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ARTIST OPPORTUNITY GRANTS

SPECIAL PROJECTS GRANTS

COMMUNITY ARTS GRANT

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT
FOR THE ARTS

2025-2026 Grants for Arts Projects (GAP)

 

Intent to Apply Now OPEN
UNTIL 5PM ON THURSDAY MAY 8TH!

Project Grants
for Arts Organizations
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR LOI
BEFORE 5PM ON THURSDAY MAY 8TH.

2025-2026 NEA GAP

About NEA Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) Program Termination:
Culture Works' Public Statement

On Friday, May 2, at 9pm, Culture Works received an email from the National Endowment for the Arts terminating funding for our Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) program. Culture Works' current GAP program "... no longer effectuates the [NEA] program goals or agency priorities.*" As a result, Culture Works is no longer able to accept Letters of Intent for the NEA GAP program from arts organizations in our eight-county service area.

Culture Works President and CEO, Lisa Hanson, has begun the appeal process, within the guidelines set forth by the NEA, and will announce the results of the appeal once she receives the decision.

Friday's email and the proposed elimination of the NEA in the FY26 federal budget, reinforces Culture Works' commitment to our mission as the Dayton Region's local arts agency and United Arts Fund. We will continue to seek ways to support the arts ecosystem in our community and serve as a leading advocate for the arts on a local, state, and national level. Moreover, it is our fervent hope that funding for the NEA will be restored in some-if not full-capacity.

Although the staff at Culture Works is disheartened by this news, we are determined to explore opportunities with the partners of our GAP program, the Charles F. Kettering Foundation and the Dayton Foundation. We remain invested in examining Culture Works' grant policies and procedures for equity, accessibility, and inclusion. Culture Works is grateful for the support of our community.

The Weekly Applicant Support Offering for the 2025-2026 NEA GAP is still being held this Wednesday, May 7, at 1pm via Zoom here. Please bring any questions or concerns you have to this meeting, and we will do our best to respond. 

Your Voice Matters!

  • Share your thoughts on the recent grantmaking policy changes and the elimination of NEA funding in the proposed FY26 federal budget by contacting your U.S. Senators John Husted and Bernie Moreno, and U.S. House of Representatives in your district.
  • To learn more about advocating for the arts, visit https://www.americansforthearts.org/advocate
  • For more information on NEA cuts and changes,  visit: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/arts/national-endowment-for-the-arts-grants.html and arts.gov
  • Find out how  you can support the arts and read about Culture Works programs and advocacy by visiting CultureWorks.org, call 937-222-ARTS, or email staff@cultureworks.org.
*The Administration’s New Grant Making Policies
As stated in the 5/1/25 email, “The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity, as prioritized by the President.” Further, “the NEA will now prioritize projects that elevate the Nation’s HBCUs and Hispanic Serving Institutions, celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence, foster AI competency, empower houses of worship to serve communities, assist with disaster recovery, foster skilled trade jobs, make America healthy again, support the military and veterans, support Tribal communities, make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful, and support the economic development of Asian American communities.”

      Culture Works' Original Announcement of NEA Grants for Arts Projects (GAP)

      Culture Works announces a grant opportunity for arts organizations of all sizes! 

      Culture Works has secured a National Endowment for the Arts Grant for Arts Projects (GAP) sub-granting award. This award provides funding support for artistic projects that promote a sense of belonging and foster community through sub-grants of up to $15,000.00 for eligible arts organizations.

      The artistic quality of the projects must align with the NEA’s mission of “fostering and sustaining an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States” and “belonging” must be a theme of the project.

      The program parameters of this federal funding, emphasizing equity, are particularly exciting to Culture Works. With the support of community partner, the Charles F. Kettering Foundation and their “Democracy and the Arts” team, Culture Works is conducting a qualitative research project on our grantmaking policies during our administration of the grant. Applicants are asked to consider participating in a voluntary cohort in support of this critical review, providing “Democracy and the Arts” insight into their experience of the year-long grant process. In turn, Culture Works will rely on the completed research to inform updates and changes to their grantmaking systems and the application process, including support offerings, orientations, and additional equity practices.

