Community Arts Development: Organizations

Overview

Program Support for Organizations

Welcome to the LexArts Community Arts Grant program. Community Arts Development Program Grants provide an opportunity for arts, cultural and other non-profit organizations to produce or present arts or cultural programming that will benefit the community. Grants will be awarded to community organizations for specific programs with an arts or cultural focus that have clear artistic and social benefits and are accessible to the general public. Programs may include festivals, exhibitions, readings, performances, season of performances and publications supporting artist activities. Grant awards range from $5,000 to $10,000.

Program Goal

Through its Community Arts Grant programs LexArts seeks to encourage and support activities and programs that contribute to the arts and cultural landscape of Lexington-Fayette County

Eligibility

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Application Details

2025-2026(FY26) Community Arts Development Grant Guidelines
Program Support for Organizations
Welcome to the LexArts Community Arts Grant program. Community Arts Development Program
Grants provide an opportunity for arts, cultural and other non-profit organizations to produce or
present arts or cultural programming that will benefit the community. Grants will be awarded to
community organizations for specific programs with an arts or cultural focus that have clear artistic
and social benefits and are accessible to the general public. Programs may include festivals,
exhibitions, readings, performances, season of performances and publications supporting artist
activities. Grant awards range from $5,000 to $10,000.
PROGRAM GOAL
Through its Community Arts Grant programs LexArts seeks to encourage and support activities and
programs that contribute to the arts and cultural landscape of Lexington-Fayette County.
LexArts grant programs are guided by its purpose to promote, enhance, and contribute to the
educational, artistic, and cultural lives of those living in Central Kentucky and to serve as a resource
and supportive agency for organizations which affect or alter the cultural climate of generosity;
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developing their application.
The 2025-2026 (FY26) Community Arts Program Grant will fund arts programs taking place
from July 1, 2025, through June 31, 2026.
If you have questions concerning the CAD grant program, please email Nathan Zamarron at
nzamarron@lexarts.org.
DATES AND DEADLINES
Application Deadline Friday, February 21, 2025 at 11:59pm
Public Grant Review Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 10 am – 1 pm
Award Notification Friday, June 20, 2025
Program period July 1, 2025 - Jun 30, 2026
Final Report Due 30 days following completion of grant period
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ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS
All applicants must document the following in Community Arts Program Support for
order to be eligible: Organizations will not fund:
• Nonprofit, 501(c)3 or 509a organization • Instructional programs designed only to
• Arts focused mission benefit students enrolled in public or
• Annual budget must have exceeded private school districts, colleges, or
$25,000 for the three previous consecutive universities
years • Activities/events outside Fayette County
• Paid professional full or part-time • General operating expenses
management • Activities intended primarily for fundraising
• Demonstrated history of providing • Historic preservation
community-focused programs • Capital expenditures for equipment, or for
• Three years of LexArts project support facility construction or renovation
• Located in Fayette County • Debt reduction, penalties, or litigation
• Demonstrates ongoing fiscal responsibility costs
through an independent CPA review or board • Hospitality activities including food or
approved financial statements from the last beverage
completed fiscal year • Programming or activities not available to the
• Compliance with prior LexArts grants and general public
reporting requirements
Scoring Criteria
Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:
Community Impact (40%)
• Benefit to Community
• Target audience
• Partnerships
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Program Planning and Evaluation (40%)
• Project Description
• Marketing and Publicity
• Evaluation
• Budget
Artistic Merit (20%)
• Artistic documentation upload
• Artist resume
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FUNDING AND APPLICANT MATCH
LexArts does not require a match for CAD Project Grants; however, applicants are strongly encouraged
to seek additional funding. Additional funding demonstrates the organization’s commitment to
completing the proposed project. It also illustrates that the project is well- received by the community
(e.g. individuals, community organizations and businesses).
HOW TO APPLY
1. Review the FY26 Community Arts Development Program Support for Organizations Grant
