Accessibility Grants

South Arts, Inc. is offering Accessibility Grants of up to $2,500 to nonprofit organizations in the Southeast to enhance accessibility in arts programs for individuals with disabilities. The grants aim to foster inclusivity by supporting projects that engage disabled artists and audiences. Organizations must be located within the South Arts Service region and focus on the arts. Priority will be given to new applicants and those serving BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities, with a commitment to rural areas.

Detailed Program Description
Grants of up to $2,500 for organizations to make arts programs accessible to persons with disabilities.
The Southeast is home to some of the world’s more diverse and vibrant artistic communities. The arts enrich the lives of people of all abilities and backgrounds. In our commitment to amplifying the success of the Southeast’s arts ecology, South Arts offers micro-funding to supplement the efforts of arts organizations throughout our service area.
Art making is for everyone too! South Arts encourages arts organizations to hire artistic personnel of all abilities at all levels; for these grants in particular, we encourage arts organizations to work directly with artists who identify as disabled.
Through our partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, South Arts offers small grants that compliment existing efforts by arts organizations to include audiences and artists with disabilities. Accessibility micro-grants are available to support Nonprofit, 501c3, arts organizations located within the South Arts Service region states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This funding program is open to a wide variety of organizations, including community cultural organizations, museums, performing arts presenters, theatre companies, visual arts and music organizations. Priority funding will be given to new applicants to South Arts.
South Arts has prioritized the following:

• South Arts prioritizes applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ identifying organizations.

South Arts prioritizes applications from organizations led by persons with disabilities or organizations that provide significant programming to artists or audiences with disabilities.
South Arts is committed to funding artists organizations in rural communities (with populations under 50,000).
Primary consideration will be given to new applicants.
Usage of Funds
Grants awards may reimburse the applicant for any combination of qualifying expenses incurred during the grant period. Projects may include but are not limited to the following:

• Programs
• Usage of large print or braille program materials for patrons/audiences with low vision
• Artist/consultant fees to provide accessibility training or audits
• Transportation of constituents or performers with disabilities
• Preparation for special exhibitions (i.e. space modifications or accessibility audit)
• Audio description
• Sign language interpretation
• Website accessibility
• Docent training for visual or audio enhancement
• Consultant fee to develop an overall accessibility plan for your organization
• Inclusive programming
• Staff training to learn about accessibility as it relates to programming, operations, or facilities modifications (i.e. travel to a workshop and/or training)
• Other accommodations that make programs accessible
• Facilities Enhancements
• Accessibility signage for exterior and/or interior space
• Modification of restroom(s) signage
• Modification to drinking fountain(s) signage
• Installation of Braille plaques

Eligibility

The following is a top-level list of the main requirements necessary to be considered for an Accessibility Grant.Be a nonprofit, 501c3, tax-exempt organization, an official unit of local, county, or state government (including an institution of higher education), or a federally recognized tribal community located within the South Arts Service region states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The organization must:have a primary mission focused on the arts, orserves as the primary arts provider in its community, or will commit to a project that connects the arts to persons who have disabilities.Conduct programming/projects as outlined in the Usage of Funds section below.
Organizations are limited to one Accessibility Grant award per fiscal year (July 1-June 30).
In accordance with federal government policy, all organizations – including (but not limited to) private schools, government entities, public school districts, and nonprofit organizations – must provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) to receive a South Arts Accessibility grant award.

Ineligibility

This grant does not provide support to fiscally sponsored projects or entities. Applications will not be accepted from organizations that do not have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Screening partners currently receiving funding through South Arts' Southern Circuit program are not eligible to receive additional funding for the Southern Circuit film screenings.Applicants currently receiving funding through South Arts’ Presentation Grants or Traditional Arts Touring program are not eligible for this grant program.Applicants who have failed to submit final reports for any previous South Arts grant by the application deadline for this program will not be considered for funding in this grant cycle.Applicants who fail to properly acknowledge South Arts’ AND the National Endowment for the Arts’ support in programs and press materials may not be considered for future funding.South Arts does not fund benefits or fundraisers.Grants are NOT transferable to other events.Prohibited UseConstruction costs (new buildings must comply with current ADA requirements)Cosmetic work such as interior painting and furnishingsActual building construction costs Consultant fees for facilities fundraising