Above and Beyond Grant

Above and Beyond:
The Student Grant for Professional Development

Maine College of Art’s Above and Beyond Grant helps currently enrolled BFA, MFA, and MAT students access structured opportunities and experiences that take them above and beyond MECA’s classrooms and facilities. Students will learn basic skills in grant writing, budgeting, and formatting work samples while assembling proposals to fund activities such as conferences, workshops, or professional events. All applicants will receive feedback on their applications.

The maximum request is $500.

There are three grant cycles.
All applicants are required to attend an informational workshop before submitting a proposal.
Update as of March 13: Because of the extended break and changes in scheduling, we have cancelled the March workshop and applicants won’t be required to have attended one to apply for this last deadline, changed to April 6. Students are encouraged to ask Nat May for guidance / help with their applications via email: nmay@meca.edu.

Workshops:
October 10, 2019: In Artists at Work
January 23, 2020: In Room 209
March 16, 2020: In room 007 (lower level)  cancelled due to extended break

Reserve your slot here

Deadline: October 28, 2019
With notification by November 8, for activities taking place between December 1, 2019 and September 1, 2020.

Deadline: February 10, 2020
With notification by February 21, for activities taking place between March 15, 2020 and December 1, 2020.

Deadline: March 30, April 6, 2020
With notification by April 10 April 17, for activities taking place between May 1, 2020 and January 30, 2021.
Application

Eligibility:

For BFA applicants: students need a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the most recent semester. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors must be enrolled for the upcoming semester to qualify.

Funds cannot be used for:

+ equipment
+ projects that are part of the curriculum
+ activities that earn academic credit
+ resources that are available at or through MECA.
+ day-to-day creative practice expenses (rent, materials, marketing, etc.)

Requests are capped at $500. Each grant cycle has $2,500 available.

Review Criteria:

+ Artistic practice is clear
+ Funded activity is clear
+ Activity relates to practice
+ Goal of activity is clear
+ Activity advances practice
+ Budget is clear
+ Budget is realistic
+ Work samples are well presented
+ Quality of work

Past Awardees