2025 Aging-in-Place Grant Program

The Mini Grants program, offered by the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, is designed to bolster arts programming delivered by nonprofits or community organizations. This initiative directly aligns with the foundation's mission to support the arts by addressing community needs and benefiting underserved audiences within Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The program acts as a critical resource for local organizations, fostering cultural engagement and artistic expression across the region. The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are underserved audiences and communities within Anne Arundel County who will benefit from increased access to arts programming. The program aims to empower local nonprofits and community organizations to produce or present public arts programming that might otherwise be unfeasible due to funding constraints. The impact goal is to enrich the cultural landscape of Anne Arundel County by ensuring a diverse range of artistic activities are available and accessible to its residents, particularly those who are often overlooked. A key priority of the Mini Grants program is to encourage partnerships among organizations, with a 1:1 cash match requirement underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts and shared investment in arts initiatives. The program focuses on organizations incorporated as 501(c)(3) nonprofits or those with a significant physical presence in Anne Arundel County, ensuring that funding directly supports local entities dedicated to the arts. Eligibility criteria further emphasize a history of operation and a clear focus on arts activities within the county, ensuring that grant funds are allocated to established and committed organizations. The expected outcomes of the Mini Grants program include an increase in the quantity and quality of arts programming available to Anne Arundel County residents, particularly for underserved groups. Measurable results could include the number of unique arts programs supported, the size of the audiences reached, and the number of organizational partnerships fostered. The foundation's strategic priorities are clearly centered on local impact and community engagement through the arts. The underlying theory of change is that by providing targeted financial support and encouraging partnerships, the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County can stimulate a more vibrant, inclusive, and accessible arts ecosystem that benefits the entire community.