[McKnight Foundation](https://www.mcknight.org)

April 15, 2026

$1,000 award; one recipient annually

Annual recognition for a southwest Minnesota individual who has made significant, sustained contributions to the arts.

Nominee must reside in the SMAC region and can only receive the award once.

--- ## Description The Prairie Disciple Award recognizes and elevates one individual each year from southwest Minnesota whose sustained activities and involvement have made significant contributions to the arts. By publicly honoring these arts advocates, the award seeks to raise the profile of the arts within their communities and across the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council (SMAC) region. The award is intended for those whose long-term support and advocacy for the arts may otherwise go unrecognized. --- ## Due Dates - April 15, 2026: Nomination submission deadline for the Prairie Disciple Award (nominations must be submitted online by this date) --- ## Funding Amount - Award amount: $1,000 - One individual recipient per year --- ## Eligibility - Nominee must reside in the SMAC (Southwest Minnesota Arts Council) region and have lived there for at least one year. - Any individual other than the nominee may submit a nomination. - The award can only be received once in a lifetime. - Current SMAC board members are not eligible. - Nominations are not carried over from previous years; previous nominees must be re-nominated. --- ## Application Process - Nominations must be submitted online through the [SMAC grant system](https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=SMAHC). - Nominator must provide: - Resume or background information for the nominee - At least two letters of recommendation (up to four can be uploaded; PDF or JPEG preferred) - Additional support materials (optional; up to two files, 10 MB total) - Web links supporting the nomination (optional, but social media links cannot be the only supporting material) - The application includes fields for detailed information about the nominee’s impact on the arts in the region. - Nominator contact information and electronic certification/signature are required. --- ## Additional Information - The nominee will not be notified unless selected for the award. - Letters of support may also be emailed to info@swmnarts.org if upload is not possible. - Collaborative application completion is supported via the online system. - See the [Nomination Guidelines & Questions](https://swmnarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FY26-PD-Guidelines-Questions.docx) for detailed instructions and character/file size limits. --- ## External Links - [Prairie Disciple Award Program Page](https://swmnarts.org/prairie-disciple-award/) - [Nomination Guidelines & Questions (DOCX)](https://swmnarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FY26-PD-Guidelines-Questions.docx) - [SMAC Grant System Logon](https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=SMAHC) - [SMAC Contact Page](https://swmnarts.org/contact-us/) --- ## Contact Information | Contact Type | Details | |----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | General Inquiries | [info@swmnarts.org](mailto:info@swmnarts.org) | | Grants Administrator | [Schedule a meeting](https://calendly.com/carolinekoska-smac) or email [caroline@swmnarts.org](mailto:caroline@swmnarts.org) | | Phone | (800) 622-5284 | ---

Prairie Disciple Award - McKnight Foundation

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