Madison Street Festival accepting grant applications to promote education

MADISON – Thousands and thousands of people enjoyed the Madison Street Festival or MSF on Oct.5, but the festival’s impact is far-reaching and perpetuated by grants that the MSF committee awards from event proceeds.

Madison Street Festival, a 501(c)3 organization, offers grants to groups and organizations that provide educational opportunities and increase literacy in the community. Grant recipients must be organizations that provide some type of educational service.

“By providing community grants to deserving groups or organizations, MSF supports students of all ages and abilities as they seek access to education,” MSF President Crystal McBrayer said. The grants will benefit students in pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle school and high school grades. In addition, civic organizations are eligible that provide training or assistance with school-related curriculum or literacy services.

Grant recipients must be Alabama-based organizations.

Grant applications are available on the Madison Street Festival website. Visit madisonstreetfestival.org, and click the “Grants” dropdown menu. (Or, you can type madisonstreetfestival.org/grantsapplication.)

Any group or person applying for a grant must submit an application form by using the MSF website. Application deadline is 5 p.m. on Oct. 31. If the MSF Grant Committee receives an application after this date and time, the applicant will not be considered for a grant.

The MSF Grant Committee will review and evaluate all accepted applications and then recommend the grant and its amount to the MSF Board of Directors, which has the final decision.

The MSF Grant Committee Chair will notify all award recipients within one month of the closing of the grant application. The recipients will receive email that states the date and location for the MSF Grant Reception when MSF volunteers will present the grants. If a representative does not attend the grant reception, MSF volunteers will mail the award to the address on the application within five working days.

The MSF Grant Committee Chair also will notify all applicants by email who did not receive a grant.

Groups or organizations who previously received MSF community grants can apply for new grants. However, the group must submit a “Completion Form” for the grant that was funded previously.

In the application, the group or individual must describe the MSF grant’s purpose in 500 words or less. The applicant must complete these points: describe the community need for the project; provide a detailed description of the project/program; and include a list of all key personnel.

For a list of 2023 grant recipients and their projects, visit madisonstreetfestival.org/grant.