Midwest Memory Grant Opportunity

Applications open now!

Forecast Public Art’s Midwest Memory Grant Opportunity is open to rural, Midwest communities who want to celebrate and preserve diverse stories and prioritize the inclusion of voices and experiences of BIPOC communities and other practitioners in the rural midwest.

Eight communities that have initiated an effort around monuments or memorials for which they need additional support in order to take their project to the next level will be selected for the Grant. In addition to funding for production of new monuments, Grantees will receive training and support, technical assistance, and connections with other Grantees. This opportunity also intends to build cross-sector collaboration in these communities to help enrich these projects.  

2024 - 27 Grant Application

Forecast Public Art is excited to welcome applications from non-profit, 501c3 organizations that are based in a rural community with a population less than 25,000 and more than 40 miles from a MSA (metropolitan statistical area), and are based in and serving the Midwest (Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, and the Native Nations that serve those same geographies).

Grant Highlights

• $75,000 grant to realize a unique monument project 
• $25,000 for capacity building
• plus an additional $10,000 to pay cultural advisors

Plus:

• 80 hours of technical support from Forecast’s team of BIPOC technical assistants (TAs)
• Six quarterly, virtual cohort gatherings
• 2 in-person retreats (one to kick off the grant period and one to conclude it)

Application Information

Who should be on the team?

We are looking for applicants who are engaging a coalition of community members and organizations to realize their monument or memorial projects. We believe these cross-sector teams will help the sustainability of these projects, and any future efforts. BIPOC and/or Native artists will be essential to supporting these teams, but other team members could include community organizers, historians, government staff, educators, community leaders, etc. The Lead Applicant on the team must be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that has a demonstrated commitment to addressing social and racial equity in their community. At least one team member must have initiated an effort around monuments or memorials in the community. 

LEAD APPLICANT must be:

• a non-profit, 501c3 organization and 
• based in a rural Midwest community with a population less than 25,000 and more than 40 miles from a MSA (metropolitan statistical area). 

ADDITIONAL TEAM MEMBERS must include:

• a city or town staff member, Tribal leader, or community leader with responsibility over existing and future monuments and memorials
• Up to 3 more team members from community groups, artists, historians, and/or Culture Bearers who are engaged in this work in their communities

Teams must: 

• Be multi-racial and/or multi-ethnic.
• Represent a diverse cross section of the community in race/ethnicity, age, gender, range of skills, and connections to the community.
• Be committed to both learning and action.
• Have initiated an effort around monuments or memorials in their community for which they need additional support in order to take their project to the next level. This could be a new proposed permanent or temporary monument, the recontextualizing of an existing monument/memorial, removal of a monument/memorial, or the updating of policies that affect monuments and memorials in their community. Applicants seeking to launch a new project from scratch would not be eligible.
• Demonstrate current involvement in work around monuments, memorials, public history and/or public memory in their community. This could include facilitating community conversations, advocating for policy change around monuments and memorials, creating artistic projects that address racial equity in monuments, research, and more.

Projects must:

• Focus on addressing deep systemic inequities, advancing racial justice and/or indigenous visibility.
• Have public memory and/or public history as its core focus.
• Show commitment to amplifying the stories and histories of BIPOC and Native communities, and other communities who have been silenced and oppressed in the Midwest, specifically projects that uplift the stories of Black settlers, Tribal nations and communities, and immigrants of color.

Commitments and Expectations

For teams:

• Engage a cultural advisor on your team (if you did not apply with one). Your TA (technical assistance) provider will support you through the project with resources, planning, and other assistance you may need, and can help you identify a cultural advisor if you need. A cultural advisor is someone who can support the cultural elements of your project, like someone who holds specific cultural knowledge, is uniquely knowledgeable about traditions related to your project, a language specialist, etc. 
• Determine areas where your team could utilize capacity building (i.e. skill development, research and learning around precedent projects, advocating for policy change, project management, community engagement, paying your team for their time etc.). Your TA provider can help you with this.
• Plan for and implement your project.
• Participate in periodic evaluation conversations and/or surveys.
• Engage regularly with Forecast Public Art (this is the responsibility of the Lead Applicant). 
• Participate in sessions with your TA provider - create a plan for your project and identify milestones.
• Participate fully in 2 in-person learning exchanges.
• Participate fully in 6 virtual Grantee gatherings.

