The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports arts organizations in Chicago as an expression of its civic commitment to the community where the Foundation is headquartered and John and Catherine MacArthur made their home. Grants are designed to help sustain the cultural life of the city and region.

In 2003, The MacArthur Foundation created the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince. The fund provides general operating support to mid-sized Chicago arts organizations with proven records of excellence. The fund is administered according to the Prince Charitable Trusts' selection criteria and processes for operating support grants to cultural organizations. In 2011, the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince awarded $1,225,000 to 43 organizations.

In 2009, 2010 and 2011, The MacArthur Foundation made additional grants to Prince to support projects to build the management capacity or enhance the artistic product of MacArthur/Prince Fund recipients. In 2009-10, 10 organizations received a total of $200,000 and an additional six received grants from Prince totaling $100,000. Grants from the 2010-11 program distributed $300,000 to support 16 projects.

Arts organizations in the city of Chicago with budgets above $2,000,000 may apply directly to Prince Charitable Trusts Chicago for support. Funds are limited and funding is highly competitive. Please see the Chicago Arts and Culture section of this website and contact a program officer before submitting a proposal for direct Prince funding.

• Eligibility
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Application Procedure
• Reporting Requirements
• Description of the Proposal Review Process
• What We Fund
• Contact Information
• Sample Grants

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible Organizations:
Arts and culture organizations eligible to receive these grants include museums, all types of performance groups, visual arts organizations, presenting groups, arts service organizations, community arts programs and organizations that provide high quality arts experiences for young people.

Eligibility Criteria:
Organizations with annual budgets between $500,000 and $2,000,000 will be eligible. The organization must submit Audited financial statements that show an operating budget in that range, and demonstrate the high likelihood that it can be maintained during the grant period.

Selection Criteria:

• Quality of the organization’s artistic program
• Strength of its board and staff leadership
• Impact on the organization’s neighborhood, the city or the region
• Sizes and types of audiences served
• Strong financial management and evidence of good planning
• Community and educational outreach activities

Types of Grants:
The majority of grants will be unrestricted grants for operating support. There is a presumption of of three-year support, but with annual review. It should be emphasized that these grants will be highly competitive and there will be more qualified applicants than can be supported by the fund.

Geographic Boundaries:
The MacArthur Fund at Prince primarily supports organizations in the city of Chicago. The Trusts are open to proposals from eligible organizations throughout the metropolitan area, but only a small number can be considered each year

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Some Likely Questions about the MacArthur
Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince

Q. If an organization meets the criteria for the MacArthur Fund, should it make two applications to Prince Charitable Trusts?
A. No, Groups make only one application to the Trusts. All procedures will be the same as they were for applying to PCT. There are no special forms or criteria (other than budget size) for the MacArthur Fund.

Q. If an organization's budget does not fall between $500,000 and $2,000,000 can it still apply to PCT for operating support?
A. Yes. Mid-sized organizations with annual budgets over $2 million are eligible for PCT support. (See the Chicago Arts and Culture section of this website)

Q. Can a Letter of Intent or a Proposal for operating support be submitted at any time?
A. No. PCT does not require or accept letters of intent. Proposals will be accepted once a year for the May 1 deadline, but not more than 1 week in advance of that date.

Q. Can I apply directly to the MacArthur Foundation and the Prince Charitable Trusts?
A. No. Organizations between $500,000 and $2,000,000 in size will not be supported directly by the MacArthur Foundation. They can receive support only through the MacArthur Fund administered by the Prince Charitable Trusts.

Q. If an organization is eligible for support, but is not funded by PCT, can it apply to MacArthur?
A. No

Q. Are there any differences in eligibility criteria or procedures for organizations that may be funded by the MacArthur Fund and other organizations eligible for PCT support?
A. Only one very small difference. MacArthur funds may be used to support a few producing organizations in the Chicago metropolitan area. PCT funds only in the city of Chicago.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Application Deadline:
Applications are due in the Prince Charitable Trusts offices by noon on May 1 and they may be submitted between April 23 and May 1. If the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, proposals must be received prior to the deadline date.

All grant applications must include a Prince Charitable Trusts cover sheet. This is to be the top sheet of the proposal and should be filled out in type no smaller than 12 point. To download the cover sheet in Microsoft Word format, click here. If you need to have a copy mailed or e-mailed to you, please contact Sharon Robison, Grants Manager, at srobison@prince-trusts.org or (312) 419-8700.

