MINNESOTA BEAUTIFUL APPLICATION GUIDELINES

Through the Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) Minnesota Beautiful program, cities and nonprofit agencies in the twelve-county area of northwest Minnesota can apply to receive free paint for various restoration/beautification projects. The program is administered by NMF in partnership with the Minneapolis based Valspar Corporation, which generously donates the paint. Final decisions will be made by Valspar.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

 Visual impact of the project

 Current and/or intended use of the structure to be refurbished

 Potential advantages to the public

 Volunteer participation and support

 Benefit to those in need

Projects that qualify for an award of free paint might include (but are not limited to) those involving:

 Historic buildings, structures or landmarks

 Facilities for senior or disabled citizens

 Community centers or other public buildings

 Murals or other visual-impact projects

Projects that do not qualify for a grant include those dealing with:

 Denominational churches

 City maintenance

 Private properties

 School projects with the exception of mural projects

 Privately owned facilities which do not meet any of the other eligibility criteria described above.

Because of the large number of applications that are received each year, it is important that applicants carefully read and follow instructions and complete the application form precisely. Incomplete applications will not be considered. If the instructions are not well understood, please contact NMF for clarification.

REQUIREMENTS:

 Applications should contain two copies of all materials and two sets of photos and must be received at Northwest Minnesota Foundation by 5:00 PM on Monday, March 3, 2014. Applications received after this date will not be eligible for paint. Awards will be announced the week of March 17, 2014. (Photos must be affixed to a sheet of paper or inside a plastic sleeve and properly identified. Do not send loose photos or slides.)

 Only applications requesting 15 or more gallons of paint will be considered.

 Tax-exempt qualifying documentation must be included with the application.

 Recipients will be expected to attend an orientation session at Northwest Minnesota Foundation in Bemidji, mid-April. Project representatives must come to the meeting prepared to discuss technical issues with Valspar representatives, make color selections and finalize project details.

 Recipients will be expected to provide transportation for any materials awarded from the pick-up location in Bemidji, during the allotted time.

 All projects must be finished within the current calendar year.

 Documentation of the projects must be given to NMF as soon as they are finished, but no later than December 13, 2014.

 Site visits may be conducted prior to an award, as well as during and after project completion.

 A press release will announce the recipients and their projects; projects may be featured in the NMF newsletter.

For additional information, contact Ashley Hull at 218-759-2057, 800-659-7859 or email: ashleyh@nwmf.org