Mass Cultural Council (MCC) has developed a Creative Community & Economic Development Resources Guide to assist rural municipalities in creatively re-strategizing the way they apply for and use already existing resources and funding to support their communities. The compilation of resources at the local, regional state and national levels could benefit communities working to become more age- and dementia friendly.
The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) reported that in FY21 rural communities across America received a total of $59,591,805 in state arts agency funding. The extent of state arts agencies’ reach into rural areas is even broader among those states with regranting or decentralization programs, such as MCC’s Local Cultural Council Program.
State Arts Agencies (SAAs) serve rural communities by:
- Grant funding: investing nearly $60 million in rural America through more than 8,100 direct grants to 2,595 rural communities, not including funding through decentralization programs.
- Accessibility and equity: Almost 25% of all state arts agency grants go to rural communities.
- Addressing unique infrastructure: helping rural communities create their own cultural hubs through arts programming in community facilities such as schools, community centers, and other public venues.
- Preserving cultural heritage: offering a variety of resources aimed at promoting and preserving cultural heritage in rural communities through initiatives such as heritage trails, tourism, and support for the traditional arts.
- Public partnerships: SAAs partner with government agencies at all levels to administer programs in rural areas, i.e. health and human service agencies to promote arts and wellness and facilitating rural economic development with agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Rural Promise/Opportunity Zones.
Age-and dementia friendly community partners can access these resources and background information here.