Mississippi Arts Commission

Which state are you working in?

Mississippi

What is your relationship with the funder for this experience?

Current or former grantee

If you were funded, tell us the outcome

Funded for lesser amount

What year was this experience?

2020

How would you rate this funder's accessibility?

Good

How successfully do you think this funder is accomplishing its current philanthropic goals?

Average

Applications often run 70 pages long for max grants of $30,000. Panelists decide the grants but are not given sufficient time to review applications. MAC does not advocate for the arts community, which is a missed opportunity.

If you had one piece of advice to give to this funder (about grantmaking or anything else), what would it be?

MAC needs to conduct site visits because the grant results do not match what the grantee community sees happening in the field. Advocate for more changes and support - this is a missed opportunity. Especially with a new Director, MAC could really help beyond simply cutting a check. The application process for all the different grants is abysmal and redundant. It needs overall.

Is there anything else that'd be useful for others to know to understand this funder?

MAC is really missing a chance to make a difference. It has a limited budget but doesn't use its position to advocate for changes in the field that could help.

Tell us one thing that this funder does really well

Offers unrestricted funding opportunities for organizations and individuals.

How many hours did the grant application process take?

50