Arts nonprofit will accept Letters of Inquiry through Monday, October 1
September 10, 2018 (Hyannis, MA) – The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod (AFCC) has opened up its next round of grant funding to support artistic and cultural activities that contribute to the character and heritage of the region.
Individuals, nonprofits, and educational institutions based in Barnstable County are invited to apply for funding by submitting a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) online at www.artsfoundation.org. The deadline to submit an LOI is Monday, October 15.
A select group of applicants will then be chosen to submit a full application with notifications made in early October. Awards will be announced mid December. Grants typically range from $500 to $2,500, with a maximum of $5,000 awarded to recipients.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our local artists and cultural organizations to deepen their influence through initiatives that touch a broad spectrum of people on Cape Cod,” AFCC Executive Director Julie Wake said. “Every year, I am impressed at how creative our proposals are, and how the arts are being used for more than just pure enjoyment.”
Last year, the AFCC awarded 24 grants totaling $32,850 to support a wide range of initiatives that ranged from a weekly singing program for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease to a therapeutic arts program for homeless individuals on the Cape to a series of musical performances and programs to honor former Cape Cod Symphony Director Royston Nash to a free, 10-week introductory course on nonfiction writing for Cape residents 16 and older.
“We want our funding to have a meaningful, positive impact on people’s lives using arts and culture as the catalyst,” said AFCC Board Chair Rana Murphy. “We have been able to achieve that goal thanks to the public’s support of not only the Pops by the Sea, but other fundraising efforts.”
While the AFCC’s annual Citizens Bank Pops by the Sea concert in Hyannis serves as its largest fundraiser, the organization has worked to increase its fundraising through other means, including a Patron Program that provides donors with access to mission-inspired events that include offering an inside look at grant-funded projects.
That increased funding has allowed the AFCC to cast a wider net when it comes to its grant giving. Last year’s $32,850 in grants represented an increase from the $25,000 given out to 18 grant recipients in 2016. That represented a jump from 2015 when the AFCC gave out $15,000 to 17 grant recipients.
“More funding for the AFCC translates into more grant funding for programs that are adding to the cultural vibrancy of our region,” said Murphy.
About the AFCC
The AFCC’s mission is to support, promote, and celebrate the arts and culture of Cape Cod. It fulfills its mission by funding grants, fellowships, and scholarships; by advocating for more awareness on the impact the Cape’s creative economy has on our region and beyond; and by building a strong arts community network through membership.