Cultural STAR Program

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who reviews Cultural STAR applications?

   City staff review each application for eligibility and completeness. The Cultural STAR Board reviews and scores each application. 

2. Can the City Council or Mayor change the recommendations provided by the Cultural STAR Board?

   Yes. The board provides recommendations to the Mayor and City Council, who then have final decision on the awards.

3. Can an organization apply for funding for the same event they've received funding for in previous years?

   Yes.

4. What are some of the venues in the Cultural District where I could host programming?

   The Cultural District is defined as the geographic area bordered by Interstate 94 to the north, the Lafayette Bridge to the east, Harriet and Raspberry Islands to the south, and Chestnut Road to the west. This is just a list of some of the possible venues located within the defined Cultural District:

   • The Ordway
   • The Fitzgerald Theater
   • Park Square Theatre
   • Union Depot
   • Harriet Island
   • Raspberry Island
   • Mears Park
   • Rice Park
   • The Amsterdam Bar and Hall
   • Landmark Center

5. How would organizational funds relate to the Cultural District? Must the organization be housed within the Cultural District?

   Cultural District funds can be awarded for organizational development if the organization is:

   • Registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State with an address that falls within the Cultural District; or
   • Owns property in the Cultural District for purposes directly related to its Cultural STAR project; or
   • Has a lease or rental agreement within the Cultural District for purposes directly related to its Cultural STAR project.

   Search your organization or project address on the interactive map to see whether your location is within the Saint Paul Cultural District.

6. Could both Neighborhood and Cultural STAR funding be used for the same capital improvement project?

   You can apply to both programs for different parts of your overall project.

   For example, if you are renovating a building into a performance space, you could apply to Cultural STAR to install a stage and stage lighting, and Neighborhood STAR for new windows and to make the building more ADA accessible.

   However, you cannot apply to both programs for the same project. For instance, you would not be able to request $5,000 from Cultural STAR and $5.000 from Neighborhood STAR to pay for a $10,000 sound system installation.

7. Is funding available for pre-development costs of public art capital projects?

   Up to 20% of your Cultural STAR grant may be used for costs that specifically relate to the execution of the capital project, sometimes referred to as “soft costs”.

   Some examples include building permits; design fees; engineering, soil testing, environmental, legal, financing, licensing, and inspection fees; developers’ fees; acquisition and demolition costs; utility relocation and construction; and construction costs including loan and interest fees.

8. If an organization outside the Cultural District has a project within the district, could they receive Cultural District funding for the special project and additional funding for strategic planning?

   Saint Paul-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations located outside of the Cultural District may submit two applications: one for a project that takes place in the Cultural District (funded out of the 80% pool) and one for a project that takes place outside of the Cultural District (funded out of the 20% pool). However, the applications must be for separate projects.

9. Should artists with a nonprofit partner provide information for themselves or for the nonprofit?

   The information provided should be about the individual artist or unincorporated art group.

10. Does Cultural STAR offer partial grants? For example, if an organization applies for $15,000, is it possible to be granted $12,000?

    The board may recommend a project receive partial or full funding, but the final funding decisions are made by the Mayor and City Council.

11. Should organizations apply together or individually? Does this affect the amount of money they can request?

    If multiple organizations are collaborating together on a single project, only one organization should submit an application and request the amount needed for the project.

    The application should clearly describe the project, identify all of the partnering organizations, and detail their role in the project. The organization that submits the application will be the main contact for the project. If awarded, they will be the grantee responsible for getting under contract with the City and submitting all required documentation.

    Keep in mind that the amount requested is not guaranteed if awarded STAR funding. The board may recommend that a project be partially funded depending on program guidelines, evaluation criteria, and fund availability. Final funding decisions are made by the Mayor and City Council.

12. If a proposal is for an event series, what percentage of events must take place within the Cultural District to be eligible for the in-district funding pool?

    If the applicant is an individual artist or unincorporated arts group using a fiscal sponsor, then 100% of the project must be in the Cultural District.

    Applicants located in the Cultural District (see Cultural STAR Guidelines > Program Description > Geographic Focus) are eligible for in-district funds regardless of their programming location.

    Applicants located outside of the Cultural District may apply for In Cultural District funding. Their project can have multiple dates and locations. However, only the expenses directly related to the events that are located in the Cultural District are eligible for STAR reimbursement.