Dream It, Create It Grant Program

Welcome to the Dream It, Create It Grant Program – Turning Dreams into Reality!

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Program Description

The Dream It, Create It grant program is dedicated to advancing Fitchburg as one of America's most culturally unique and creative cities. In 2024, this grant aims to support placemaking and placekeeping projects that directly involve and impact residents, visitors, and businesses in Fitchburg's neighborhoods. While we welcome applications from across the city, projects that activate underutilized public spaces in downtown Fitchburg or demonstrate a meaningful connection to the downtown area will be given priority.

What is Placemaking and Placekeeping?

- Placemaking: Placemaking is a community-based process that harnesses local assets, inspiration, and potential to create quality public spaces that contribute to people's health, happiness, and well-being.- Placekeeping: Placekeeping involves actively caring for a place and its social fabric by the people who live and work there, preserving cultural memories and supporting the way of life chosen by the locals.

Creative Placemaking/Placekeeping to Us

Creative Placemaking involves using arts and culture strategically to shape the physical and social character of a place, promoting economic development, social change, and improving the environment. High-quality projects in this category include:Use of Arts and Culture: Incorporating various forms of arts and culture, such as murals, street carnivals, public art, and more, with artists actively involved.
Diverse Partners: Collaborating with neighborhood residents, businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, and more to strengthen projects and ensure long-term ownership.
Shaping a Place: Transforming underutilized places into useful, safe, beautiful, and vibrant spaces.
To Spur, Promote, and Improve: Attracting people to the project, fostering community growth, and catalyzing further improvements.

Examples of Creative Placemaking

• Abandoned buildings becoming artist studios and galleries.
• Abandoned parking lots transformed into inner-city sports venues and outdoor cinemas.
• Overgrown parks becoming hubs for libraries, garden clubs, live music, and public art.
Learn more about Creative Placemaking/Placekeeping here.

Grant Details

Total Funds: $60,000 allocated for 3-4 projects in Fitchburg.
Eligible Applicants: Individuals, nonprofits, community groups, and for-profits.
Use of Funds: Approved projects can cover materials, operational expenses, capital improvements, permits, insurance, equipment, and more.
Disbursement: Funds will be disbursed within 30 days of receiving award approvals.

Dream It, Create It – Round Two Timeline

November 1 at 12:00am: Application launch.
November 1, 11:00am: Webinar/Info Session.
November 10-30, 1pm-3pm: Weekly office hours (online or in-person).
November 15, 6:00pm: November 15: Grant Writing 101 Workshop with Kerry Flathers (NewVue Communities) -Livestream
November 17: Recording available on Facebook + YouTube.
December 1 at 11:59 p.m.: Application deadline.
December 4-17: Committee reads and scores proposals.
December 18: Final scores due.
December 19: Committee meeting to determine funding recommendation.
• By December 29: Grant awardees selected.
January 2: Public announcement of grant awards.
January – September: Project performance period.
October 15: Project deadline for submitting invoices.
December 15: Extension deadline for project completion.

Eligible Applicants

Individuals, organizations, and project teams of nonprofit and/or for-profit status proposing projects in or for the City of Fitchburg are eligible to apply. We encourage diverse and inclusive project teams.