Specific Cultural Project Grant

The Specific Cultural Project (SCP) grant is administered by the Florida Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture. It is intended to fund cultural projects that align with Florida’s cultural goals and benefit the public. The SCP grant operates under section 265.286 of the Florida Statutes and Rule 1T-1.036 of the Florida Administrative Code. Each grant period runs from July 1 to June 30 of the award year. Applications for the grant open on April 1 and must be submitted online by June 1 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time via the DOS Grants System. If the deadline falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the submission is extended to the next business day. This grant supports up to $25,000 for projects falling into one of four proposal types: Arts in Education, Discipline-Based cultural or artistic projects, Underserved Cultural Community Development, and Artist Projects. Each type has specific eligibility requirements. For instance, Artist Projects do not require the applicant to be a nonprofit organization, but applicants must be Florida residents for at least one year. Organizations must be Florida-based nonprofits or public entities, have active status with the Division of Corporations, a vendor registration with the Department of Financial Services, a UEI number, and submit a recent Federal 990 form, unless exempt. Applications must include several required documents, such as a substitute W-9 form, evidence of program quality, and financial documentation. Additional specific documentation is required based on the type of proposal. For example, artists must provide work samples and proof of Florida residency. Applicants may also include optional support materials to strengthen their applications. The review process involves staff eligibility checks, panel scoring, council review, and final approval by the Secretary of State. Applications are scored on three criteria: Quality of Offerings (35 points), Impact (35 points), and Track Record (30 points), and must receive an average score of at least 80 points to be considered for funding. Funding is awarded top-down based on a ranked list of applications. All grant funds must be matched at a 1:1 ratio with non-state and non-federal funds, with exceptions made for underserved communities and specific proposal types, which may only require a 50% match that can be entirely in-kind. Proposal budgets must balance and clearly separate grant funds, cash match, and in-kind contributions. Ineligible expenses include lobbying, capital expenditures unrelated to the proposal, food and beverages, and re-granting. The SCP grant also emphasizes compliance with accessibility and nondiscrimination standards. Public access to programming and ADA compliance are necessary, and applicants are encouraged to use resources like the 504 Self Evaluation Workbook. Grant recipients must meet reporting deadlines for mid-year (January 30) and final reports (July 30), and follow all requirements for crediting the funding source. Contact information for program-specific inquiries can be found at dos.myflorida.com/cultural/about-us/staff-listing.