Forecast’s role:

Forecast Public Art offers the Midwest Memory Grant thanks to the generous support of the Mellon Foundation. Our role includes:

• Providing funding as described above.
• Providing a team of national experts and practitioners to guide Grantees through project planning, capacity building, and project implementation.
• Documentation of each team’s project.
• Development and dissemination of a simple toolkit that other communities can use on monuments projects.
• Managing the planning and development of each in-person learning exchange and virtual Cohort gathering.
• Evaluation of the process through a systems change lens.
• A simple portal for ongoing information sharing and relationship building among Grantees.

Costs

Thanks to generous support from the Mellon Foundation, there are no costs to Grantees. Travel, lodging, meals are on us. Each team will receive a $75,000 grant to realize a unique monument project, $25,000 for capacity building, $10,000 to pay cultural advisors, and 80 hours of technical support from Forecast’s team of BIPOC consultants. Teams will also participate in 2 in-person learning exchanges and 6 virtual Cohort gatherings.

Info Session

All teams considering applying are encouraged to watch an informational webinar about the application process. The webinar will take place live on September 5, 2024 from 5 - 6pm CDT. It will be recorded and posted on Forecast’s website for additional viewing.
 

How to Apply

The application will be in two phases:

1. A written or video application
2. Virtual interviews
    

Applications will be accepted through Submittable, and must be submitted by 11:59pm CST October 1, 2024. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered.
 

1. Written/video application questions include:

Team information

• Lead applicant (501(c)3 organization) organization name. 
• Name of project manager/staff who will be the main contact.
• Mission of your organization.
• How will your organization lead the partnership and facilitate the execution of the project?
• Information about your community (population, location, how do you define “rural” for your community)
• Names of team members, their roles, and contact information (City staff, Tribal or community leader,, culture bearers, artists, historians - up to 5 team members).
• Availability for 2 team members to attend in-person learning exchanges (we will include the dates).
• Would you be interested in being a host destination for one of the in-person learning exchanges?

Project information

• Project overview: Brief summary of the proposed grant activities (limit 75 words). This will be used for reference during the panel review process and for public announcements if the application is awarded funding.
• Project description: Please describe the monument or memorial project that you would like to move to the next level. Please address the following questions:                         
  • Is it a new monument, recontextualizing an existing monument, something else? How long have you been working on it? 
  • Who have you had conversations with about this project?
  • What is the proposed location for your project?
     

    
   

• Explain the project’s focus on addressing systemic inequities, advancing racial justice and/or indigenous visibility.
• Explain how public memory and/or public history is its core focus.
• Explain the project’s commitment to amplifying the stories and histories of BIPOC and other communities who have been silenced and oppressed in the Midwest, specifically projects that uplift the stories of Black settlers, Tribal nations and communities, and immigrants of color.
• On a scale of 1-5—1 being at the beginning of the project, 5 being at the end—where are you in the process of your monument or memorial project?                          
  • Please explain what you have accomplished previously, and what your intentions are for the remaining steps of the project. 

    
   

• Describe the current scope of monuments and memorials in your community. This could be physical sculptures, temporary works, community conversations, policy development/adoption, or something else!
• How will this project benefit your community?
• What challenges do you foresee in this project?
• Describe any other partners in this work that are not a part of your team.

Project budget: Please include a budget that shows how you will use:

• $75,000 project grant                         
  • The costs included in your project budget should align with your proposed activities and only include activities and associated costs that will be incurred during the grant period (i.e., the span of time necessary to plan, execute, and close out your proposed project). Any costs incurred before or after those dates will be removed. Be as specific as possible.
     

