Funding

Joseph is Doling Out $510K in Statewide Community Regrant Funds : Find Out How to Get Yours

December 19, 2022 By upstatecreative

ACE! connected with Joseph Mastroianni (Vice President of Programming / Statewide Community Regrants Coordinator) of the Arts Center of the Capital Region to find out more about the large pot of money that is being made available to artists and non profits in a two phase round of funding awards. Read on below to find out more about how to submit and qualify.

Joseph Mastroianni – VP of Programs / SCR Grants Coordinator | Photo: Provided

What is the Statewide Community Regrants program?

The Statewide Community Regrants program is an initiative of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and administered by local arts organizations in New York’s 62 counties.

“The SCR program, fosters the continuing development of arts and cultural resources in response to the needs of local communities in each of New York’s counties. The SCR program invests NYSCA funds to serve all communities and people who comprise New York’s citizens and visitors. SCR sites are a network of non-profit organizations that serve local and regional cultural organizations and artists through three categories of support: Community Arts, Arts Education, and Individual Artists.”

The Arts Center represents Albany, Schenectady, and Rensselaer Counties in the SCR program. In 2023, thanks to a generous one time increase in funding, we will award $510,000 in two rounds.

How much money is available this round?

In Round One, we will distribute $200,000. In Round Two, we will distribute $300,000. Additionally, $10,000 will be available for rolling mini-grants.

Who is eligible?

The SCR program has four categories: Community Arts, Arts Education, Individual Artists, and Pop Up Mini Grants.

In Community Arts, eligible applicants must be or be in partnership with a 501 ©3 nonprofit organization in Albany, Schenectady, or Rensselaer Counties. This category is for public art and fostering creative communities.

In Arts Education, eligible applicants must be either artists over age 18 and in partnership with a community organization, or community organizations. 501©3 status is not required in this category, but all proposed projects must have an educational component, whether in-school or after school.

In Individual Artists, eligible applicants must be artists 18 years of age or over and reside in Albany, Rensselaer, or Schenectady Counties. Projects should all be original work.

In Pop Up Mini Grants, eligible applicants are artists over age 18 or 501©3 organizations based in Albany, Schenectady, or Rensselaer Counties. Mini Grants are for small-scale projects and do not have to include an educational component.

Artists who work in any or all media are encouraged to apply; there is no priority.

Downtown Schenectady Improvement | Photo: Provided

What types of projects are prioritized in the funding?

All projects must have some type of community impact component and there are funding caps for each grant type.

In Community Arts, the maximum award is $5000. In Arts Education and Individual Artist, the cap is $2500. Artists may apply to all three categories if they are eligible; the maximum award any single artist or arts organization will receive is $5000.

Downtown Schenectady Improvement Mural | Photo: Provided

How do I learn more about applying?

We have grant seminars and office hours! At our virtual grant seminars, I’ll go over each type of grant available, so bring your creative ideas and ask questions! At the office hours, I’ll be able to answer very individualized questions about your projects and the application process. Remaining grant seminars are December 20, and January 5, all from 4-5 pm. They are free, but you do have to register to get the zoom link.

REGISTER HERE

Office Hours are Thursdays from 3-4 pm, starting January 12. Office hours may be over the phone, google meet, or email. No registration is required.

Electric City Arts – Jazz on Jay | Photo: Provided

Anything else we have missed we should know about?

Important dates!

ROUND ONE APPLICATION : Opens January 6 and closes March 1. Panel Review will be April 1, and awards will be announced on May 15. Projects must happen between June 1 and December 31 2023.

ROUND TWO APPLICATION : Opens on April 6 and closes on June 1. Panel Review will be July 6, and awards will be announced August 15. Projects must occur between September 1 and December 31 2023.

Building on Strength : A Conversation with Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins

August 4, 2022 By Corey Aldrich

Glens Falls Mayor Bill Collins | Photo: Hartman Photography

From your perspective, why are Creative Economy components (artisan restaurants, arts and cultural institutions, performance space, etc) so important to a vibrant city scape?

