Project Grant

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$6,700
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Sinclair Lewis Foundation
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
October 2016
End Date
October 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Stearns
Benton
Sherburne
Wright
Todd
Pope
Stearns
Benton
Sherburne
Wright
Todd
Pope
Project Overview
Project Grant
Project Details
We are sponsoring our 27th Annual Writers Conference on Saturday, October 8, 2016. The conference, one of the longest-running, most respected writer's conferences in the Midwest, offers all writers a chance to hone their craft and to form networks.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Janice Courtney: Arts Adviser/Assistant Director of the St Cloud State University Program Board, arts advocate; Linda Brobeck: visual artist, owner of Crow River North, LLC, has served on a number of non-profit boards; Al Hams: Founder of Al's Music, author, served on a number of Boards of Directors; Leslie Hanlon: Director of Fundraising and Marketing for the College of St Benedict/St John's University Fine Arts Series; Ken Barry: blues musician, Victorian photographer, Nuclear Engineer; George Minerich: film, digital, and nature photographer, local arts center, photography club volunteer; Mark Nelson: public school music teacher, choral director, community theatre director, voice lessons instructor, American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota Board Member; Justin Lewandowski: music advocate, promoter and booking agent, writer, actor, volunteer for a number of organizations.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Janice Courtney: Central Minnesota Arts Board Director; Jennifer Howland: Education; Caron Lage: fiber artist, public art work, coordinator of art exhibitions; Joyce Lyons: actress, singer, educator, member of Buffalo Community Orchestra Advisory Board; Alicia Peters: College of St Benedict/St JohnÆs University Faculty in Art Education, Minnesota Market Arts Co-op Chair, Millstream Arts Festival coordinator; Mindy Rinkenberger: multimedia artist, traditional analogue photography, large scale multi-media sculpture.
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2015 Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$6,700
Other Funds Leveraged
$7,100
Direct expenses
$13,800
Administration costs
$2,200
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Perhaps the best evidence that points to our achieved outcomes is the fact that we have sponsored this conference each year since 1990, attracting 70-100 writers per year. Many of these writers have attended more than one conference. We receive requests from professional writers to be speakers at our conference. In short, our primary outcome is to increase participant access to professional writers while gaining practical knowledge relating to their particular area of writing. We measure our outcomes by asking each participant and presenter to provide written feedback concerning their conference experience. The results are used to help plan the next year's conference.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Our main goal has always been to perpetuate the memory and works of Sinclair Lewis and to mentor writers as Lewis himself did. To this end, sponsoring 27 writers conferences since 1990 in Lewis' name and in his hometown addresses our goal. We evaluate our outcomes based on written feedback received from the conference participants. Many of our participants have attended more than one conference, which demonstrates that we are serving the needs of our audience of experienced and novice writers.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Jim Umhoefer, Roberta Olson, Colleen Steffes, Dave Simpkins, Pat Lewis, Mark Roberg, Joyce Lyng, Irene Trisko, Marcy Weitzel, Char Stepp, Danielle Woida
Project Manager
First Name
Jim
Last Name
Umhoefer
Organization Name
Sinclair Lewis Foundation
Street Address
39336 Wild Rose Ct
City
Sauk Centre
State
MN
Zip Code
56378
Phone
(320) 352-2735
Email
umhoefer@mainstreetcom.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

P.O. Box 458
220 4th Ave North 
Foley, MN 56329

Phone
Project Manager: Leslie LeCuyer
320-968-4290x 3