Purpose:
Soulard Mardi Gras Grand Parade
The Mardi Gras Foundation (MGF), founded in 2002, provides physical improvement grants to the Soulard community, which has hosted Soulard Mardi Gras since 1981. Mardi Gras has become the region’s largest single event (Grand Parade Day) and the largest calendar of events for a single festival season (14 events over six weeks, including the Mayor’s Ball).
Money raised by Mayor’s Ball is the source of funding for the Community Improvement Grants, through the MGF. To date, the MGF has issued more than $350,000 in Soulard & Downtown Community Improvement Grants.
Criteria:
The Mardi Gras Foundation (MGF) Grant Application consists of the following components, which should be submitted in the order listed below. This checklist is provided to help ensure a complete proposal.
Section I: Cover Letter
Include the purpose of the grant request and a brief description of how the request fits with the MGF purpose and grant-making priorities.
Section II: Narrative
Provide an overall project narrative, including any context for your request that you think may not be covered in our grant-making guidelines below. Please limit your narrative to three (3) pages.
Section III: Satisfaction of Grant-making Guidelines
The criteria below are a set of guidelines, framed as questions that the MGF board considers when awarding grants. These questions should be addressed in the Grant.
One past grant was awarded for setting up permanent electric power at the Soulard Market Park, which increased the usability for public events.
Another past grant was awarded for the renovation of Soulard Station, which marks the entrance into the Soulard neighborhood. Copyright: Jillian Farnsworth
- How will the proposed project benefit the Soulard community?
- Does the proposed project have broad community support and/or multiple community organizations as applicants?
- Is the proposed project a physical, permanent improvement to the community?
- Would the MGF funding be decisive in terms of the ability of the applicant to complete the proposed project?
- Would the MGF grant be the only source of money for the proposed project, or are there other funding sources which could be leveraged by an MGF grant?
- Does the applicant have the ability to successfully complete the project?
- Is/are the applicant/applicants a Soulard-based not-for-profit organization?