Slots: An organization may submit only one application to the FY 2026 Grants for Arts Projects program (i.e., one application per calendar year).
Deadlines
Internal Deadline: Friday, May 9th, 2025, 5pm PT Contact RII.
Grants.gov Submission: July 10, 2025, 11:59pm ET
External Deadline: July 22, 2025, 11:59pm ET
Award Information
Award Type: Grant
Award Amount: Applicants may request an amount between $10,000-$100,000.
Local Arts Agencies only: Designated local arts agencies that are eligible to subgrant may request $30,000 to $150,000 for subgranting programs. See the Local Arts Agencies Application Instructions at the link to award below for more information on subgranting eligibility.
1:1 Cost-share/match required. Sources may include both cash and in-kind.
Link to Award: https://www.arts.gov/grants/grants-for-arts-projects
Who May Serve as PI: Organizations eligible to apply include:
- Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations;
- Units of state or local government; or
- Federally recognized tribal communities or tribes.
Applicant organizations must have completed at least 5 years of arts programming prior to the application deadline. Generally, an applicant may submit one application per calendar year.
Funding is not available in this category for individuals, applications submitted by a fiscal sponsor, or commercial/for-profit enterprises.
Process for Limited Submissions
PIs must submit their application as a Limited Submission through the Research Initiatives and Infrastructure (RII) Application Portal: https://rii.usc.edu/oor-portal/. Use the template provided here: RII Limited Submission Applicant Template
Materials to submit include:
- (1) Two-Page Proposal Summary (1” margins; single-spaced; standard font type, e.g. Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, or Georgia typeface; font size: 11 pt). Page limit includes references and illustrations. Pages that exceed the 2-page limit will be excluded from review. You must use the template linked above.
- (2) CV – (5 pages maximum)
Note: The portal requires information about the PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.
Purpose
The NEA is committed to supporting excellent arts projects for the benefit of all Americans. Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides funding for public engagement with the arts and arts education, for the integration of the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for the improvement of overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector. We welcome applications from first-time and returning applicants; from organizations serving rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities of all sizes; and from organizations with small, medium, or large operating budgets.
We fund arts projects in the following disciplines: Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Film & Media Arts, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater, and Visual Arts.
A full grant program description can be found under Grant Program Details at the link posted above. For detailed instructions on how to apply, see Application Instructions also at the link posted above.