Communities Encouraged to Apply for Economic Development Grant

The Maine Arts Commission announces that letters of interest for their $50,000 Creative Communities = Economic Development (CCED) grant are due February 24, 2012.

The CCED grant encourages cultural, economic and governmental sectors to work together to effect community revitalization. This consortium grant is delivered to two or more nonprofit cultural organizations within a geographic community or region. Applications will be considered from communities/regions with a strong commitment to inter-sector collaboration that seeks to strengthen the cultural assets of their community. Two $50,000 grants are awarded annually.

This call follows two successful years of the CCED grant that has seen funding awarded to the communities of Biddeford and Eastport in 2011, and Belfast and Waterville in 2012. Samples of these successful grant applications as well as all other information regarding the CCED grant can be found at MaineArts.com.

The Maine Arts Commission offers the CCED grant in order to highlight Maine’s quality of place as an economic asset. The CCED grant is designed to function locally to meaningfully support dialogue and partnership between municipalities, business and the cultural sector regarding the economic development of their communities. CCED provides the cultural sector with significant funds to contribute to mutually agreed upon plans and initiatives that stimulate the local economy, strengthen the role of arts and culture, and enhance their community’s quality of place.

Successful applications will come from communities that have vibrant cultural nonprofits. The communities must be poised for growth and engaged in economic and community planning as well as development using other funding sources. They will include an active network of involved citizens including youth and elected and business leaders in a comprehensive revitalization effort.