The Woodlands Arts Council Encourages Donations on GivingTuesday for its Expanded Microgrant Program

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- During this year’s GivingTuesday on November 29, The Woodlands Arts Council is fundraising an additional $10,000 for their 2023 Microgrant program supporting arts educators, organizations and artists in Montgomery County, Texas.

GivingTuesday is a global initiative that encourages people to do good by expressing an act of humanity and generosity. The Woodlands Arts Council has participated in Giving Tuesday for many years. Last year it raised funds for “The Give Back Bike Rack” which successfully raised funds for the first art bike rack in The Woodlands.

“For several years, GivingTuesday has given us the opportunity to bring our most pressing needs to the community for support,” said Jenny Carattini-Wright, Executive Director of The Woodlands Arts Council. “Due to the huge need in our county, we determined that the amount being requested through our Microgrant program for educator and artist projects was going to be more than our budget could fund.”

Last year, The Woodlands Arts Council launched The Dr. David Gottlieb Education Microgrant and The Woodlands Arts Council Artist Microgrant. These programs began with the hope to more effectively fund arts education and artist growth in Montgomery County. The inaugural round of funding had 18 applicants. Eleven were awarded for a total of $33,000 in impact across Montgomery County arts classrooms, museums, and organizations.

This year the Microgrant program had 60 applicants with total funding requests exceeding $173,000. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, The Woodlands Arts Council had budgeted to award $40,000 in microgrants.

Given the exceptional growth of the program, The Woodlands Arts Council has chosen four more projects for 2023, totaling an additional $10,000 needed, and therefore hopes to rally the community around for support through donations this GivingTuesday.

The Woodlands Arts Council Board President James Stilwell proposes, “We only need 50 champions of art in this community to donate $200 each to reach our goal. These donors will be listed on the Arts Council website Microgrant page and will receive updates on the impact of their donations throughout the year. This is an incredible opportunity to make a real difference in our arts community.”

He continues, “If this call inspires an individual to champion the entirety of a single Microgrant project, the Arts Council will put their name on the giant check for a publicity photo with a press release.”

To donate, visit: https://www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/p/getinvolved/champions-of-art

The Woodlands Arts Council encourages those who cannot donate to share this opportunity and their mission with friends and family. They also hope the community will consider getting involved by signing up for reminders about volunteering this spring at their biggest annual fundraising event – Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival – set for April 14-16, 2023!

To sign up for reminders about volunteering, visit: :https://www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/p/festival/volunteer2

The Woodlands Arts Council provides regional, cultural, and educational enrichment opportunities that encourage, support and promote the visual and performing arts in our community. From the award-winning Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival to public art installations and the year-round community and educational outreach programs of Because Art Matters, the council has one primary goal … making our community better, Because Art Matters!