Culture Blocks
Purpose
ASC Culture Blocks connects communities with responsive arts, science, and history experiences closer to where residents live. The program engages with creative individuals and organizations with a primary mission of arts, science, and/or history to present programs in specific geographic areas. Culture Blocks, funded by Mecklenburg County, supports cultural experiences planned with resident involvement and/or at libraries, recreation centers, parks, and relevant community spaces.
WHAT IS A CULTURE BLOCKS PROGRAM?
Community is key.
Culture Blocks provide arts, science, and history experiences in neighborhoods across Mecklenburg County, primarily using public facilities through a partnership with ASC, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Libraries, and Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation. These programs take place within designated geographic areas (Culture Blocks), which were determined by the 2014 Mecklenburg County Quality of Life Indicator data. They include neighborhoods in Charlotte, and the towns of Cornelius, Huntersville, Davidson, Matthews, Mint Hill and Pineville.
Culture Blocks programs are often interactive, inviting residents to engage directly in the cultural experience. They may also be designed to accompany other public services, such as the Senior Nutrition Program, to enhance the experience of the community. They may include concerts, dance and theatre experiences, visual arts workshops, history programming, or opportunities for the community to engage with the natural world through science and technology.
COMMUNITY IS KEY
Resident engagement and feedback is key to the Culture Blocks Program. ASC Staff hosts engagement events in each Block to collect feedback from residents. This feedback is compiled and made available to applicants. Ideal Culture Blocks providers have a track record of engaging Mecklenburg County residents in their creative practice. Compelling applications for Culture Blocks funding are informed by the community feedback and make clear connections between the community feedback and the programming they plan to offer the community.
HOW DOES CULTURE BLOCKS FUNDING WORK?
Culture Blocks funding resources creative individuals and non-profit organizations who provide arts, science, and history programming to bring their programs directly to residents, primarily by leveraging Rec Centers and Libraries, or other community spaces. ASC is paying artists and non-profit organizations directly to support this programming.
Culture Blocks intends to fully fund the direct expenses related to the delivery of these programs. As such, Culture Blocks programs are provided to the community at no charge to the public.
Culture Blocks is generously funded by our partners at Mecklenburg County, and administered by the Arts & Science Council in partnership with Charlotte Mecklenburg Libraries and Mecklenburg County Parks and Rec.
Please note: Culture Blocks funding is not designed to help an artist or organization with start-up funding or capacity building support. ASC offers other funding opportunities, such as Artist Support Grants, Cultural Vision Grants, and Cultural Organization Support Grants to support these efforts.
Returning Culture Blocks providers should note that receiving support in the past is not a guarantee of future support. It is incumbent on the applicant to provide sufficient context and detail for the review panel to agree to support a new application.
APPLY FOR CULTURE BLOCKS FUNDING
The deadline has passed: February 19, 2024 at 12:00pm/noon
*** An additional call for funding will open in the Summer of 2024 to support experiences presented between October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. ***
WHO CAN APPLY
- Creatives individuals
- Organizations
- Collaborative programming is welcomed. Organizations working together must identify a single organization to serve as the applicant.
- Religious organizations and institutions of higher education can apply provided the programming reaches a broader audience (not only church membership or faculty/student body) and does not contain proselytizing religious content.
- Neighborhood organizations are welcome to apply.
WHAT QUALIFIES FOR CULTURE BLOCKS FUNDING
- Programing should take place between July 1 and September 30. 2024
- The program is an arts, science, history, or heritage project that takes place in a Culture Blocks designated geographic areas.
- Programming should align with Culture Blocks Themes. Follow this link to review the themes each Culture Block has identified. Community Feedback.
- One-time programs and/or recurring programs are eligible.
- An applicant can offer programming in multiple blocks or one culture block location.
- Programming should directly engage residents.
- Programs must be free and open to the public.
Eligibility
Successful applicants will demonstrate a commitment to collaboration with ASC, community partners, and program participants to deliver arts, science, and/or history experiences. Please consider applying if your program meets the following criteria:
- Programing should take place between July 1 and September 30. 2024
- The program provider is a creative individual (sole proprietor or LLC) or a 501(c)(3) organization in good standing with the IRS.
