Emergency Relief Grant

for artists, creators, performers, and culture bearers.

Apply Now

Maximum Request: $500
- All 1st quarter funds have been expended -
Opens again on January 1, 2026
Rolling Deadline*

Grants will be awarded on a first-served basis to applicants matching the eligibility criteria

Eligible artists, performers, creators, and culture bearers must be Minnesota residents who are 18 years or older and live in our five-county region comprised of Beltrami, Clearwater, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, and Hubbard Counties. For this relief grant, we are also inviting Minnesota residents who are enrolled tribal members and descendants living in Itasca, Roseau, Cass, and Becker Counties (the additional counties we serve through our Anishinaabe Arts Initiative).

*This grant program has a rolling deadline so we can respond quickly to your need. Your application will be processed as soon as you submit it and forwarded on to our Executive Director. Applications will be reviewed within a week of submission and you will receive notification of approval or denial after this period. Funds are dispersed on a first come, first served basis until expended, but are renewed each quarter, so please check back if the grant funds were already expended in the quarter you hoped to apply.

Springboard for the Arts has provided funding to a few selected regional arts councils to disperse to those in their region with need for emergency relief to artists, performers, writers, creators, and culture bearers from natural disaster or major illness and to provide help for those that desperately in need of food, housing, healthcare or legal consultation.

For those seeking additional assistance, please see the end of the page for two lists of links providing more assistance.

To be eligible for a Emergency Relief Grant, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  1. You are an artist/creator/culture bearer who is 18 years of age or older with provided evidence of continuing creative practice in: art, literature, music, theater, dance, or cultural activities for a portion of their income.

    2. You are a Minnesota resident who has been living for the past six months within the five counties of the Region 2 Arts Council (Beltrami, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Clearwater, Hubbard) This grant is also open to our Anishinaabe Arts Initiative additional counties of Roseau, Cass, Becker, and Itasca for enrolled tribal members and descendants who have been living for the past six months within one of those counties.

    3. Artists, performers, creators, or culture bearers who have received grant funds from the Region 2 Arts Council in the past do not have an overdue final report with Region 2 Arts Council.

    4. You are not the immediate family member of a Region 2 Arts Council Staff, Board, or Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Council member. (Immediate family is defined as: spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, child’s spouse, brother, brother’s spouse, sister, or sister’s spouse).

Watch a video about how to create an account
or jump in and create an account and apply online
or use our Paper Grant Application – print, fill out, and send in the mail to:

Region 2 Arts Council
PO Box 693
Bemidji, MN 56619

You can also stop by our office inside the Watermark Art Center and pick up a paper grant application or call, email, or text us your mailing address and we will send you a paper grant application.

Use of Funds:

  • Replacement of lost or damaged equipment or materials

  •  Storm Damage repairs

  •  Loss of income due to natural disaster

  •  Rent/mortgage support

  •  Vehicle repair

  •  Food

  •  Transportation

  •  Medicine

  •  Utilities

  •  Other monthly bills

  •  Loss of Income due to health problem

  •  Family member care

  •  Legal Fees

  •  Other

IMPORTANT: This funding MAY NOT be used to pay student loans or fees, or for past or future classes for academic credit.

Review and Approval Process:

  • Application Review: Applications will be reviewed by the R2Arts Executive Director, which may include consultation with the R2Arts Grants Committee as needed.

  • Decision Timeline: Applications will be reviewed within one week of submission. Applicants will receive notification of approval or denial after this period.

  • Notification: Successful applicants will receive an official grant award email (online applications) or letter (paper applications), outlining the funding amount and any specific conditions required.

  • Payment: R2Arts will distribute grant funds by check. If you have difficulty accessing funds this way, please contact us.

Application Instructions:

  • Applications may be completed and submitted by logging in to our grants portal at r2arts.org

  • Applications may also be completed and submitted in paper format

    • A pdf grant application you can fill out and print are available for download here.

    • A pre-printed paper application can be sent to you by mail - call 218-751-5447, text 218-407-2507, or email staff@r2arts.org with your postal address

  • Submitted applications will be reviewed for completion and eligibility

  • Staff will reach out to applicants if further clarification or additional information is needed on submitted grant applications

  • Applications that are eligible and complete upon submission will be ordered by the submission date of each application

  • For eligible and complete mailed-in applications, the postmark date will determine an application’s place in the submission line-up for the first come, first served basis

  • Applications needing clarification will be placed in order based on the date when questions have been clarified and the application is complete and correct

  • Mailing in paper grant applications to
    Region 2 Arts Council
    PO Box 693
    Bemidji, MN 56619
    is highly recommended, but we also will receive in-person drop-offs of applications at the Region 2 Arts Council office located inside the Watermark Art Center at 505 Bemidji Ave. North in Bemidji, MN

  • Eligible grants will be reviewed on a weekly basis

  • Funding will be awarded until funds have run out

Are you looking for any other forms of assistance?

R2 may not be able to help everyone with their specific needs, but we have worked to compile a resource list available for any of those seeking additional assistance. Please see the lists here: List 1, List 2.