Quick Impact Placebased Grants Seek Applications

Indiana's Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) is accepting applications for its Quick Impact Placebased (QuIP) grant program.

FUNDING:  $2,500-$5,000; match required from grantee; additional funding available for certain projects that include public art (see below for details)

ELIGIBILITY: Community groups, schools, local units of government, designated Indiana Main Street programs, or nonprofit organizations

DEADLINE: March 6, 2020

OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

This grant is designed to fund the type of space enhancement and community transformation that sparks community-wide conversation and creativity. It is OCRA's belief that these types of social and built environments should occur at the local level and be community driven. It is the people, places and spaces that make Indiana a great place to live. Placemaking involves a working partnership with local governments, residents, community groups, and organizations as well as business and community agencies. OCRA encourages these projects to be community unique and locally inspired. The most competitive applications will demonstrate a strong partnership.

These dollars should be used to create a small change that spurs conversation and community engagement. The space should be transformed in some way for the better.  Existing and underutilized assets should include a new or additional use. Art can be an overall component of your community transformation and used as an agent of change.

PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INDIANA ARTS COMMISSION

A new partnership with the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) will earmark additional funding for arts focused projects. In addition to OCRA’s funding, IAC will provide an enhanced programmatic opportunity, while also increasing the total number of fundable projects. The Indiana Arts Commission will provide additional funding to directly support public art projects that reflect the identity of its community and meet the following funding priorities:

• Located within an Indiana Main Street community (Main Street must be lead applicant);
• Located in a county with a population of 50,000 or less;
• Has never been a grantee of the IAC;
• The public art project involves an artist(s), with at least some project funds directed to support their effort; and,
• First (or one of the first) public art initiatives in the community.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to partner with an artist, arts organization, or arts provider (e.g. arts administrator, arts educator) in the project design and implementation and will receive bonus points. Grants requests must be between $2,500 - $5,000, and for each QuIP dollar requested the match must be $.50. The match may be either cash, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both.

This application round will be coordinated and co-funded by OCRA and IAC. Upon conclusion of the review process, selected applications will be funded by either one or both of the agencies, as applicable. Applicants will be notified at the time of selection announcement which agency will contract with the selected project. Only applicants funded and contracted through IAC will work directly with the IAC during project implementation, as needed, and complete the IAC’s final report.

ELIGIBILITY DETAILS

In order to apply for this grant, applicants must have a documented partnership for the proposed project.

• Community groups or organizations
• Local units of government
• Designated Indiana Main Street program
• Non-profit organization, 501 (c)(3) status
• Schools (all schools including elementary through high school, college, university, trade and vocational)

Each applicant must have the legal right or allowance to alter, change, add to any structure or place in the project scope − documentation of ownership or approval of stated activity must be submitted with application-copy of successful bidder registration should be included with the attachments at the end of the application.

Each applicant must be able to serve as a fiscal agent and register with the State as a bidder.  The bidder process necessitates a bank account in the name of the lead applicant or organization.

Please note: grantees awarded a QuIP in 2017, 2018 or 2019, you are not eligible to apply in 2020.

TIMELINE 

• Application opens: Monday, January 13
• Informational video available: Wednesday, January 22
• Application deadline:  Friday, March 6
• Awards announced: Thursday, April 2
• Funding period (executed grant agreement date): December 31

PROJECT EXAMPLES (not an inclusive or exhaustive list--originality is encouraged!)

1. Alley activation/art alley
2. Creative project to showcase community identity
3. Enhancement of existing or underutilized public assets into a new or usable space
4. Pop-up public gathering spots
5. Transforming vacant store fronts
6. Project-based learning
7. Decoration or transformation of vacant store fronts
8. Shipping container repurpose
9. Public art project that showcases the community identity, to include (but not limited to): murals; sculpture; artwork on existing objects like electrical boxes, trash cans, dumpsters, benches, bridges, etc; artwork in or on storefront or business windows; artistic lighting installations; crosswalk art; artist-designed and -fabricated bicycle racks or benches; yarn bombing, artist-designed and -fabricated wayfinding.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Apply online through the State of Indiana grant management system.