- The program is an art, science, history, or heritage project that takes place in Culture Blocks designated geographic areas and increases access to creative experiences for residents living in one or more of the Culture Blocks.
- Programming should align with Culture Blocks Community Feedback.
- Program providers must secure space for Culture Blocks programming at libraries, Recreation Centers, and parks by contacting the appropriate staff person listed in each location. Browse the Partner Facilities Contact list here.
- Programs must be free and open to the public.
- The program provider has a recent history of successful public programming (a minimum of twelve months preferred).
- One-time programs and/or recurring programs are eligible.
- An applicant can offer programming in multiple blocks or one culture block location.
- Program providers should include the appropriate Culture Blocks liaison in all email communication to the library branch, park, or recreation center staff. Please contact the respective liaison person directly included in the document.
- Program providers must submit the Facility Host Agreement signed by the liaison staff from the library branch, park, or recreation center.
Restrictions
Culture Blocks funding intends to support the direct expenses of a creative individual or non-profit organization to deliver a program. Prior to applying, please consider the following list of requests that are not supported:
- Programming that involves work with PreK-12 children during the school day is not eligible.
- Programming designed to serve as a fundraiser is not eligible.
- Programming that occurs outside of Culture Block’s Blocks is not eligible.
- Organizations or individuals with delinquent paperwork for a previously funded ASC grant in the last five (5) years are not eligible to apply.
- Requests for capital expenditures or purchase of new equipment are not eligible (e.g. laptops, digital cameras, kilns, sewing machines, instruments).
- Applicants may not budget for lost revenue, or to offset income.
- Culture Blocks does not fund mileage or mileage reimbursement. Rental of a vehicle to transport large items (e.g., equipment, props, etc.)
- Culture Blocks funds cannot be used for temporary lodging or airfare.
- Ongoing operating expenses, including staff salaries and benefits, annual product licenses, membership fees, web hosting fees, etc., are not eligible expenses. Fees to artists or contractors hired specifically to deliver the program are eligible.
- Costumes and props are not generally funded. However, reasonable exceptions may be considered up to 10% of the total program budget request on a case-by-case basis.
- Food and beverages are not generally funded. However, reasonable exceptions may be considered such as snacks for afterschool youth programs or water for a movement-based experience such as dance.
- Culture Blocks is designed to leverage public facilities in the designated geographies, and as such many public facilities are available to the applicant free of charge. We do accept applications in other spaces; however, applicants should note that significant rental fees may pose a challenge to a successful application.
Request Amount
The total requested amount should not exceed $35,000.
Your budget and program scope should align with your funding request. Make sure to refer to the RESTRICTIONS.
- Requests to support an organization’s ongoing staff or faculty salaries are not eligible.
- Capital expenses, operating expenses (staff salaries, budgeted marketing expenses, etc., annual product licenses, membership fees, web hosting fees, investment in technology or software) are NOT eligible expenses.
- Advertising and Communication Costs should not exceed 15% of the total project budget.
- A 15% admin fee will be applied to your budget automatically in the budget to help cover administrative costs related to the project.
Required Reporting
- You must submit a Monthly Report and use the provided document. It will be sent to you at the end of each month, and you will need to return it by the first 5 business days of the month.
- You must submit a Final Report at the end of the program using the document provided. You will have 2 weeks to complete it.
- You must submit a Final Expenses Report using the document provided.
Application questions
Applicant Contact Information
- Leadership Contact Information
- Primary Contact Person
- Provider County District Number
- Provider City District Number
- W-9
Applicant Information: This section is intended to provide relevant context about you to the panel. The information included here should be relevant to the project proposal and highlight how you engage the community through your creative practice.
- Please state the mission and/or vision of the Organization or an artist statement.
- Describe your leadership model and who leads your work. Help us understand who the primary decision makers are and why they are qualified to do this work. For organizations, this could include your executive director, senior leadership, board, and/or other leaders. For individual applicants, provide some context for your creative practice and/or key collaborators.
