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Digital Capacity Grants
Many arts and culture organizations increased their digital capacity and expanded online programming in response to the challenges of the pandemic. Engaging with audiences through digital media will be an ongoing need for Vermont’s arts and culture sector as we move forward.
In response to this, the Vermont legislature approved $1.15 million in one-time funding to the Arts Council to help build the digital capacity of Vermont cultural organizations. Digital Capacity Grants were intended to support Vermont’s arts and culture organizations by providing them with the skills, equipment, and expertise they need to serve their audiences and community.
The program was open to Vermont-based 501 (c)(3) cultural organizations, such as museums, historical societies, arts centers, and nonprofit theaters and galleries, who meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the guidelines. An unincorporated group or a registered Vermont nonprofit that does not have federal tax-exempt status could use a fiscal agent to apply.
Find the grant guidelines, an application preview, and more helpful information in the sidebar on this page. If viewing this page on a mobile device, this information may appear at the bottom of the page.
Grant awards were announced in early June. See the full list of FY22 Digital Capacity grantees. Read the press release.
What Digital Capacity Grants Support
We recognize that Vermont’s cultural organizations have varying levels of digital readiness and different needs, from identifying the best equipment to live-stream a performance, to navigating streaming rights or hiring a website designer. Grant funds may be used for a broad range of activities related to creation, distribution, and marketing of digital content for public audiences.
Grant Contact
Amy Cunningham
802.828.5423
[email protected]
Application Deadline
Application portal closed April 20
Applicants were notified in June 2022
Grant Guidelines
Digital Capacity Grant Guidelines
Workshops
Feb. 28 at 10 a.m.
View a recording.
Download the side deck (PDF).
March 24 at 2 p.m.
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Grant Types and Amounts
Organization Grants: Organizations may apply for funding to increase their own digital capacity. Organization grant awards range from $5,000 to $30,000 depending on the scope of the project and the organization’s operating budget.
Collaborative Grants: A limited number of multi-year grants (up to three years; $60,000 -150,000 total grant) will be available to support collaborative efforts designed to increase the digital capacity of a cultural community in a particular region or focused on a particular content area or type of cultural organizations.
Technical Assistance
In addition to offering Digital Capacity Grants, the Council has partnered with a number of organizations to offer an array of free Digital Capacity Technical Assistance opportunities to support the development of digital programming. Opportunities include webinars on digital accessibility with Inclusive Arts Vermont; workshops, tech sessions, and consultations with Media Factory; and an online workshop series with Vermont Small Business Development Center on legal considerations for online programming (presented by Vermont Law School), website analytics, social media marketing, and e-commerce.
For Artists
The Arts Council solicited proposals from nonprofits that provide services and support to artists across the state and that are prepared to deliver training addressing the specific needs of artists in their networks. The following organizations received special grants to support the development of digital skills of individual artists across Vermont and to strengthen the capacity of statewide service organizations to provide digital support to the field:
- Big Heavy World for providing 90 RØDE NT USB Mini microphones available to be borrowed by all Vermont musicians and the public via the state’s public libraries and their inter-library loan system. The microphones will enable high quality sound audio to be lived streamed from home. A second grant was awarded to Big Heavy World for creating an on-demand music licensing platform so marketing firms and state agencies can easily license Vermont-made music for their content
- Burlington City Arts (BCA) for Highlight, Vermont’s 2021 New Year’s Eve celebration, produced by Signal Kitchen and BCA. The grant provided training and marketing support for participating artists. The festival brought Vermont’s leading artists, doers, and creators together through extensive virtual and in-person events. A total of 4,272 people attended the festival, 1,955 of whom attended virtually. Learn all about the festival in BCA’s visual recap.
- Clemmons Family Farm for providing workshops on legal and artistic issues related to digital presentations for artists in their Vermont African-American/African Diaspora Artists Network
- Vermont Abenaki Artists Association for offering digital skills training for team members and Abenaki teaching artists.
- Vermont Crafts Council for providing Zoom training, small group coaching sessions, and individual mentoring sessions for craft artists.
- Vermont Dance Alliance for providing free dance and technology mini courses from November 2021 to March 2022 both virtually and in person. Courses covered production elements, camera movement, cinematography, editing, and more for dance video-making.
July 21, 2022