Over the last decade, even during the height of the pandemic, we experienced people moving to the region. As the pandemic has shown us, the Creative Economy is a powerful, sustaining force — especially in a city like Glens Falls. For instance, it’s a long proud fact that Glens Falls is the smallest city in the country with its own paid symphony orchestra. New resident to our city are here working in arts, business, restaurants, music, medicine, banking, and other fields that supported and increased the diversity and talent of Glens Falls.

The Creative Economy shows up throughout — our new Glens Falls Arts District, the popularity of the library, the new murals being planned for three city properties, the new restaurants and the longtime venues. That attention — and that energy — feeds the economy in a way that is measured more by feeling than by economic development — our economy is thriving.

Glens Falls Arts District Signage | Photo: Provided

What is your philosophy and approach to building on those market segments?

The City is building a $4 million events space as part of the New York State Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) — a critical piece of our continued growth. It will help to support already successful creative economy events like the LARAC Festival and other large entertainment opportunities. In fact, our vision is to be able to use the space to extend these activities throughout downtown locations — tying in many newly renovated gems to host festivals and large scale community wide events.

Our economic development and community development teams have grants and loans to support great ideas that become popular businesses, galleries or restaurants, like the Park Theater. And let’s not forget the innovative Shirt Factory on Lawrence Street — a haven for artists of all stripes. I believe that if we can continue to build the capacity for creative folks to live, work and play in the city (Including increased broadband access) our creative economy will continue to grow. And our city will continue to be a magnet for these magnificent people.

The Restored Park Theater | Photo: Sydney K. Andrew Photography

How much money from the DRI funding is being dedicated to creative / community building components?

The entire DRI project will inject $10 million into the South Street / Elm Street area — but that is just the state money. The new commercial use and housing projects, as well as the renovation of the three existing historic buildings, will invest more than $26 million cumulatively.

How does that benefit the creative economy? The overall project includes the Market Center, as noted above, which will host our weekly Farmer’s Market, music festivals and other outdoor events. The Center is tied to a planned community Commercial Kitchen for food demonstrations and exhibitions. The two other historic buildings will have restaurant / commercial space on the ground floors, and for the first time in decades will have living quarters above.

Add in more than 80 new apartments, all the commercial / studio space and the concentration of arts, music, food and people … and we definitely expect that it will support the growth of our creative economy. In fact, the creative economy interests will be an important beneficiary of the entire project. Glens Falls will become a hub and attraction point for the lower Adirondacks because of it.

For more check out: Glens Falls: A Winning Team Sharing Secrets to Success

Community Loan Fund Business Spotlight: The Makeup Curio

January 14, 2019 By upstatecreative

The Community Loan Fund has been helping businesses and individuals be successful since 1985 and offers a variety of programs and resources. Although there are other loans small business can get onboard with, such as those from smallbusinessloans.co, the Community Loan Fund provide access to capital for microenterprises and freelancers for business development. This article is a part of a series that highlights local businesses who has benefitted from a Community Loan Fund Loan, like The Makeup Curio, and have used it to build their business.

Jenn Dugan at The Makeup Curio started her business officially in August 2016 in her home, but when she wanted to expand her business to include facials, she knew she wanted to do it right- and that required her to not only have her aesthetics license but an actual space to run her business in.

She opened the store in October 2017 with the help of a Community Loan Fund Loan.

“It was a gradual progression and took about 4 months from start to finish,” Jenn says.

When asked what advice she has for other creatives and aspiring aestheticians, Jenn says, “Be patient, it’s hard, but it will come when it’s meant to.”

Jenn began as a costume designer with an emphasis in theatre. Many in this job position also have to do makeup as well, so her first job involved both. She started out as a self-taught hair and makeup stylist, and she does not do “real hair” she styles wigs to be worn for costumes.

Jenn’s love for makeup began to develop and she transitioned to full-time makeup artistry about six years ago. Two years later, she began doing professional makeup regularly for special events, weddings, galas, and of course Halloween makeup. She has also been able to enjoy doing work in theater by teaming up with local high school theater programs to do makeup and hair. This way she is able to bridge the gap between makeup artistry and theatre, and still do what she loves.

