Encouraging growth & development of the arts in Southwest Minnesota. SMAC provides funds and technical services to enable local organizations, educational institutions, individual artists and communities to sponsor, create and promote the arts.
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council’s recent grantmaking is anchored in arts programming and community arts across Southwest Minnesota, with repeated support for local organizations that produce performances, exhibitions, festivals, and place-based projects. The council is a public charity and a regular funder, and its work is built around the arts in a defined regional service area rather than statewide or national giving. Recent awards show a strong pattern of support for organizations that keep arts activity active in smaller cities and towns. Crow River Players in New London received $42,132 in 2023, one of the largest listed grants, while Department of Public Transformation in Granite Falls received $29,500 that same year. The council also supported Pipestone Performing Arts Center, Dawson Boyd Arts Association, Jackson Center for the Arts, and Friends of the Orchestra in Marshall across multiple awards. Its grant programs include project support, organizational development, arts education, start-up help for new arts groups, and planning grants for legacy projects. The organization also posts Minnesota State Arts Board opportunities for applicants in its region, extending the information it shares with local arts groups and artists.
Arts programming is a central thread in the council’s portfolio. It gave $26,585 in 2024 to Pipestone Performing Arts Center and $22,764 in 2023 to Jackson Center for the Arts for arts projects and related support. Community-based arts work appears repeatedly. In 2023, the council awarded $29,500 to Department of Public Transformation in Granite Falls, and it gave $25,180 to Wilder Pageant Committee in Walnut Grove for community arts-related activity. Public art and legacy planning also show up in the grants list, including $21,930 to City of Madison and $20,000 to City of Granite Falls. Arts education is another clear focus. The council supports school residencies, youth programming, classes, workshops, camps, and field trips through its education-related grant programs, alongside awards tied to arts learning for people of different ages and abilities.
Typical awards fall in a modest-to-midrange band for local arts funding: the 25th percentile is $7,000, the median is $7,742, and the 75th percentile is $12,170. The grant programs listed include both unsolicited and non-unsolicited options, depending on the program. Several programs repeat on multiple funding rounds each year, and recent grants show recipients appearing in more than one year, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-off awards. Southwest Minnesota Arts Council is a public charity and a regular funder, not a DAF. It also makes no grants to individuals directly through the foundation structure, though it does administer a separate individual-artist grant program.
$477K
$720K
$1M
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $7K and $12K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$12K
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The council’s giving is entirely in Minnesota, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and a local geographic scope. Recent awards land across Southwest Minnesota communities, including New London, Granite Falls, Pipestone, Walnut Grove, Dawson, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Hutchinson, Dassel, Worthington, Silver Lake, and Redwood Falls. Granite Falls and Marshall both appear more than once in the recent grants list, reflecting repeated support in specific regional hubs.
Its active programs cover arts projects, arts organization development, school and youth arts, arts education, start-up costs for new arts organizations, and planning for larger legacy projects. The recent grants list also shows support for performances, exhibitions, festivals, community arts projects, and arts learning activities.
The foundation itself does not fund individuals. Its public profile lists grants to organizations and communities, while its program list separately includes a Grants for Individual Artists program for artists in Southwest Minnesota.
Typical grant sizes are relatively small to mid-sized for regional arts funding: the 25th percentile is $7,000, the median is $7,742, and the 75th percentile is $12,170. Some program-specific ranges are lower or higher, such as Arts Organization Development at $610–$5,000 and the FY Arts Education Program at $5,000–$35,000.
It gives entirely in Minnesota, with 100% of grants to recipients in the HQ state. The grant list shows awards spread across Southwest Minnesota cities including New London, Granite Falls, Pipestone, Marshall, Worthington, and Redwood Falls.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Crow River Players in New London, Department of Public Transformation in Granite Falls, Pipestone Performing Arts Center, Wilder Pageant Committee, Dawson Boyd Arts Association, Hutchinson Center for the Arts, and Friends of the Orchestra in Marshall.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Southwest Minnesota Arts Council that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations or venues in the SMAC service area; see program guidelines for required match or other criteria.
Deadline: Multiple funding rounds per year (see grants awarded pages).
Who can apply: Organizations or community groups planning larger legacy arts projects; must serve or be located in SMAC region.
Deadline: Monthly deadlines for planning grants (see grants awarded pages).