    
   

• $25,000 for capacity building                         
  • Capacity building may include training a team member on public art installation basics, anti-racism training, public speaking support for team members, legal coaching, paying team members for their time, etc.

    
  
   

• $10,000 to pay cultural advisors                         
  • Cultural advisors may include community experts like historians, oral story holders, language specialists, etc.

    
  
   

We can help you determine how to utilize the capacity building and cultural advisors funds.

• Letter of Commitment from city staff member, Tribal leader, or community leader who will be on your team: Letter should reflect a partner’s specific support for and role in the project, not general endorsement of the applicant organization.

Optional Supplementary Materials

• You may submit additional attachments (photos, data summaries, maps, reports, relevant policies, news articles, etc.) to help the selection committee better understand the context around your project/team.
  
   

  2. A select number of applicants will be asked to participate in a virtual interview with our selection committee. These interviews will take place the week of October 28, 2024.

Selection Criteria

Forecast and a group of national advisors will evaluate applications on the following criteria:

• The team has a monuments/public memory project that focuses on addressing systemic inequities,advancing racial justice and/or indigenous visibility.
• The team has a commitment to amplifying the stories and histories of BIPOC and other communities who have been silenced and oppressed in the Midwest, specifically projects that uplift the stories of Black settlers, Tribal nations and communities, and immigrants of color.
• The team has the commitment and ability to meet expectations for participation and project implementation.
• The team represents a diverse cross section of the community in race/ethnicity, age, gender, range of skills, and connections to the community.

Application Timeline

August 20, 2024: Application open

September 5, 2024: Application Info session (this session will be recorded and available on Forecast’s website). Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ryKT2TbGQeSSmT-sWnIy0g

October 1, 2024: Written/video applications due on Submittable

October 28 - 31, 2024: Virtual interviews

November 4, 2024: 8 teams selected and applicants notified

January, 2025: 1st virtual Cohort gathering

Projects will close October 2026
 

Questions? Contact Jen Krava: jenk@forecastpublicart.org

Project Timeline

The Midwest Memory Grant is a 20-month-long period beginning in January 2025, and ending in October of 2026. During the grant period, participants will join 2 in-person learning retreats and 6 virtual, quarterly meetings with other Grantees. These retreats and gatherings will be aimed at both training/increasing capacity for monument work and equitable collaborations as well as relationship building among Grantee teams. A simple portal for ongoing information sharing and Grantee relationship building will also be provided. Teams will also receive 80 hours of consultation from Forecast’s BIPOC technical assistance providers who are knowledgeable about a variety of topics, including public art, monuments, cultural organizing, group facilitation, and more. 

In Person Learning Exchanges

• coordinated by Forecast’s consultant partners, Justice + Joy and The Outside, with support from hosting team
• All team members attend
   

Launch retreat: March 2025/location Q1 2025

Closing retreat: October 2026/location Q4 2026

Quarterly Virtual Cohort Gatherings

• Coordinated by Forecast’s consulting partners Justice + Joy and The Outside
• All team members attend from all teams
• Each virtual gathering will be approximately 3 hours
• These will take place:                         
  • May 2025
  • August  2025
  • November 2025
  • February 2026
  • May 2026
  • August 2026

    
   

80 hours of consultation

Each Grantee team will receive 80 hours of technical assistance from Forecast’s team of consultants. Forecast will work with you to identify topics and areas of expertise that would be helpful for your project.
 

January 2025: Initial meeting between Forecast and your team to develop a plan for the next two years, understand your goals for the project, match you with a technical assistance provider, and help you determine how to use the capacity building and cultural advisor funds.
 

May 2025 - September 2026: during this time you will implement the project you applied with. You will develop a plan with your TA provider, create milestones, determine when/what to check in about, and have 1-1 check in’s.

ABOUT FORECAST

Forecast is a SWBE certified non-profit arts organization founded in 1978 by and for artists working in public space. Based in Saint Paul, MN and working both locally and nationally, Forecast connects artists with cities, institutions, and communities to courageously tackle the vital issues of our time. We partner with decision-makers and stakeholders on arts and cultural planning efforts, and support public artists with funding, training and opportunities to create partnerships and advance their public art careers. We also help others find, select, curate, fund, and commission public artists. Forecast emphasizes access for artists of color, Indigenous and/or Native artists, women and gender-expansive artists, rural artists, and groups that are traditionally excluded.
 

