Category: About Us

Get ready for October 1st! Upcoming Grant Workshops and Drop-in Hours with RISCA

mollieflanagan

Need help writing your grant for the October 1st deadline? There are number of ways the friendly RISCA staff can help you with your grant application through Grantwriting and Budget Workshops, Drop-in Hours, and more. Look here for a listing of our available grants. 

Grantwriting and Budget Workshops

If you’re new to submitting a grant application to RISCA, or just want a refresher on the “good and less good” of grant writing, join us at one of our grantwriting workshops happening in August and September. This series of grantwriting workshops will have a special focus on best practices in writing budgets for grant applications.

You’ll also be able to meet and talk to some of the RISCA staff about your grant application ideas. We’ll give an overview of our major grant programs, then you’ll have time to ask questions and meet with program staff.

To attend a workshop, click on the links below to RSVP:

Providence: Tuesday, August 27th, 6 PM – 7:45 PM at South Providence Library, 441 Prairie Ave, Providence, 02905.

Warren: Thursday, September 5, 6 PM – 8 PM at Imago Foundation for the Arts, 36 Market Street, Warren, 02885.

Providence: Monday, September 9th 10 AM – 12 PM at Department of Administration, Powers Building, One Capitol Hill, 2nd Floor, Conference Room 2-A, Providence.

One-on-One Meetings

Fellowships and Individual Artists Grants

Mollie Flanagan, Individual Artists Program Director, will be holding one on one meetings for people interested in Fellowships or Project Grants for Individual Artists. You can sign up for a 30 minute or 1 hour slot, and ask her any specific questions you have about the grant programs. She can also help you with the budget form, review any specific answers you’ve written, or anything other assistance you need with your grant or fellowship application.

To sign up for a meeting slot, click on the links below:

RISCA’s offices: Various dates and times in August and September, at 1 Capitol Hill, 3rd Floor, Providence, RI 02908.

Tomaquaq Museum: Saturday, September 7th, 10 AM-2 PM, 390 Summitt Rd, Exeter, RI 02822.

Arts Access Grants and Investments in Arts and Culture Grants

Todd Trebour, Organizations Program Director, will be holding one-on-one meetings from RISCA Offices (or by phone) for non-profit organizations interested in Arts Access Grants. You can sign up for a 1 hour slot, and ask him any specific questions you have about the grant programs. He can also help you with the budget forms, review any specific answers you’ve written, or anything other assistance you need with your grant application. If none of the dates or times listed work for you, email Todd at todd.trebour@arts.ri.gov to schedule an alternate date/time.

RISCA’s offices: Various dates and times in August and September, at 1 Capitol Hill, 3rd Floor, Providence, RI 02908.

Project Grants in Education

Maggie Anderson, Director – Arts In Education, will be holding one-on-one meetings from RISCA Offices (or by phone) for non-profit organizations, artists and schools interested in Project Grants in Education. You can sign up for a 1 hour slot, and ask her any specific questions you have about the grant program. She can also help you with the budget forms, review any specific answers you’ve written, or anything other assistance you need with your grant application. To set up an in person or phone meeting, email Maggie Anderson at Maggie.Anderson@arts.ri.gov.

Open Drop In Hours

Need last minute help with your RISCA grant? Or just a place to write them and get your questions answered at the same time? RISCA staff will be there to answer questions, help with technology, read drafts, or whatever other support you need. Drop in at any time during the event.

North Providence: Thursday, September 26th, 5:30-8:30pm at North Providence Library, 1810 Mineral Spring Ave.

Central Falls: Saturday, September 28th, 11am-2pm, at Adams Public Library, 205 Central Street.

Providence: Monday, September 30th, 8:30am-6pm, at RISCA, 1 Capitol Hill, 3rd Floor, Providence, RI 02908.

Providence: Tuesday, October 1st, 8:30am-6pm, at RISCA, 1 Capitol Hill, 3rd Floor, Providence, RI 02908.

RISCA Announces Grants Management Fellowship Opportunity

artsrhodeisland

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts announces a new Grants Management Fellowship program. This program is a career-focused, paid public-sector internship for graduate students, emerging professionals or second stage career seekers. During this 2 year program the Fellow will work on real-world projects that serve the arts and cultural sector of Rhode Island.  The program also includes career-focused development opportunities that give you the tools needed to launch a public sector career.

Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Grants Management Fellow oversees Grants Management and performs a wide range of key functions necessary to the grant making process.

This is a 2 year part-time fellowship. Average 10 hrs per week with occasional periods of more in-office time required.

Review and process assigned applications, grants, cooperative agreements and follow all applications through the Council’s complete process from application to Final Report.