Proposals (3-5 pages) should include the following:

• A brief description of the history, purpose and activities carried out by your organization
• A statement as to the need for support and how it will be used.

Required Attachments:

• A list of foundation and corporate supporters and the amount contributed for the current and the previous fiscal years
• A percentage breakdown of funding sources (foundations, corporations, individuals, government, fundraising events, membership, United Way, etc.)
• A current operating budget and the previous year's operating budget
• A current project budget and the previous year's project budget, if applicable
• A copy of the most recent audited financial statements
• A copy of the IRS determination letter stating your organization is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is classified as a public charity under Sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2). If the letter does not specifically describe your organization as 509(a) (1) or 509(a) (2), separate confirmation from the IRS or your attorney must be included.
• A list of your Board of Directors
• A Funders Report generated through the Illinois Cultural Data Project for your most recently completed fiscal year.
• Your logo and a photo that illustrates your work in .jpeg format (color is preferred, if available)

Technical Requirements:

Please send all required materials (except the .jpeg files) in a single PDF file to: Sharon Robison, (srobison@prince-trusts.org). Be sure the name of your organization is in the title of any file you submit and each individual document within the large file. If you have technical questions about transmitting the file electronically, please call Sharon Robison at 312-419-8700x132.

We do not encourage the submission of additional materials, but they may not be submitted electronically. If you feel you must submit other supporting materials, send them in hard copy to the Prince offices before the deadline. Please note the spelling of Sharon Robison. Misspelling her name has caused problems in transmission for some applicants.

We will acknowledge your submission via email within two days of receipt. In the unlikely event that an email acknowledgment is not received, please contact Sharon Robison by email to follow up.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

All reporting requirements will be spelled out in grant agreement letters to be signed by the executive director before checks can be released. Reports should contain a financial statement and a narrative account of what was accomplished by this grant, including a description of progress made toward achieving the goals of the grant (no more than 2 pages). Since the grants support general operations, the financial statements should include the current year’s budget, and year to date income and expenses showing variance from the approved budget. If, due to the dates of your organization’s fiscal year, the most recent audited financial statements do not cover the period covered by the grant, the Trusts reserve the right to delay payment until a more recent audit is available.

Interim reports after the first year of a two-year grant and final reports after the second year are due at the Prince Office by 5 pm on July 1. Final reports for Capacity Building Project grants are due at the Prince office by 5 pm on June 15.

MacArthur Fund for Arts and
Culture at Prince - Reporting Requirements

2010 Grants
Spring Capacity Building Grants	Final Report Due June 15, 2011
Fall Operating Support Grants (two year)	Interim Report Due July 1, 2011
Fall Operating Support Grants (one year)	Final Report Due July 1, 2011
2011 Grants
Spring Capacity Building Grants	Final Report Due June 15, 2012
Fall Operating Support Grants	Final Report Due July 1, 2012

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL REVIEW PROCESS

Within one month of a deadline, organizations will be informed in writing about whether the proposal request falls within the guidelines of the MacArthur Fund at Prince.

• Once a proposal has been accepted for consideration, the organization will be notified if further information is needed, a reviewer will be assigned and (for the first year of a multi-year grant) a site visit will be scheduled. Each applicant will receive a site visit, and where applicable, a reviewer will attend a performance.
• Within five months of the proposal submission deadline, organizations will receive written notice as to whether the request has been funded.

WHAT WE FUND

• The Trusts make grants only to charitable organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and are classified as public charities under Sections 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2).
• Organizations in the metropolitan Chicago are eligible for grants made through the MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince.
• The Trusts do not fund projects that promote or proselytize any religion. While we do fund the projects of faith-based organizations, those projects must be secular in nature.
• The Trusts do not fund organizations that discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, race, color, creed, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any veteran's status

CONTACT INFORMATION

STAFF:
Benna B. Wilde, Managing Director
Sharon L. Robison, Grants Manager

Proposals should be addressed to Benna B. Wilde, Managing Director and emailed to Sharon Robison at srobison@prince-trusts.org. A confirming email will be sent upon receipt of your proposal.

MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince Grants