4Culture: Equipment for Organizations Grant

The 4Culture Equipment for Organizations grant provides funding of up to $15,000 to support the purchase and installation of essential equipment for arts, heritage, historic preservation, and science organizations in King County. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and fiscally sponsored groups. The funding can cover fixed assets like computers and machinery, with a minimum request of $1,000. Organizations should ensure their projects align with the grant criteria to qualify.

Museum shelving, stage lights, ceramic kilns, microscopes, and computers—our Equipment for Organizations grant offers up to $15,000 to support these needs and more for arts, heritage, historic preservation, and science organizations in King County.
What Equipment for Organizations Funds
Equipment for Organizations grants fund the purchase and installation of equipment that can be considered as fixed assets, including computer hardware. You can request a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $15,000 for this grant. Applicants often receive partial funding of their request.
Organizations, governments, and public agencies that focus on the arts, heritage, historic preservation, or science and technology, and provide public benefit through their programs or activities, are eligible to apply. If your organization has not received a 2025 Sustained Support grant from 4Culture, we recommend contacting your discipline’s Program Manager by June 25 to check on your organization’s eligibility before starting your application.
Your Organization’s Discipline
4Culture funds Equipment for Organizations projects that are focused on Arts, Heritage, Historic Preservation, and Science and Technology. Below are the definitions for each discipline:

• Arts

includes organizations focused on creative place-making, cultural festivals, dance, design, film, folk and traditional arts, literary arts, multidisciplinary arts, music, theater, and visual arts.
Historic Preservation
includes organizations focused on advocacy or assistance to preserve, promote, and sustain historic places; education about our historic built environment; or stewarding historic properties that serve as a venue for cultural activities.
Science and Technology
includes organizations focused on natural and social sciences, characterized by a formalized framework that entails the reproducible testing and revision of falsifiable ideas based on observable facts, as well as formal and applied sciences, such as mathematics and engineering. Applicants that are zoos or aquariums must also be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
If you’re not sure if your organization fits the eligibility requirements or if you have a question about these criteria, please contact your discipline’s Program Manager.
Your Project
Equipment for Organizations funds may be used to pay for the following:
Purchase of equipment that can be considered as fixed assets intended to be held for 10 years or more, such as machinery, equipment, or computer hardware.Installation fees if they are under 10% of your total request.Smaller items that are less than $200 per unit, if you demonstrate that the item is essential to the functionality of the larger equipment requested.
Note: equipment purchased using these funds must be stored in a secure location.

Eligibility

Your OrganizationEquipment for Organizations grants are available for federally recognized nonprofit arts, heritage, historic preservation, and science organizations incorporated in the state of Washington and based in King County; public corporations, Tribal governments, and public agencies; or arts, heritage, historic preservation, or science organizations that are fiscally sponsored by a 501c3 partner organization. Please note: check with your discipline’s Program Manager if you are using a fiscal sponsor to see if they are eligible for this grant.Your organization is based in and conducts a majority (51% or more) of your mission-based, public-facing activities in King County with a primary focus on arts, heritage, historic preservation, or science.Your organization has a board of directors, a proven two-year record of providing arts, heritage, historic preservation, or science experiences or services to the residents and visitors of King County and has no ongoing and continual deficits in your operating budget.

Ineligibility

Please reach out to your discipline’s Program Managers with any questions.