JUSTICE + JOY

Justice + Joy is a purpose-driven arts and culture strategy consultancy skilled in equity-centered strategic planning, equitable creative placemaking and integrating arts and culture into cross-sector collaborations. Mallory Nezam of Justice + Joy was a 2020 Monument Lab Translational Fellow and has supported the concepting of monuments around the country. For the last 8 years, she has facilitated national fellowship cohort programs for Transportation for America, Smart Growth America, NeighborWorks America, helped design and teach curriculum for cohorts with National Arts Strategies, helped train the cohort for Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta, and facilitated a professional development program for the City of Sacramento’s first City Artists. Alongside Forecast Public Art, she helped lead a nearly 2-year process to re-imagine San Francisco’s monuments and memorials policies for the San Francisco Arts Commission.

The OUTSIDE

The Outside brings together constellations of people from disparate teams, organizations, and jurisdictions to solve problems and scale impact. We have the missing piece of the puzzle: a practical understanding of the process and infrastructure of equitable systems change. Our extended cohort of talented strategists, facilitators, evaluators, and coaches partners with organizations and communities across North America and Europe to organize for progress and make change that matters to them.  Tuesday Ryan-Hart leads large-scale systems change with a deep understanding and practice of how equity, when put at the center of new movements, frees the path to better ideas that work. She helps diverse organizations and communities with shared interests reframe commonly-held assumptions and persistent issues.

Grant Amount: $2,500 - 4 grants
Application Deadline: October 27, 2024 (11:59pm)
Grant-Funded Period: January 1, 2025 – November 30, 2025
Grant Intentions: This grant supports early-career artists in public art related research and development or with the planning phase of freely accessible public art installation or activity in Minnesota. Activities could range from research to planning, community dialogues, site or budget development or model building.

*Please contact the Forecast Grants team if you need help submitting your application at jenk@forecastpublicart.org
Find support on our website grants page.
 

Grant Amount: $8,000 - 2 grants
Application Deadline: October 27, 2024 (11:59pm)  
Grant-Funded Period: January 1, 2025 – November 30, 2025
Grant Intentions: Early Career Artist Project Grants support the creation of a temporary or permanent public artwork anywhere in the state of Minnesota by a mid-career Minnesota-based public artist.
 

*Please contact the Forecast Grants team if you need help submitting your application in English at jenk@forecastpublicart.org

Find support on our website grants page.

Grant Amount: $5,000 - 2 grants
Application Deadline: October 27, 2024 (11:59pm)  
Grant-Funded Period: January 1, 2025 – November 30, 2025
Grant Intentions: This grant supports Minnesota-based mid-career artists seeking to expand or advance their careers in the field of public art. Funding can be used to support the development of a project idea or to participate in activities that will help applicants further their careers as public artists. Professional development activities can range from residencies to apprenticeships, conferences, travel, study, skill development, and the creation of project models or prototypes, as long as the overall outcome is to advance the applicant’s public art career. Please see the definitions of public art and mid-career below. Professional Development grants may be used for the development of proposals for other public or nonprofit agencies; however, commission or client-based work is not eligible.

*Please contact the Forecast Grants team if you need help submitting your application in English at jenk@forecastpublicart.org

Find support on our website grants page.

Grant Amount: $10,000 - 5 grants
Application Deadline: October 27, 2024 (11:59pm CT)
Grant-Funded Period: January 1, 2025 – November 30, 2025
Grant Intentions: Mid-Career Artist Project Grants support the creation of a temporary or permanent public artwork anywhere in the state of Minnesota by a mid-career Minnesota-based public artist.

*Please contact the Forecast Grants team if you need help submitting your application in English at jenk@forecastpublicart.org

Find support on our website grants page.