About the Fund

In an effort to help alleviate the COVID-19 related economic strain facing our community, we have organized a Mutual Aid Fundraiser to support incubators of creativity in Kansas City.

DIY, artist-run, and cooperative spaces have been particularly hard hit by the recent closures of large gatherings and events. Our goal is to help grassroots arts & culture spaces make ends meet by offering $500 emergency relief grants.

All donations will be received by our Fiscal Sponsor Allied Media Projects on behalf of those applying for aid. Grants will be distributed on the basis of need, no later than May 18th, 2020.

Any donation you are able to make will go a long way in supporting our creative community. When the powers that be cannot see us, much less aid us, we must support one another.

This Mutual Aid Fund is made possible by the organizers, RCMA, and Allied Media Projects.

Making a Donation

Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes, this fund has been organized in partnership with The Roaming Center for Magnetic Alternatives (RCMA) and their 501c3 fiscal sponsor Allied Media Projects (AMP), so your contribution is tax deductible.

Eligibility

What do you mean by ‘Grassroots’?
Grassroots as in: where things begin and shoot out from; Movement led by individuals or collectives (untrained or otherwise) with whatever resources are available to them. Grassroots entities often operate without state-sanctioned credentials such as an LLC or 501c3 non-profit status (though not always).

Some words you may hear used in place of this definition of grassroots include “DIY”, “Below Board”, “Underground”, “Artist-run”, “Volunteer Run”, “Collectively Owned & Operated”.

Grassroots spaces are typically non-commercial and rely on community support in the form of monetary donations and volunteer time to stay in operation.

Who can apply for this emergency aid grant?
Grassroots Arts & Culture spaces/venues struggling to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Examples of such spaces include (but are not limited to):

  • Artist-run spaces/galleries
  • Live/Work performance/exhibition venues
  • DIY music venues
  • DIY maker spaces
  • Community-led dance centers
  • Community-led media labs
  • Community-led wellness spaces

What locations are eligible for this ‘Kansas City’ specific grant?

Any venue whose physical address includes the following designation:

  • Kansas City, MO
  • Kansas City, KS
  • North Kansas City, MO
  • North Kansas City, KS

What is a Mutual Aid Fund?
Mutual aid is a voluntary reciprocal exchange of resources and services for mutual benefit. Mutual Aid Funds can take many forms, but the basic concept involves people getting together to meet each other's needs (with a shared understanding that the systems we live under are not able to meet our needs).

How much funding can my space expect to receive? And when?
The organizers of this mutual aid fund will be reviewing applications between now and April 30th, 2020. We will be reaching out via phone or email to follow up with any questions or further info. Funding will be distributed on the basis of need.

We have 2 levels of priority with which we will assess need:

Level - 1 : Spaces/venues operated by/for folks who have historically been disproportionately affected by economic inequality; BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of color), Immigrants, Disabled people, and LGBTQ+ identified individuals.

Level - 2 : All other Space/venues

We will notify applicants of their evaluation status no later than May 18th, 2020. Please keep in mind that there is no guarantee we can meet the need or timeline requirements for all spaces/venues that apply.

How are these funds distributed?

The Roaming Center for Magnetic Alternatives (RCMA) has implemented the mutual aid fund to provide emergency relief grants to those in need. Funds are distributed by our fiscal sponsor, Allied Media Projects (AMP).

Grant payments can be distributed via check, electronic bank payment, or PayPal via Allied Media Projects.

Who is organizing this Mutual Aid Fund?
We are an ad-hoc group of artists who have been involved in DIY and artist-run spaces in Kansas City for many years. We have come together to meet the emergent needs of our peers and extended community:

  • Caitlin Horsmon (STRAY CAT FILM CENTER)
  • Jordan Carr (ODDITIES PRINTS)
  • Kendell Harbin (RCMA)
  • Megan Pobywajlo (The late ARCHIVE COLLECTIVE)

For answers to any questions not addressed here, please email contact@kcspacesfund.com