  • Be knowledgeable about the eligibility requirements and processes for all funding categories
  • Maintain grants management database for all funding categories
  • Ensure use of standardized processes for all funding categories from application to award dispensation
  • Manage financial records of each funding cycle
  • Prepare materials for review panels for all funding categories
  • Prepare reports for each funding cycle
  • Monitor field research and regularly brief team on best practices and trends in public funding and grantmaking

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

  • Computer literacy, including experience with Microsoft Office Suite and basic internet search skills
  • Detail Oriented
  • Can work both independently and as a team
  • Ability to operate independently, organizing and processing detailed tasks to meet deadlines in an environment of changing priorities and frequent interruptions, with minimal direction.
  • Ability to maintain a positive attitude and contribute as a member of the team toward the goals of the agency

Preferred Qualifications

  • Advanced skills and comfort with Microsoft Excel
  • Knowledge of grants databases
  • Experience working with artists and arts organizations
  • Proficiency in creating and maintaining standardized programs and systems
  • Understanding of finances and budgeting

Application Process

  • Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of reference via email by no later than August 15, 2019 to Randall.Rosenbaum@arts.ri.gov
  • Questions can be submitted prior to the deadline to Mr. Rosenbaum at the above email address
  • No phone calls, please
  • Incomplete applications, or applications received after the deadline date will be disqualified

Fellowship Award Amount

  • The Grants Management Fellowship Award is $22,000 per year, to be paid monthly
  • Fellowship awards are taxable under federal law, and the recipient is responsible for all tax obligations
  • This Fellowship is subject to cancellation due to non-performance or other factors

 

RISCA Announces Over $825,000 in Grants to Artists, Schools, Arts Organizations

RISCA Announces Over $825,000 in Grants to Artists, Schools, Arts Organizations

Todd Trebour

FotoJet.jpg

Rhode Island schools, organizations, community centers and artists were awarded $827,782 in the April 2019 round of grants from RISCA. The Arts Council’s board approved the awarding of these grants at its June meeting in Providence. These grants will go to support arts in education, community-based projects by organizations and individual artist fellowships and projects for this fiscal year. Statewide, 146 grants were awarded in response to applications received at RISCA’s April 1 deadline.

Governor Gina Raimondo applauded the recipients of these grants, saying, “I’m thrilled to support these grants awarded by the State Arts Council. The arts are a significant part of our economy—they represent jobs for artists and non-artists alike, and are part of the reason why Rhode Island is a destination for cultural tourism. The State’s investment in the arts contributes to the quality of life we enjoy, and the education of all Rhode Islanders. I’m proud to live in a state that values the arts in our everyday lives.”

“We’re particularly pleased with this round of grant awards,” said Randall Rosenbaum, Executive Director of the RISCA. “Programs in arts education and projects that support the work of artists in communities throughout our state contribute to our great quality of life here in Rhode Island.”

RISCA funds are matched by businesses, individuals, and earned income. The Council receives its support through an annual appropriation from the Rhode Island General Assembly and from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Examples of projects supported in the current round of grants include:

The PACE Org of RI in Woonsocket received $2,500 to complete a mural project with Riverzedge Arts to be painted on a concrete wall that is visible from the day center windows of PACE’s northern Rhode Island location. This project includes planning sessions where the youth of Riverzedge Arts and the elders at PACE work together to create a design that would later be painted.

School One in Providence received $3,000 to offer an Intergenerational Arts Program. The program brings together high school students and adults aged 65 and over to explore their creativity, learn theater skills, develop their powers of expression, and forge relationships across the generations. Unique to RI, the Intergenerational Arts Program uses theater to foster authentic collaboration and learning.

In partnership with Central Falls School District’s “Expanded Learning Communities,” artist Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sánchez from Providence received $1,880 to offer summer-long Media Literacy & Media Production workshops to high school or middle school aged young people that will resource them with grounding in media analysis & provide practical skill-building in production using readily available tools such as the students’ phones.

Artist Alfonso Acevedo from Central Falls received $2,500 to continue his Millennium Art Factory Central Falls project, working with youth ages 6-20 providing free art workshop for students of all levels of experience to hone their art skills. The work the participants create is then exhibited around Central Falls and Pawtucket in local businesses and government buildings.

Artist Mishki Fern Thompson, Narragansett, from Charlestown will lead 10 free beading workshops around Washington County, RI. These workshops will introduce the public to Native American culture and Native traditions of beading arts, as well as how to create their own pieces of art. Half of the workshops are for youth ages 10-15, and half are for teens and adults ages 16 and up.

Oasis International in Providence received $2,250 in support of their 26th African Summer Bash. The Bash celebrates the cultural richness of African and other diverse ethnic groups in Southwest Providence – including the Cape Verdean community – through music, dance, food, and the arts. The Bash is a free, all-day festival with games and live entertainment for all ages.

The Autism Project in Johnston received $3,000 in support of “In Harmony”, a program in partnership with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School that provides music and social skills education to children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The program includes a school year of weekly music education for 15-20 youth, ending with a public performance; and summer camp for 115 campers with music activities.

For a complete list of grant recipients go to https://risca.online/grants/grant-recipients-fy20-spring-cycle/

Featured Image: The PACE Org of RI and their work with Riverzedge Arts.