guidelines and application. All applicants are encouraged to contact LexArts Community Arts
Manager Kay’mon Murrah at kmurrah@lexarts.org for free technical assistance.
NOTE: Staff is not able to accept draft applications for preliminary review after February 10, 2025.
HELPFUL TIPS: Give yourself ample time to plan, write, re-write and review the application with
LexArts Community Arts Services staff. This includes developing the application, gathering artistic
documentation and all supplemental materials. The application process will require the dedicated
efforts of one or two individuals in your organization.
• Attend a LexArts CAD workshop and if so desired, schedule a one-on-one
consultation for additional assistance.
• Write the application narrative sections in a Word document and then cut and paste into
the online application.
• Format the narrative so that it is reader-friendly (e.g. space between paragraphs,
bullets, etc. if space permits).
• Check and double-check your application for spelling and mathematical errors.
• Have a reader not familiar with this grant application review it for content, clarity, and
budget and other errors.
• Submit your application days before the submission deadline as technology challenges
are possible and input errors more often when applicants are rushed.
• When preparing the application save as you go. Although GoSmart does auto-save your
progress, please be aware that the program may time out.
2. Applications are available online at lexarts.gosmart.org. You must create an organization profile to
access the applications. To begin the application, login and click on “Current Programs and
Applications.” Go to FY26 Community Arts Development Program and select “Begin Application.”
Applicants who have started their applications and logged out will login and then select “Edit.”
3. Applicants must submit the Grant Application and all requested materials by February 21, 2025. All
materials must be uploaded through the online web form at lexarts.gosmart.org. LexArts will not
accept late applications or applications submitted via hard copy, email or fax.
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APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
Enter the following information in the application as indicated
PROGRAM INFORMATION
● Title of the Program
● One sentence description of project
● Funding request – CAD program grant requests may be between $5,000 to $10,000
● Start and end date (month, date) of the project. (Projects must take place between
07/01/2025 – 06/30/2026)
● New or Repeat Program – Select the appropriate designation. New Programs –
applicant has not received LexArts funds for this program in the past. Repeat Program
-applicant has previously received LexArts funds for the same program.
● Program Category - The following definitions represent the six types of program
categories applicable to Community Arts grant support.
o Literary Arts: Programs involving creative writers including poets, novelists and
short-story writers
o Performing Arts: Programs involving the performing arts including theater,
dance and music.
o Visual Arts: Programs involving the visual arts including painting, drawing,
printmaking, sculpture, crafts, fiber arts, film and new media.
o Cultural/Multi-Arts: Programs presenting a cultural art or combining more than one
form of art (e.g., festivals, neighborhood events, etc.).
o Youth Arts: Programs specifically targeting young people as the primary audience
including arts education and training, or participation in other kinds of arts or
cultural events, such as a public celebration or festival.
o Public Art: Projects involving temporary or permanent artwork in the public realm,
including murals, sculpture, interactive and community engagement projects.
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APPLICATION NARRATIVE
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
1. Summary - Summarize your request in a few sentences. Begin your narrative with a single- sentence
description of how much money is requested and the purpose: (Organization) requests ($X) to
(support/expand/etc.) the (name of program/series/event, etc.)
2. Project description - Provide a clear detailed description of your program. Describe the project in
detail, painting a vivid picture so panelists unfamiliar with your program can envision it. What will
happen? Where will the program take place? How will the program be implemented? If
organization was awarded program support funds in a previous year for the same program, the
applicant must identify new components or differences from prior year.
3. Diversity Equity and Inclusion - Describe how this project will engage diverse artists.
4. Identify your target audience for this program. Describe the demographic composition of your
community and explain how this information will help determine your target audience. Consider
income and education levels, gender, race and ethnicity, youth and seniors, and persons with
disabilities.