      The application process for the 2025-2026 NEA Grants for Arts Projects is a two step process:

      1. Applicants must first complete the Intent to Apply by 4:00 pm on Friday May 16, 2025 (at the latest) for the determination of their eligibility.
      2. Within five days of the receipt of the Intent to Apply, Culture Works will notify organizations of their eligibility and invite to complete a full application with an application deadline of June 16, 2025, 4:00 pm. 

      Weekly Applicant Support Offerings for the 2025-2026 NEA GAP are being held on every Wednesday at 1pm via Zoom here. 

    • Voluntary Cohort
    • FAQs 
    • NEA Application Handbook 
    • Eligibility Requirements  
    • 2025-2026 Timeline
    • Application Orientation Slides 
    • Intent to Apply is now open until 5pm May 8th at 5pm!

      No late applications will be accepted.

      Questions? Contact Ren (Rachel Evans Nead), Culture Works Director of Grantmaking & Impact, at ren@cultureworks.org.

      If you would like to meet virtually, you can schedule a Teams meeting through her Bookings site here.

      FAQS

      What is the source of the funding used to provide Community Arts Grants?

      The source of funding for these grants is money raised through Culture Works’ annual Campaign for the Arts. Individuals and companies throughout the region participate, with more than 50% of the funding coming from workplace giving campaigns. The annual Campaign allows individuals to support not just one art form or organization, but to invest in the fundamental value of arts and culture to our community.

      How are funding decisions made?

      In 2014, Culture works implemented an outcomes-based funding model to better evaluate the effectiveness of applicants in aligning with larger community objectives. Under this model, a panel of knowledgeable local citizens evaluates applications using an established scoring rubric (see "How Are Applications Scored?").

      Panelists also make site visits to applicant organizations—attending a performance, exhibition, or other event—to gain additional insights into the organization beyond the information included in the application. Panelists review and score applications independently from mid-April to mid-May, then discuss the applications as a group and make final scoring decisions at a Public Grant Panel Meeting held in mid-late May. Final scores are entered into a funding formula that takes into consideration the total amount of funding available, the number of applicants, and each applicant organization’s budget to determine the grant amounts.

      Why does Culture Works use an outcomes-based grantmaking process?

      In 2014, Culture Works changed its process to provide more fairness, transparency, and accountability. We also wanted to have more precise outcomes to report back to those who support the annual Campaign for the Arts to show that their gifts are truly making a difference. We take our responsibility to be good stewards of the funding entrusted to us through the annual Campaign for the Arts very seriously.

      Is there a precedent for this kind of grantmaking process?

      Absolutely! An outcomes-based process with a panel, scoring mechanism, and public grant process is used by the Ohio Arts Council to make funding decisions, and by other state arts councils. The same process is also used by the National Endowment for the Arts and a majority of local area arts agencies across the country. Culture Works is now much more aligned with national standards for best practices through the changes that we have made to our grant making process.

      Who serves on the panel?

      Culture Works recruits an independent panel of arts administrators, artists, business leaders, and passionate community volunteers to serve on our grant panels.

      How are grant applications scored?

      Panelists score each application in three areas: Community Impact & Engagement (45 pts), Artistic & Cultural Vibrancy (35 pts), and Organizational Capacity (20 pts). A checklist showing the full evaluation criteria is available here. To determine each organization's final score, Culture Works takes the average score they received from panelists. Organizations must score at least 70/100 points to be eligible for funding.

      Why are organizations required to support the annual Campaign for the Arts in order to apply for Community Arts Grant funding?

      Conducting a united arts fund campaign is only one of the programs of Culture Works. Organizations that choose not to support the Culture Works annual Campaign are still eligible to take advantage of the marketing, advocacy, and other support provided to every cultural organization in the Dayton Region by Culture Works. However, if organizations wish to benefit directly from the pool of money gathered through the annual Campaign, we think that it is important that these organizations commit to partnering with us to achieve the best possible outcomes for the annual Campaign by being champions for this effort.

      OK

      2024-2025 Community Arts Grant Timeline

      Friday, January 17, 2024

      Deadline for applicants to submit an Intent to Apply for 2024-2025 Funding form and a current board roster.

      Friday, March 1, 2024

      Grant application available through the Culture Works website.

      March 1-May 5, 2024

      Panelist site visits take place.

      Tuesday, March 5, 2024

      Grant application info session for applicants via Zoom.