She has morphed her business in to two parts – “the “Beautiful” and “the Unusual” – allowing her to do classic event or gala makeup but also to get creative with theatrical and Halloween makeup as well. Jenn says this allows her to be creative and she loves doing both.

There is a strong seasonality to her business. In summer, she helps with theater camps and does makeup appointments on the weekends for special events. In the fall, special events continue with the wedding season, and Halloween is another busy time of year.

October has been her busiest month recently. “People forget that wedding season goes through October,’ Jenn says. “There are days when I have a wedding in the morning, then head over to an event makeup appointment, and then have someone who wants Halloween costume makeup later that evening.” Whilst this is great for her business, it can make filing her taxes a little bit more difficult! With the extra business and income, there will be more to report when she files her taxes. Taxes can be difficult to file anyway, which is why some businesses get in contact with Dave Burton to help them out. In those busier months, it might be a good idea to get some extra help when filing taxes, just to check they’ve been done correctly.

Jenn’s ability to secure a loan from The Community Loan Fund has allowed her to run her business in a space that meets her needs and gives her room to hone her craft even further. When asked why she loves to run her business in the Capital Region, she says “There are so many creatives and collaboration is easy. People actually want others to succeed, and they are supportive of each other.” Others looking to launch a business of their own may want to look towards the services of atlantic union bank to secure a business loan that will set them on the path towards success.

The Community Loan Fund offers a variety of lending options for non-profits, small businesses, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and more. Let’s say you are a freelance photographer and you need $1,000 to cover the cost of upgrading your equipment. The Community Loan fund is more likely to approve a loan for this expense over a traditional bank. Many traditional banks would call this a high risk, and it would be highly unlikely that the loan would be approved. The Community Loan Fund offers reviews on a case-by-case basis for its financial viability and positive social impact. If you are looking to expand your business, you can get more information and set up a time to talk with someone at The Community Loan Fund by clicking here. If like Jenn you’re starting your own business or you already run you’re own, then I suggest taking a look at Salesforce who help shape businesses across all industries by providing information on digital technology and how its transformation will help with promoting your business.

SAVINGS? SERIOUSLY? Why Freelancers Need a Nest Egg, and How We Can Get There.

October 1, 2018 By upstatecreative

FINANCES FOR FREELANCERS: A Monthly Feature Sponsored by Community Loan Fund

Setting money aside for savings is not always an easy task, especially if you are planning on saving for a house or other big investments. It could be worth checking out something like debt consolidation loan chase if you find that you are struggling with your personal finances. You may even find a solution.

Try finding ways around your usual spendings for example, try using youtube to mp3 shark to download music. For freelancers and creatives, it can be even more difficult, because many of us have irregular cash flow, as our clients, assignments and payments often change from month to month. A survey by TD Ameritrade reveals that 40% of Freelancers don’t regularly save, and only do so when they can afford to. I can say I personally used to fit that statistic! If you’re looking to save up and track expenditure as well as tracking your mileage travelling for work, personal and other reasons to perhaps save on fuel costs, you could take a look at using this expense tracker app and see how much you can start saving once you can clearly see your outgoings.

Savings Helps your Cashflow

The start of healthy financial practices often begins with savings and cashflow management. Cashflow is the total amount of money being transferred into and out of your business each month. For freelancers, cashflow can go up and down pretty frequently, but having savings can help to level things out. For example, let’s say in month A you get a lot of work, and invoices are all paid, Congratulations! The money coming in is greater than the expenses going out, creating positive cashflow. In month B, your invoices might not get paid in a timely way, or one of your clients might not have sent any assignments, so in month B, you might have a neutral or negative cashflow. If you saved a portion of your income from month A, when month B comes around, you will be in a better position to pay your expenses in month B.

