Cultural STAR Program

Frequently Asked Questions

1. General Program Information

   Who reviews Cultural STAR applications?

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

   Can the City Council or Mayor change the recommendations approved by the Cultural STAR Board?

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

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

   Yes.

   Can 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.

   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.

   Should artists with a non-profit partner provide information for themselves or for the non-profit?

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

   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.

   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.

2. Application Details

   Can I go in and change my application once I have submitted it in ZoomGrants?

   No. Once you submit your application in ZoomGrants, you will be unable to edit or update your application. You are able to go in and out of ZoomGrants over the open application period to work on your application; it will “save” along the way, but once you submit, it’s final.  

   For questions that come up while working on the application, you can email PED-CulturalStar@stpaul.gov.

   What if I don’t attach all the required documentation when submitting my application?

   If we don’t receive all documentation requirements, your application will immediately become ineligible. We require the following documentation when submitting your application:

   • Applicant description and board of directors/advisory committee
   • Income and expense statement for most recently completed fiscal year
   • Form 990
   • Acknowledgment of Receipt of City Compliance Resources
   • Proof of good standing status with MN Secretary of State
   • Required for CAPITAL Projects: photos and/or drawings of your capital improvement
   • For unincorporated art groups or individual artists: Attach a Letter of Intent from Fiscal Sponsor Organization
   • Optional for all: documents to support your proposal, such as letters of support, photos, press clippings and other marketing materials from your organization, organizational or annual reports etc. 

3. Cultural District Questions

   What is the Cultural District?

   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.

   How are the Cultural STAR funds split?

   • 80% of funds are allocated to non-profits and unincorporated groups with projects in and/or with projects in the Cultural District of downtown (note: the State Capital and Minnesota History Center are NOT in the Cultural District).
   • The remaining 20% of funds are allocated to businesses in the Cultural District enhancing visitor enjoyment and non-profits with projects in Saint Paul, but outside the Cultural District.

   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

   How would capacity building funds relate to the Cultural District? Must the organization be housed within the Cultural District?

   Cultural District funds can be awarded for capacity building 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.

   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 non-profit 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.

   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. 

4. Eligibility Guidelines

   What are the eligibility dates for the 2025 round of Cultural STAR?

   • August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 for special projects and capacity building
   • August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2028 for capital projects

   What if my project takes place within the eligibility period but before awards are announced?

   Since awards are likely not to be announced until early/late fall 2025, there is a strong likelihood that some projects will have already occurred. Given this reality, we encourage applicants to be thinking ahead about their financing and project budgets when applying.  

   Who isn’t eligible to apply to the Cultural STAR program?

   The following are not eligible to apply:

   • Churches or religious organizations
   • Political parties or related political action groups
   • Federal, state, and county agencies and departments
   • Organizations (other than those that have associated with informal and/or unincorporated arts-focused groups, individuals, and one-time arts projects, to serve as fiscal and contract sponsor as described in our guidelines) that have received Capacity Building and/or Special Project grants in three consecutive grant cycles (calendar years)