5. Identify your target audience for this program. Describe the demographic composition of your
community and explain how this information will help determine your target audience. Consider
income and education levels, gender, race and ethnicity, youth and seniors, and persons with
disabilities.
6. Describe how this project benefits the community.
7. Describe your marketing plan.
8. Describe partnerships and collaborations with other arts and non-arts organizations such as civic
and social service agencies, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, etc.
Describe expected outcomes as a result of those partnerships, including economic, educational or
cultural impacts on the community.
9. State the program goals and describe how they relate to your mission.
10. Describe the evaluation methods and processes that will be used to determine if program goals
and objectives are achieved.
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REQUIRED SUPPORT MATERIALS
The following required documents must be uploaded as either PDF or Microsoft Word files in the Upload
section of the application. Place the applicant’s name and title of document in the upper right-hand
corner. Multiple PDF can be combined into a single document.
• Resume or biographical information for project leader and/or artists
OPTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIALS
• Letters of commitment or contracts signed by proposed artists
• Letters of support – maximum of two
• Evaluation Sample
• Resume or biographical information for other key project personnel (artists,
consultants, program coordinators, etc.)
• Project budget breakout - Budget Definitions
REQUIRED ARTISTIC WORK SAMPLES
Select high quality artistic documentation that clearly illustrates the merit of your organization’s work
or the work of the proposed artists for the project/program. All artistic support materials will be
uploaded through the online form. Applicants may submit up to two types of media for their artistic
documentation with a total of six samples. Applicants must describe documentation clearly including
concise, detailed and descriptive information.
• AUDIO / VIDEO
Panelists will review up to 5 minutes of video or audio. Indicate in the upload description
both the cue point and the description of what the panel is viewing/hearing at the cue
point. Links to material are also acceptable and can be provided via hotlink in a PDF.
• IMAGES
Submit no more than 6 images.
• MANUSCRIPTS AND PUBLICATIONS
The panel will read no more than 5 pages of material (8.5” x 11” single sided, single
spaced, saved as a PDF and uploaded.)
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GRANT REVIEW PROCESS
All applications will undergo an eligibility audit by the LexArts Community Arts Services staff. If an
applicant fails to meet the eligibility requirements the application will not be forwarded to the panel.
The staff makes no assessment of the review criteria.
PHASE 2 – PANEL REVIEW
LexArts relies on arts, cultural and community experts both within and outside Lexington- Fayette
County to review Community Arts grant applications. Panelists are selected based on their knowledge
of an art discipline, non-profit sector and/or community. The Community Arts Project Grants Program
for Individual Artists review process is open for observation by the public and will take place March 26,
2025 at 10 am. Panelists review each application and provide comments on the strengths and
weaknesses of the application based on the criteria.
Following this assessment, panelists score each criterion on a 5-point scale (1 = low; 5 = high). Funding
recommendations by the panel are based on these scores.
PHASE 3 – GRANTS COMMITTEE
The Grants Committee of the LexArts Board of Directors reviews the panel’s funding recommendations and
allocates funding based on funds available.
PHASE 4 – LEXARTS BOARD APPROVAL
The Grants Committee’s recommendations are submitted to the LexArts Board of Directors for its
approval.
REQUIREMENTS AFTER FUNDING
• Grantees must sign the Grant Agreement Form and, if required, complete the
Program Revision Form. Grant Agreement Forms must be signed and returned within
30 days of receipt.
• All grantees must attend the Grantee Orientation.
• If there are significant changes to the program, grantees must contact the Community
Arts Services staff for approval and the approved changes must be provided in writing.
• Grantees must acknowledge LexArts as the funding source for the program and include
its logo in print, social media platforms, websites, press releases and public
presentations. Guidelines for acknowledgement of LexArts support will be provided to
all grant recipients.
• All programs must take place in facilities that are accessible to persons with
disabilities.
ON-SITE EVALUATIONS
LexArts’ staff may attend funded projects, programs or activities to monitor compliance with the
terms of the grant agreement. You may be contacted by LexArts requesting tickets to performances
or events.
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