnership and project requirements for community arts collaborations. The funding criteria and scoring rubric that will be used by the community review panel can be found here.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

This program will fund community-based organizations, groups, collectives, or artists for arts projects taking a creative approach to addressing an issue impacting the City of Birmingham communities and neighborhoods where they live and work, as listed here. Each proposed community collaboration must be a partnership between an artist or arts organization and a community organization from a non-arts sector. Examples of issues addressed include but are not limited to civic advocacy and engagement, public health or safety, racial justice, restorative justice, and social or legal services. 

Collaborations eligible for funding include but are not limited to workshops, performances, concerts, festivals, demonstrations, screenings, and readings. Projects may be new collaborations or continuations of existing work. Arts education projects that serve students attending a specific school or schools, either during or after school hours, are not eligible for funding. Activities must be broadly accessible to Birmingham residents, regardless of the age group being served by the project. Funded projects must take place between January 1 and December 1, 2024. 

The primary partner must have nonprofit status and be located within the municipality of the City of Birmingham. Organizations may not serve as one of the two lead partners on more than one application. Individual artists also may not serve as one of the two lead partners on more than one application. Please confirm with your partner prior to submitting your application that they are not listed as a lead partner on another project. Recipients of 2023 City of Birmingham Community Arts Grants are not eligible to apply for 2024 funding.

Priority consideration will be given to projects involving small to mid-sized arts organizations and/or individual artists. Applications will be reviewed by a nine-person panel appointed by the Birmingham City Council. The panel will consist of one representative from each of the City of Birmingham’s nine districts, selected by their respective City Council members. The funding criteria and scoring rubric will be available for reference throughout the application process.

Funded projects must provide 1:2 matching funds. For every grant dollar awarded, the project partners must contribute 50 cents, for a total match of $5,000. Matching funds may be in-kind, cash, or a combination of both. The total budget must be at least $15,000: $10,000 in grant funds and $5,000 in matching funds.

In addition to providing complete contact information for both lead partners, you will be asked to provide the following information on your proposed community arts collaboration. The form cannot be saved and returned to at a later time, so please prepare your materials in a separate document in advance of submission.

A description of the community arts collaboration, including timeline and location

Please describe your project’s goal and activities, including how this collaboration uses an arts-centered approach to address community needs. Please note if the activities will be free or fee-based and provide key project dates and locations. (2000 characters or less, including spaces)

A description of both partners and their roles in the collaboration

Please describe how your project will utilize a diverse team of qualified professionals to carry out this project. Please outline how both partners will be involved in the planning and execution of the project. (2000 characters or less, including spaces)

A description of how the collaboration serves City of Birmingham citizens

Please describe how your project addresses an issue impacting the City of Birmingham. Please include details on the community (or communities) you will engage with in this work and how many people you estimate that this project will serve. (2000 characters or less, including spaces)

A project budget form detailing expenses and sources of matching funds

This budget, using the required template, must total at least $15,000 and must include both the anticipated expenses for the collaboration and the anticipated sources of income, including the $5,000 that will serve as the required 1:2 match for the $10,000 grant. Please note which sources will be in-kind and which, if any, will be cash. All expenses must be incurred between January 1 and December 1, 2024. Complete instructions can be found on the budget template. (Download the required 2024 budget template here.) 

A partnership agreement form signed by both partners

This agreement, using the required template which must be signed and dated by both partners, affirms each partner’s commitment to the proposed project and confirms that each partner has reviewed this application in full prior to submission. (Download the required 2024 Partnership Agreement Form here.)

An organization budget for the primary partner

This operating budget for the primary partner’s current fiscal year may be submitted in your organization’s preferred format, but it must include both organization income and expense and be no longer than two pages.

A current IRS Form W-9 signed by the primary partner
(Available for download here)

The application form will be provided to applicants by email after eligibility is confirmed in August. Create Birmingham is happy to assist with any questions you may have. Please contact us regarding the City of Birmingham Community Arts Grant Program by sending an email to communityarts@createbirmingham.org.