THE DEADLINE FOR THE 2026 SEED GRANT APPLICATIONS HAS PASSED. THE SECOND CYCLE WILL OPEN SPRING OF 2027.

Seed Grant Awards – $1,000-$10,000 each 

Application Deadline – Now due Apr 15, 2026, 11:59 PM CST 

Award Period - one year from award date with possible extension as approved by the Engaged City team

Announcement Date - May 15, 2026

About The Engaged City

This is a cultural asset mapping project. In an attempt to bridge divides instead of highlight or enforce them, this project will create publicly accessible co-created cultural maps of St. Louis that spatialize the individual and collective cultural knowledge bearers, organizations, and community members in STL.  

What is Cultural Asset Mapping?

Cultural asset mapping is a process where communities identify and document the cultural resources, strengths, and activities that are already present. Think of it like creating a map, but instead of streets and landmarks, you're mapping out all the things that make a community unique in terms of culture. This can include: 

• Places: museums, theaters, parks, or historical landmarks. 

• People: Artists, musicians, poets or storytellers who contribute to the community’s cultural identity. 

• Practices: Traditions, festivals, languages, or events that are important to the community. 

• Organizations: Nonprofits, cultural centers, or community groups that support the arts or cultural education. 

Once these assets are identified, the community can see where there’s already strength, what might be missing, and how they can work together to celebrate or grow their cultural life.  

About Seed Grants

The Seed Grant program is a key part of expanding the scope and contributions for the Engaged City cultural asset map. Seed grant projects will promote community priorities and provide important insights to the project efforts. The creative work developed by the Seed grantees will support the development of the cultural asset map.  

We welcome applications for a variety of projects, and strongly encourage work that:   

• Recognizes unique cultural assets that deserve greater recognition (don’t tell us about the Arch).

• Identifies historical assets that may or may not continue to exist (physically, culturally) but remain an important part of St. Louis cultural legacies (ex. neighborhoods that don’t exist anymore).

• Develops creative approaches to documentation that can be publicly disseminated (artistic, speculative, data visualization, souvenirs and artifacts, storytelling).

• Engages with a wider public in content and form.

• Could not happen without the funding support of this grant.

Funding amount: We will offer multiple grants of up to $10,000 each over two application cycles (the 1st application cycle opens in March 2026). Project budgets may range from $1,000-$10,000. The selection committee has the discretion to award partial funding.

Award term: A term of one year from award date with possible extension as approved by the Engaged City team.

*These are project-based grants. Applicants can be organizations and/or individuals. Project proposals must support a specific St. Louis region. Funds cannot support general operating expenses or overhead and administrative costs unrelated to the project.*     

Eligibility: Open to anyone 18+ at any career stage residing in the greater St. Louis region. 

To apply, complete the form here by April 15, 2026. Successful applicants will identify a cultural asset(s) in St. Louis and propose a clear and feasible plan that contributes to the Engaged City’s cultural asset mapping goals. Preference will be given to new projects designed with this opportunity in mind, and to those projects that have not received funding from The Divided City.  

Application Requirements

• Applicant and co-applicant(s) name(s), organization(s), contact information, and WashU affiliation, if applicable.

• Project title 

• Who are you? Tell us about yourself and your team, if applicable. 

  If applying as an individual, please elaborate on your practice in under 200 words. If you have experience in projects like this, describe some of your skills and background.  Consider sharing details about how you have presented, exhibited, performed, published, or created works. To further expand upon your experience, you can upload a resume or CV at the end as supplemental material.  

• Where is/are your cultural asset(s) located? 

  Please share generally if describing an area, or multiple locations. 

• What “cultural asset(s)” are you identifying? A neighborhood, place, person, event, or community practice? (150 words or less).  

• What story, idea, or question is at the center of your project proposal? (150 words or less).  

• What project are you proposing? Please describe your idea and how you plan to use the seed grant funds to move it forward. (300 words or less). 

• How will you document and share this knowledge? (150 words or less).  

• Please provide a brief statement that explains the project’s relevance to the Engaged City Initiative. (150 words or less). 

• Outcomes — Please outline the top three specific outcomes for the project. Please be sure to describe the project’s specific outcomes and what criteria will be used to evaluate its success. In other words, what do you expect to happen as a result of this project? (300 words or less) .

• Timeline — Please provide a detailed timeline for the implementation of your project. Note: the award term is one year from award date with possible extension as approved by the Engaged City team (200 words or less).  

• Team Experience — What makes you and your collaborator(s) the right people to conduct this project? Describe your creative, research, and/or community-based process. (150 words or less). 

• Budget

  Please share the dollar amount you are requesting ($1,000-$10,000). Applicants can make one project request not to exceed $10,000.  

  Itemized Budget — Provide a detailed and itemized budget. Be as specific as possible on the expenses you expect to incur in conjunction with your proposed project. All expenses should be reasonable, realistic and must be directly related to the activities that will be conducted as part of the project. Some examples of budget categories can be Supplies/Materials, Honoraria, Travel, etc.   

  Budget Narrative — Provide a narrative description of the budget. A budget narrative explains and justifies the estimated costs from the project budget, providing clarification on why and how each expense connects to the project’s goals and deliverables. (300 words or less).  

• Supplemental Material(s)

  Letter of Support — At least one (1) letter of support, letter of recommendation, and/or letter of collaboration is required. 

  If applicable, please include any additional materials, such as a CV or Resume, and/or provide a URL to a website, social media account, or other digital presence that demonstrates your past work.