Savings Looks Good For Loans

When applying for a business loan or mortgage, having savings will be regarded positively, because it reduces the risk to the lender. However, having poor credit might hinder your chances of receiving a loan. If you’re unsure why you’ve been unable to successfully apply for a business loan, it might be worth contacting an organization, like deAsra, that helps small businesses set up their companies. To see an example of where this company was able to help another business successfully retreieve a loan after being denied initially, you can click here. Alternatively, you could try and enhance your chances of a loan by improving your credit and savings. Your savings are considered a financial asset. Why is this important? Read on.

Savings Improves Your Net Worth

Having a savings improves your personal balance sheet. A personal balance sheet provides an overall snapshot of your wealth at a specific period in time. It is a summary of your assets (what you own), your liabilities (what you owe) and your net worth (assets minus liabilities).

Savings adds to your net worth, because it is an asset.

Tracking your balance sheet regularly is essential to knowing where you are with your finances, and what you can do to improve them and reach your financial goals.

Tracking your personal balance sheet is not difficult to do. There are many apps and software programs that are specialized to meet the needs of freelancers, while often offering benefits like creating invoices, tracking mileage, and more. QuickBooks Self-Employed and FreshBooks are two such programs, but there are dozens that can serve your needs. Search for a program that suits your particular business, or ask freelance friends or our ACE Discussion Group for their recommendations.

Setting a Target Savings Goal

Some experts say that setting a target of at least 20 percent of your income going directly to savings, or $20 of every $100 you make. Set up an arrangement at your bank to auto transfer a certain amount to your savings account with every deposit, and you’ll be saving without even realizing it! Accountability also helps. Joining a financial support group, or having a money accountability buddy can help you stay focused on your end goal when cashflow is lower and you are tempted to skip that savings deposit. Lean on friends on that tough day where you just don’t think you can save. Even a small deposit in your savings account each month will set you in the right direction and start a healthy habit for the future.

Our Finances for Freelancers series is sponsored by Community Loan Fund. You can contact Paul Stewart and meet him at our monthly Creative Economy Mixer events.

Article By Ashleigh Kinsey, owner of AK Design and ACE Digital Manager

Recap: CFA Opportunities for the Creative Economy

June 6, 2018 By debug

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[x_gap size=”25px”][cs_text]Photo credit: Ken Kozak, Kendo Design

On Monday, June 4th, a packed house of Creatives took part in a workshop entitled “CFA Opportunities for the Creative Economy,” and got a chance to hear from and ask questions of members of the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA), Regional Economic Development Council (REDC), and Empire State Development (ESD) about the millions of dollars of state funds made available through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) process (yes, that’s a lot of acronyms!). The application process can be daunting for newcomers and experienced organizations and companies alike, so this unprecedented chance to hear from those who’ll be reviewing scores of applications was beneficial to all parties involved.

Philip Morris — a member of the REDC and CEO of several CFA grants for Proctors, Cap Rep, and Universal Preservation Hall — recommended that grant requests be “real — don’t make something up just to fit the guidelines. The panelists can tell if it’s a project that’s really true to your mission.”

Melissa auf der Maur, founder of Basilica Hudson, which was awarded two CFA grants last year, recommended that applications be “relevant to both your local community and to the region” and recommended that applicants “really make a strong financial case” about how much is invested and what all of the outcomes of your project will be.

Mike Yevoli of Empire State Development recommended that applicants review CFA guidelines as well as the REDC’s goals before applying.

Andrew Meader of the REDC encouraged people to not be put off if their projects aren’t funded the first time out, citing the Park Theater project in Glens Falls, which was funded on its third try.

Sunita Iqbal of NYSCA recommended that applicants contact NYSCA with questions before the July 9th “inquiry deadline.”

The Capital Region has received $521.9 million from the state to support 718 projects through the Consolidated Funding Application since 2011, but all of the panelists emphasized that the application process itself is extremely rigorous, as are the reporting demands that take place after receiving a grant, and that not every organization and project will benefit from the amount of work that the CFA grants require.

For other questions about the CFA process, visit the CFA site or contact ESD at (518) 270-1130.[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]