The Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund Designates $135,000 to Promote Community Vibrancy

The Syracuse Cultural Festivals Fund (SCFF) has designated $135,000 in funding to promote ‘community vibrancy’ by supporting non-profit community groups that deliver free, local, public, theme-driven celebratory events. SCFF funded festivals must also provide entertainment and/or activities for patrons in public spaces.

Applications may be submitted to SCFF for grant amounts between $3,000 and $10,000 per festival. Eligible proposed festivals must be held between the October 2023 through September 2024 timeframe in order to be considered for SCFF funding.

The application deadline for the first round of funding is Aug. 23, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Additional rounds of funding will be made available based on availability of funds.

SCFF was established by the city of Syracuse in recognition that festivals and event programming contribute to a vibrant community.

“Syracuse has always been a city that takes pride in our diversity. This commitment from us will hopefully be the beginning of a true investment in cultural awareness and celebration on an ongoing basis,” said Syracuse Common Councilor Jimmy Monto.

According to SCFF, diversity is a key aspect of how community vibrancy is defined. SCFF says, “applications (for funding) will be reviewed based on several factors including how the festival or event attracts visitors to public spaces, increases the community's awareness of a variety of ethnicities and builds appreciation for diverse cultures, traditions and art forms,” going on to state, “additional consideration is given to events which create opportunities to celebrate the diverse fabric of our region and showcase the artistic opportunities found within our city.”

“Cultural festivals are unique events that improve quality of life and strengthen our local economy. They are a big part of what makes city living special,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh.

Funds will be administered by the Downtown Syracuse Foundation, Inc., and are designed to reimburse organizers for eligible expenses associated with awarded festivals and events.

Applications must be submitted at least two months prior to the event or program date.

Additional information about the SCFF funding program is available at: DowntownSyracuse.com/syracusefestivalfund which is also where the application can be downloaded.