- Please describe relevant public programming you have offered or relevant experience providing arts/culture/science programming to the public.
- How do you seek to engage the community through your creative practice? For organizations, this may include engagement with distinct populations in alignment with your mission statement. For individual creatives, identify how working with different communities across Mecklenburg County enhances your creative practice. How do you bring the community into your work?
Program Information: In the following section, applicants should outline their proposed program. Proposals should be informed by the COMMUNITY FEEDBACK DOCUMENT and provide a clear vision for how the program will be delivered to their intended audience. It is incumbent on the applicant to provide sufficient detail for the panel to determine the program is aligned to the spirit of Culture Blocks.
- Program Title
Please use this format: To support Org’s Program Title on Date at Location/Block #. OR
To support Org’s Program Title from (mm/yyyy) – (mm/yyyy) at Location/Block #. - Program Start Date
- Program End Date
- Programming that also addresses the County Identified Critical Access needs listed below is encouraged. If your project aligns with the County Critical Access needs, please identify which ones below.
- Please indicate the Culture Block where your program will occur.
- Please indicate the facility(s) name and addresses your program will occur. Please list the dates, times, locations, and number of participants expected in each program.
List as bullet points and use this format:
- Marion Diehl Recreation Center, 2219 Tyvola Road, Charlotte, NC28210
May 2, 7, 15, 25. June 5, 8, 15, 25 from 1:00 to 3 pm. 30 Participants each day.
- Describe/Outline the program. What will the community experience from this program?
- Please indicate the community theme(s) to which your program responds. You may select up to 5.
- Describe the intended audience experience. What do you want the community to take away from this experience? (250 words)
- How does your program align to the community feedback for the block(s) you will be working in? How does the community feedback inform your proposal? (250 words)
- Please indicate the total number of participants you expect to engage with during the project.
- Culture Blocks is a partnership between ASC, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library, and Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation. Public facilities are available in each Block as venues for the Culture Blocks Programs and without cost.
If you are using a Library or Rec Center, how did you choose this facility? If you are not using a Library or Rec Center, why did you choose this space, and how does using this facility enhance the experience of the participants? (250 words) - Which age groups are your programs suitable for?
- Provide a list of the administrative and creative staff involved in delivering the program and a brief description of their contributions. This should include any paid or volunteer leaders responsible for executing the program. Name each individual, provide a brief description of the experience/expertise they are contributing and their connection to your intended audience. (Word limit 500)
- Marketing Overview: Outline the communications and promotions plan and timeline for the program. How do you plan to promote and spread the word about this project? Please include any details about marketing expenses you have included in the budget. (Word limit 500)
- Facility Host Agreement. If your team is using multiple venues, please upload all of the forms as 1 document/pdf.
- Budget Template. Applicants must use the template provided in the application guidelines. Failure to do so will disqualify an application.
- Describe how your team determined the budget you have included in this application. (Word limit 250).
SELECTION CRITERIA
- FEASIBILTY: There is compelling evidence that the organization and/or creative individual can carry out this program effectively. The applicant has provided sufficient detail for the panel to determine that the applicant can deliver this program to the public if their application is selected.
- MISSION ALIGNMENT: There is compelling evidence that this proposal aligns with the spirit of the funding opportunity, i.e. to provide engaging arts, science, and history programming to Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents.
- COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: There is compelling evidence that this proposal aligns with the interest of the community the applicant seeks to engage in; the proposal specifically leverages the community feedback provided in the guidelines.
- MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS: There is compelling evidence that this applicant has a clear marketing plan to reach the community their program intends to serve; relevant marketing expenses are specified in the budget.
Assistance
If you have any further questions, please email cultureblocks@artsandscience.org.
How to Apply
The deadline has passed: February 19, 2024 at 12:00pm/noon
*** An additional call for funding will open in the Summer of 2024 to support experiences presented between October 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024. ***
Email cultureblocks@artsandscience.org with technical questions.
FUNDING RECIPIENT RESOURCES
The FY24 Culture Blocks Spring Funding Opportunities Info Session materials can be viewed here soon.