      Friday, April 5, 2024

      Grant application deadline—must be received by 4pm.
      (This is also the deadline for Culture Works leadership to give a brief presentation to your board about the Campaign for the Arts.)

      Mid-April 2024

      Grant panel begins application review.

      Thursday, May 16, 2024

      Public Grant Panel Meeting. During this meeting, grant panelists will discuss applications for 2024–2025 Culture Works Community Arts Grant funding. Applicants and interested members of the public are invited to attend. The discussions will be recorded, and a recording will be made available on the Culture Works website, cultureworks.org, within a week following the meeting.

      Tuesday, June 25, 2024

      Funding amounts approved by the Culture Works Board of Trustees.

      July 2024

      Applicant organizations receive panelist feedback and notification of 2024–2025 grant amounts.

      OK

      ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

      To be eligible for the Artist Opportunity Grant program, an applicant must:

      • Be a resident of Montgomery County, Ohio, with a valid street address (no P.O. boxes) demonstrated by a driver’s license, utility bill, bank statement, voter registration document, etc.; and
      • Be a United States citizen or a permanent legal resident; and
      • Be at least 18 years old; and
      • Be an artist or creative entrepreneur. For the purposes of this grant program, an artist is defined as someone who has practiced their artistic discipline for at least three years*, demonstrates strong artistic potential, and is committed to developing their craft and artistic career. Artists devote a significant portion of their time to creating, practicing, or teaching their artform and receive compensation for their work.
      • Have exhibited, performed, or published work as an artist within the past three years, including self-curated opportunities or those in non-traditional venues.

      *NOTE: An applicant’s history of artistic practice can include time spent in, and activities completed as part of, an undergraduate or graduate art program.

      Note: In the 2024-2025 application cycle, the project or opportunity for which an applicant seeks funding must take place between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025. If the grant is to complete a project already in progress, it must culminate with a completed work within the grant period. Projects anticipated to not be completed by December 31, 2025 will not be considered.

      Before beginning your application, review the complete eligibility criteria in the Artist Opportunity Grant Program Guidelines.

      OK

      EVALUATION CRITERIA

      All proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

      Artistic Merit: The artistic capabilities of the applicant; the strength and quality of the creative vision and the originality of the applicant’s work as demonstrated in the application, previous work, and artist’s statement. Grant reviewers will consider whether:

      • The artist’s work demonstrates familiarity and control of craft and technique and a level of skill appropriate to the artist’s career stage.
      • The artist’s work is of compelling artistic vision and singular voice.
      • The artist’s work is inventive, imaginative, and substantive in form and content.

      Potential Impact of the proposed project to advance/further the applicant’s work/career. Grant reviewers will consider whether:

      • The opportunity is unique, time-sensitive, and not a repeat of past experiences.
      • The artist identifies clear and realistic artistic/professional goals and makes a case for how this opportunity will help achieve them.
      • There is a potential for the opportunity to deepen the artist's practice and facilitate future creative work.

      Quality of Proposed Project: The artistic strength, quality, vision, and originality of the proposed opportunity/project. Grant reviewers will consider whether:

      • The opportunity/project is clearly defined and meets professional standards.
      • (As applicable) The mentors/instructors involved are well qualified and/or the artist demonstrates capacity for self-directed learning.
      • The opportunity/project is original and reflects awareness of the history and contemporary practice of the artist’s field and its relationship to both (i.e., it is not a duplication of an existing effort).
      • The opportunity/project is an important or a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

      Administrative Capability: The feasibility of the proposed project as determined by the applicant preparing and clearly articulating a logical, well- conceived project plan that can be reasonably executed and includes a realistic timeline and accurate budget. Grant reviewers will consider whether:

      • The artist provided a clear project timeline and explanation of how funds will be used.
      • The project budget is realistic and supported by documentation of expenses. (See the Artist Opportunity Grant Guidelines for more about budget requirements.)
      • The artist has a history of presenting work to the public and a record of creative accomplishment appropriate to their career stage.

      Public Benefit: The applicant seeks to increase the public’s access to and direct participation in quality arts and cultural resources that celebrate diversity and foster creativity within Montgomery County. Grant reviewers will consider whether:

      • The artist has a clear plan to share their work or project outcomes with the community.
      • The artist articulates how the opportunity/project will benefit intended audiences.
      • (As applicable) The artist has a commitment from the intended exhibition space or performance venue.