Who can apply: Both individuals and organizations are eligible; organizations include 501(c)(3) arts and non-arts nonprofits that regularly offer arts programming, public schools, units of government, tribal entities, and arts groups applying with a Minnesota tax-exempt or public fiscal sponsor. Applicants may only apply to certain state arts programs in a given fiscal year (see program overview).
Deadline: Annual deadline (example: March 22 in past cycle). Applicants must consult the FY program overview for exact dates each year.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CROW RIVER PLAYERS | NEW LONDON, MN | $29,562 | 2025 | AP/EQ/OS |
| PIPESTONE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | PIPESTONE, MN | $23,818 | 2025 | EQ/OS |
| HUTCHINSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS | HUTCHINSON, MN | $23,069 | 2025 | AP/OS |
| RECLAIM COMMUNITY | JASPER, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | PA |
| CITY OF COTTONWOOD | COTTONWOOD, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | PA |
| DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSFORMATION | GRANITE FALLS, MN | $19,451 | 2025 | AP/QS/EQ |
| DAKOTA WICOHAN | MORTON, MN | $18,990 | 2025 | AP/QS |
| PRAIRIE ARTS CONTINUUM | WINDOM, MN | $17,000 | 2025 | AP/EQ |
| WILDER PAGEANT COMMITTEE | WALNUT GROVE, MN | $15,907 | 2025 | OS |
| SUNBURG COMMUNITY CENTER | SUNBURG, MN | $15,190 | 2025 | AP/QS |
| DAWSON BOYD ARTS ASSOCIATION | DAWSON, MN | $15,043 | 2025 | AP/OS |
| REDWOOD AREA ARTS | REDWOOD FALLS, MN | $15,000 | 2025 | QS/EQ |
| AMP (ARTS AND MENTORING PROJECT) | PIPESTONE, MN | $14,539 | 2025 | EQ/OS |
| WILLMAR AREA ARTS COUNCIL | WILLMAR, MN | $13,984 | 2025 | AP/OS |
| DAWSON BOYD PUBLIC SCHOOLS | DAWSON, MN | $10,864 | 2025 | AP/AIE |
| MARSHALL AREA FINE ARTS COUNCIL | MARSHALL, MN | $10,111 | 2025 | AP/OS |
| BIRD ISLAND CULTURAL CENTRE | BIRD ISLAND, MN | $9,825 | 2025 | QS/OS |
| KERKHOVEN ARTS COUNCIL | KERKHOVEN, MN | $9,500 | 2025 | AP/QS |
| FRIENDS OF THE ORCHESTRA | MARSHALL, MN | $9,443 | 2025 | AP/QS |
| WEST CENTRAL CONN BARBERSHOP CHORUS | WILLMAN, MN | $9,318 | 2025 | EQ |
| WILLMAR COMMUNITY THEATRE | WILLMAR, MN | $9,250 | 2025 | AP/QS |
| TYLER ARTS COUNCIL | ARCO, MN | $8,160 | 2025 | AP/QS |
| MILAN VILLAGE ARTS SCHOOL | MILAN, MN | $7,503 | 2025 | OS |
| MONTEVIDEO COMMUNITY EDUCATION | MONTEVIDEO, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| WILLMAR AREA SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA | WILLMAR, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| CALUMET PLAYERS INC | PIPESTONE, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| RHYTHM OF THE RIVER | JACKSON, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| LUVERNE INITIATIVE FOR TOMORROW | LUVERNE, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| MINNESOTA POTTERY FESTIVAL | HUTCHINSON, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| WORTHINGTON AREA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | WORTHINGTON, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| SPICER BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE | SPICER, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| SWWC FOUNDATION FOR INNOVATION | MARSHALL, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| CITY OF BUFFALO LAKE | BUFFALO LAKE, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| ROCK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY | LUVERNE, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| JD PRODUCTIONS INC | JACKSON, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| MIDWEST MUSIC FOUNDATION | PIPESTONE, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| AL OPLAND SINGERS | PIPESTONE, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| RIVERSONG MUSIC FESTIVAL | HUTCHINSON, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| UPPER MINNESOTA VALLEY DEV COMM | APPLETON, MN | $7,000 | 2025 | AP |
| SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA PRIDE | MARSHALL, MN | $6,990 | 2025 | AP |
| PRAIRIE ARTS CHORALE | WABASSO, MN | $6,500 | 2025 | AP |
| SMSU MUSIC DEPARTMENT | MARSHALL, MN | $6,000 | 2025 | QS/AIE |
| PIPESTONE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | PIPESTONE, MN | $26,585 | 2024 | QSO/EQ/OS |
| CROW RIVER PLAYERS | NEW LONDON, MN | $23,562 | 2024 | AP/OS |
| DAWSON BOYD ARTS ASSOCIATION | DAWSON, MN | $22,422 | 2024 | AP/EQ/OS |
| CITY OF GRANITE FALLS | GRANITE FALLS, MN | $20,000 | 2024 | PA/QSO |
| HUTCHINSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS | HUTCHINSON, MN | $19,108 | 2024 | AP/QSO/OS |
| FRIENDS OF THE ORCHESTRA | MARSHALL, MN | $16,897 | 2024 | AP/QSO |
| WILDER PAGEANT COMMITTEE | WALNUT GROVE, MN | $15,907 | 2024 | OS |
| AMP (ARTS AND MENTORING PROJECT) | PIPESTONE, MN | $15,573 | 2024 | AP/QSO/OS |
CROW RIVER PLAYERS
$29,562AP/EQ/OS
PIPESTONE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
$23,818EQ/OS
HUTCHINSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$23,069AP/OS
RECLAIM COMMUNITY
$20,000PA
CITY OF COTTONWOOD
$20,000PA
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TRANSFORMATION
$19,451AP/QS/EQ
AP/QS
PRAIRIE ARTS CONTINUUM
$17,000AP/EQ
WILDER PAGEANT COMMITTEE
$15,907OS
SUNBURG COMMUNITY CENTER
$15,190AP/QS
DAWSON BOYD ARTS ASSOCIATION
$15,043AP/OS
REDWOOD AREA ARTS
$15,000QS/EQ
AMP (ARTS AND MENTORING PROJECT)
$14,539EQ/OS
WILLMAR AREA ARTS COUNCIL
$13,984AP/OS
DAWSON BOYD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$10,864AP/AIE
MARSHALL AREA FINE ARTS COUNCIL
$10,111AP/OS
BIRD ISLAND CULTURAL CENTRE
$9,825QS/OS
KERKHOVEN ARTS COUNCIL
$9,500AP/QS
FRIENDS OF THE ORCHESTRA
$9,443AP/QS
WEST CENTRAL CONN BARBERSHOP CHORUS
$9,318EQ
WILLMAR COMMUNITY THEATRE
$9,250AP/QS
TYLER ARTS COUNCIL
$8,160AP/QS
MILAN VILLAGE ARTS SCHOOL
$7,503OS
MONTEVIDEO COMMUNITY EDUCATION
$7,000AP
WILLMAR AREA SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA
$7,000AP
CALUMET PLAYERS INC
$7,000AP
RHYTHM OF THE RIVER
$7,000AP
LUVERNE INITIATIVE FOR TOMORROW
$7,000AP
MINNESOTA POTTERY FESTIVAL
$7,000AP
WORTHINGTON AREA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
$7,000AP
SPICER BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE
$7,000AP
CITY OF BUFFALO LAKE
$7,000AP
ROCK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$7,000AP
JD PRODUCTIONS INC
$7,000AP
MIDWEST MUSIC FOUNDATION
$7,000AP
AL OPLAND SINGERS
$7,000AP
RIVERSONG MUSIC FESTIVAL
$7,000AP
UPPER MINNESOTA VALLEY DEV COMM
$7,000AP
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA PRIDE
$6,990AP
PRAIRIE ARTS CHORALE
$6,500AP
PIPESTONE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
$26,585QSO/EQ/OS
CROW RIVER PLAYERS
$23,562AP/OS
DAWSON BOYD ARTS ASSOCIATION
$22,422AP/EQ/OS
CITY OF GRANITE FALLS
$20,000PA/QSO
HUTCHINSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$19,108AP/QSO/OS
FRIENDS OF THE ORCHESTRA
$16,897AP/QSO
WILDER PAGEANT COMMITTEE
$15,907OS
AMP (ARTS AND MENTORING PROJECT)
$15,573AP/QSO/OS
