Fall 2024/Spring 2025 Cultural Events Committee Grants - Call for Proposals

The purpose of the Cultural Events Committee is to bring together the University and surrounding communities through cultural events. The committee understands "cultural event" to mean any event that celebrates human creativity or human experience, with particular attention to human diversity and its relevance, from the perspectives of the arts, the humanities, or those aspects of the social sciences, the sciences, and technology which have artistic or humanistic content and employ artistic or humanistic methods.

Mini grant parameters: The mini grant program is designed to help departments, colleges, and units bring speakers, artists, special programs, and other cultural events in areas important and relevant to the interests of the University community. The intention of this program is to provide cost-share money; 50% of the cost should be provided by the individual department/unit. The maximum amount for any one mini grant is $1000.

Large grant parameters: The large grant program is designed to help departments, colleges, and units bring speakers, artists, special programs, and other cultural events in areas important and relevant to the interests of the University community. The  amount of each grant varies according to the specific needs of the events. These grants are distributed throughout the fiscal year, and to the extent of the allocated budget, which varies each year. Whereas cost-sharing is not required, it is encouraged whenever possible.

All large grant events either must be free and open to the public or, if admission is charged, the CEC will request a portion of the proceeds proportionate to the amount funded. For example, if the CEC funds 50% or more of the costs of an event, it would receive 50% of the profits. If the CEC funds less than 50% of the costs, then it would receive the equivalent percentage of the profits (e.g., if 30% of the costs, then 30% of the profits).

Specificity in proposals is strongly encouraged. Proposals are limited to three pages, single-spaced, and must include the following. (Note: If appendices are included, that content should be part of the proposal document; however, appendix content does not count toward the three-page length limit.)

• Identification: Provide your name, title, rank, and department.
• Grant type and size: Large or mini grant and amount requested from CEC
• Project title and dates.
• Project description: Address format, venue, audience, guest (if applicable), and any other relevant information. Then, explain your project's relevance to the CEC's mission.
• Have you or this project received funding from the CEC in the past two years? For example, is it an annual Guest Artist or Visiting Speaker series? If yes, list year and award amount.
• List of all persons involved and their role in the project. Example: Jane Smith - Promotions Manager.
• Publicity: Briefly describe how the event will be advertised.
• Budget: Relevant budget items might include honorarium, publicity, travel, lodging, materials and supplies, admission fees, and/or administrative charges. Indicate total budget, amount of other funding sources, amount requested from CEC, and which funds cover which budget items. According to University policy, neither of the grant funds can be used to pay stipends for ISU employees. Nor can they cover meals for guest speakers or organizers, but CEC funds can purchase snacks or
  refreshments at events.
• If the event is co-sponsored, list other sponsoring organizations. If cost-sharing is being provided by a co-sponsor, please include in an appendix an email or letter from the entity providing the cost-sharing funds.
• Optional appendices: Brief resume of proposed guest/s, additional information about the proposed program, links to relevant websites, etc.

Evaluation: Proposals will be prioritized according to these criteria:

• Evidence of cost-sharing
• Evidence of concrete plans for student engagement
• Evidence of concrete plans for community engagement

For additional information, please see the Cultural Events Committee bylaws.

Submission: All proposals must be submitted as a single file through upload to Box using this link.

For consideration, files must be labeled as shown below.
your name_department_CEC grant_semester and year of application

The deadline for submission is 5:00 pm on September 13, 2024.