Community Arts Grants

The Community Arts Grants program is a funding initiative offered through the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin. This program is designed to support and expand access to arts and arts-related experiences within Marathon County, Wisconsin. With backing from the Wisconsin Arts Board—via state funds—the program is further supplemented by contributions from the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation and the Community Foundation’s Wausau·Marathon County Fund. These combined resources aim to stimulate collaboration among local arts organizations and to elevate the quality, diversity, and public engagement of arts initiatives in the region. The grant serves nonprofit entities specifically operating in and serving Marathon County. Eligible applicants must be recognized as 501(c)(3) organizations. Proposed projects must feature a quality arts or arts-related experience and must include a public-facing component such as a performance, exhibition, or concert. Applications are limited to one per organization per year, and requested funding must not exceed $5,000 or 50% of the project’s total cost—whichever is lower. These spending limitations emphasize the expectation that applicants will secure matching support from other sources to help finance their projects. Applications are submitted exclusively through the Foundation’s online grant management system. This portal handles application intake, review workflows, grantee tracking, and final report collection. The system is accessed via a dedicated link on the Foundation’s website. Applications must be submitted no later than April 15th of each calendar year. Following submission, a public review panel meeting is held in mid-May, with decisions confirmed by the end of May. For projects selected for funding, grant funds become available upon request starting July 1st. In evaluating submissions, the review panel applies criteria focused on the artistic merit and uniqueness of the proposed experience, along with the community impact and outreach potential. Applicants are expected to demonstrate how their projects meet these metrics. Successful applicants must also comply with recognition requirements by publicly crediting the Wisconsin Arts Board, the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation, and the Community Foundation. They must coordinate with Foundation marketing staff to display appropriate banners at their public events. Lack of proper acknowledgment could jeopardize current or future funding. Post-award compliance includes submitting a final report within 60 days after project completion or by June 30th two years following the application date—whichever comes first. No future applications will be considered if outstanding final reports exist. Additionally, applicants must comply with a non-discrimination policy, certifying they do not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics such as race, age, gender, or income source. Questions regarding the program can be directed to Sue Nelson, the program officer, via phone at (715) 845-9555 or email at [email protected]. Complete guidelines and application access can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.cfoncw.org under the Community Grants section. The structure and oversight of this grant program make it a vital resource for advancing accessible, high-quality arts programming within Marathon County.

Grant recipients must credit the funders in public materials or risk future ineligibility