The Cultural STAR Capital Project program provides grants to acquire or upgrade physical assets such as buildings and equipment. Such activities must have the potential for significant or long-term impact and the expenditures must be depreciable.
Donor Name: City of Saint Paul
State: Minnesota
City: Saint Paul
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 05/15/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The purpose of the Cultural STAR fund is to promote cultural vitality and economic growth, particularly in the downtown Cultural District, by strengthening the arts and culture community.
Cultural STAR dollars are intended to:

Build and diversify audiences;
Promote a broad range of cultural offerings;
Produce a long-term impact; and
Leverage additional financial support.

The Cultural STAR Program will achieve the purpose by making grants and loans for projects and programs that:

Attract audiences;
Develop and improve cultural facilities; and
Build capacity of artists and cultural organizations.

Geographic Focus – Cultural District

At least 80% of Cultural STAR funds will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that are located within the targeted area known as the Cultural District of downtown Saint Paul.
The remaining 20% of funds may be allocated to:

For-profit businesses located in the Cultural District for projects that enhance visitor enjoyment of the Cultural District; or
Nonprofit organizations located in Saint Paul but outside of the Cultural District.

The Cultural District is defined as the geographic area bordered by Interstate 94 to the north, the Lafayette Bridge to the east, Harriet and Raspberry Islands to the south, and Chestnut Road to the west.
Located in the Cultural District includes:

An organization that is registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State with an address that falls within the Cultural District; or
An organization which owns property in the Cultural District for purposes directly related to its Cultural STAR project; or
An organization has secured a lease or rental agreement within the Cultural District for the purposes directly related to its Cultural STAR project; or
An organization has secured a permit or contract for the use of Public Venues in the Cultural District for the purpose directly related to its Cultural STAR Project.

Located in Saint Paul includes:

An organization that is registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State with an address that falls within Saint Paul; or
An organization that owns property in Saint Paul for purposes directly related to its Cultural STAR project; or
An organization that has secured a lease or rental agreement within Saint Paul for the purposes directly related to its Cultural STAR project; or
An organization has secured a permit or contract for the use of Public Venues in Saint Paul for the purpose directly related to its Cultural STAR Project.
Loans and grants are available for capital projects; grants alone are available for organizational development and special projects.

Funding Information

Estimated Available Funding in 2024:

In Cultural District: $796,366
Outside Cultural District, and For-profit businesses with projects in the Cultural District: $199,091

The minimum grant request is $5,000.

Project Period

Earliest Project Start Date: August 1, 2024 
Latest Project End Date: July 31, 2026

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants may apply for only one of the following Cultural STAR funding types during each funding round: Special Projects Grant; Organizational Development Grant; or Capital Project Grant. Grants can be received only once per calendar year.
Saint Paul-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations located outside of the Cultural District may apply twice per round and may receive funding up to two times per calendar year – once for projects taking place outside of the Cultural District and once for projects taking place in the Cultural District.

Applicant groups must be one of the following:

Nonprofit arts and cultural organizations that are located within the City of Saint Paul
Any public, private or nonprofit entities that are located within the City of Saint Paul
City departments or divisions are eligible when applying in partnership with an eligible organization

The following are not eligible to apply

Churches or religious organizations
Political parties and related political action groups
Federal, state, and county agencies and departments
Organizations that received funding in the first funding round of the calendar year.

For more information, visit City of Saint Paul.