Matching Fund Restrictions:  

• FY 2020 Matching Funds Launch Friday, March 27, 2020 at 5:00pm
  • No donations made prior to launch are eligible to be matched.
• No internal donations: The fundraising organization and staff may not make contributions to their own project through the power2give platform.  
  • Internal donations from staff or organizational accounts will not be matched.  
  • Board members may donate to projects and are encouraged to. 
    

• One matching fund per project: Projects may only qualify for one match at a time. 
  • A project that qualifies for both Education and Equity will not be matched twice. If an organization has a focus area preference, they should make that preference known by e-mailing me at Joe.Frandoni@creativemoco.com.

• One project per organization: To equitably distribute funds for potential emergency relief, only one project per organization will be matched on power2give.org through June 30, 2020. 

Matching Fund Project Focus Areas: 

COVID-19 Emergency Relief Matching Funds: Matching funds in this category are restricted to projects with a clear focus on critical, emergency relief for arts and humanities organizations and their staff or contractors that have been impacted by the COVID-19 novel coronavirus outbreak. The project description should outline how your organization has been affected by the outbreak, why emergency funds are needed, and how the funds will be used to provide financial or operational relief to the organization, staff, or contractors. General projects to offset lost revenue will not be matched. Projects should focus on a specific emergency issue that directly relates to business interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Examples: Paying contractors such as educators, performers, or researchers who cannot work due to program cancellations, venue closures, or decreased sales/participation from constituents. Paying furloughed staff that cannot work due to the outbreak. Funding critical and specific facility operations that have stopped or will cease quickly due to the outbreak.  Purchasing products or software that will facilitate greater online collaboration, remote work, or cyber security directly related to needs created by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Arts & Humanities Education Matching Fund: Matching funds in this category are restricted to projects with a clear focus on arts and humanities education that benefit residents of Montgomery County who are under the age of 19, senior citizens, or living with a disability at any age. The project description should outline your needs, how the funds will be used, and how the project will enhance your educational initiatives and audience/participants.  

Examples: Staff arts or humanities education certification or education training. Scholarships for education programs. Producing or presenting education programming. Transportation for education programming.  

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access Matching Fund: Matching funds in this category are restricted to projects with a clear focus on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access that benefit the residents of Montgomery County or the staff and board of the organization. Project descriptions should outline your needs, how the funds will be used, and how the project will enhance your work, impact, and/or mission.   

Examples: Expanding programs to traditionally under-served areas or communities. Developing new programs that serve a new audience or traditionally under-served audience. Hiring a consultant to provide equity training for staff or board. Market research to better understand audience/constituent demographics and background.  

Technology and Information Systems Matching Fund: Matching funds in this category are restricted to projects with a clear focus on technology, software, information systems or digital enhancements to your organization and/or programs that benefit the residents of Montgomery County or the staff and board of the organization. Project descriptions should outline your needs, how the funds will be used, and how the project will enhance your work, impact, and/or mission.   

Examples: Purchasing new equipment, such as: computers, servers, printers, phones, lighting, speakers, cameras, tablets, or ticketing scanners etc. Purchasing or upgrading software, such as: databases, e-mail platform subscriptions (Mail Chimp, Constant Content, Word Fly etc.,) ticketing software, fundraising software, production management software, project management software etc. Developing, upgrading, or customizing a website. New software, online services, or technology-based solution that will benefit your organization or a specific program/performance/event.  

Place–Making and Community Programming Matching Fund: Matching funds in this category are restricted to projects with a clear focus on presenting or producing: public art in public spaces, arts or humanities specific community assets, free festivals, and free arts or humanities programming that benefit the residents of Montgomery County. Project descriptions should outline your needs, how the funds will be used, and how the project will create new community spaces or opportunities for participation that serve the residents of Montgomery County and enhance your work, impact, and/or mission.  If a project requires the cooperation of another organization, entity or facility outside of your direct control or management, that partnership should be in place before the launch of the project and presented in your project description.  

Examples: Presenting or producing a free arts or humanities program or event in Montgomery County. Producing a free community festival focused on the arts or humanities. Commissioning a new piece of public art on your facility or campus. Building a new community arts or cultural facility/asset, such as: a lending library, gallery space, performance space, rehearsal space, park space with public art, historical interpretations or plaques etc.