      THE REVIEW PROCESS

      All applications will be reviewed by staff for completeness and eligibility before being submitted to an independent grant panel for consideration.

      Grant Panel

      Culture Works and the MCACD will identify an independent panel consisting of artists, arts administrators, educators, and community members who understand and have an appreciation for the careers and creative development of artists. Every effort is made to avoid conflicts of interest.

      Panelists will be provided online access to eligible applications, supporting materials, and artistic samples. Panelists will review the applications independently over the course of a month and assign scores based on the criteria outlined above. The highest possible score an applicant can receive is 25.

      Public Panel Meeting and Funding Recommendations

      In late-November / early December 2024, the panel will convene at a virtual public panel meeting to discuss applications and make award recommendations as a group. To facilitate discussion and funding recommendations, applications with the lowest initial scores may be eliminated from consideration prior to the public meeting. Applicants will be notified in advance of whether their application will proceed to the panel meeting.

      The panel meeting will be open to the public and will begin with introductions of everyone in the room. The audience will be given a brief overview of the grant review and scoring process.

      Each application will be reviewed using the following process:

      • a) The first reader (discussion leader) will lead the panel in a general discussion of the application.
      • b) After all panelists have had a chance to comment, the panel facilitator will draw the discussion of the application to a close and each panelist will have an opportunity to adjust their scores if necessary.

      When desired, panel members will be given the opportunity to review an artist’s application and/or documentation. This is done for clarification purposes. As a result of the panel discussion or further review of an applicant’s application or documentation, panelists may adjust their scores. Because materials will have been previously reviewed by panelists, they may or may not ask to review the same materials for every applicant.

      After all applications have been discussed and final scores have been submitted, the panel will enter a closed session to review a master list of all applicants, ranked from highest to lowest average score. The panel will make funding recommendations based on these rankings and the funding that is available.

      Following the panel meeting, all funding recommendations are reviewed for final approval by the MCACD board. Award recipients will then enter into a contract/grant agreement with Culture Works.

      OK

      RESOURCES FOR APPLICANTS

      • Before beginning your application, read the full 2024-2025 Artist Opportunity Grant Guidelines here.
      • Review the Tips for Writing a Great Application
      • Review the Work Sample Guidelines
      • Watch the 2023-2024 Artist Opportunity Grant Info Session here and download the presentation slides here. (2024-2025 forthcoming)
      • Culture Works Director of Grantmaking & Impact is hosting a series of workshops. All applicants and interested parties are welcome to participate. Each weekly workshop focuses on a different aspect of the grant application and is offered at two different times to provide more access based on your own schedules.

        The same Zoom link works for all workshops. Passcode: Arts4All
        Please see the schedule below and come as you may!

      1. September 16, 2024 at 12pm EST & September 17, 2024, at 7pm EST
        Artist Opportunity Grant & Community Force Orientation

        Not familiar with the application? New to grant writing? Unfamiliar with the application portal, Community Force? Be prepared for a thorough introduction with time for your questions! No registration required – Come when you can, stay as you can!

      2. September 23, 2024 at 12pm EST & September 24, 2024, at 7pm EST
        Artist Statement Workshop

        The Artist Statement is your opportunity to share your vision as an artist and to tell grant reviewers about your journey as an artist, but how do you write one? Come read through samples with your fellow applicants and begin writing your own! No registration required – Come when you can, stay as you can!

      3. September 30, 2024 at 12pm EST & October 1, 2024 at 7pm EST
        Project Budget Workshop

        A project budget is a crucial part of an Artist Opportunity Grant application, but how do you develop one? And how do you balance the story of your project with the projected costs of that project? This workshop will offer support as you create a project budget with supporting documentation and narrative. No registration required – Come when you can, stay as you can!

      4. October 7, 2024 at 12pm & October 8, 2024 at 7pm EST
        Peer Review Workshop

        An opportunity to receive feedback on an early draft of your application from fellow applicants and past grantees. Registration will be required by October 1 for participation in this workshop by emailing REN@cultureworks.org. *Dates and times may be updated based on participation.

      OK

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      Culture Works
      31 South Main Street, Suite A210
      Dayton, OH  45402

      PH 937-222-ARTS (2787)

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