Creative Sector Flex Fund Grant

The Creative Sector Flex Fund, introduced by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA), aims to support dynamic arts organizations in Pennsylvania with annual revenues between $10,000 and $200,000. This flexible grant program allows recipients to utilize $5,000 grants in impactful ways that address their unique challenges. By fostering creativity and community engagement, the program seeks to enhance the cultural and economic vitality of Pennsylvania's diverse communities.

Note: The guidelines for the 2025-2026 grant cycle are anticipated to be released Summer 2025.
About PCA
The PCA is a state agency under the Office of the Governor. By leveraging the immense potential of Pennsylvania's arts and cultural sector, the PCA supports jobs, builds community, inspires lifelong learning, promotes the commonwealth nationally and internationally, and sparks innovation.
Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts Overview
Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) is a partnership between local organizations and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA). Operating in all 67 Pennsylvania counties, PPA partners re-grant PCA funds to support a wide variety of local and community arts activities. PPA goals include:
Expanding constituent access to the arts by (a) making arts programs available to communities that may have been underserved in the past by state arts funding, and (b) supporting a wide variety of arts activities in communities, developed in a variety of local settings.Encouraging and supporting local decision making in regranting of arts dollars.Increasing awareness of and advocacy for government support and funding for the arts at the local and state levels.Enabling the PCA to provide increased assistance to its broad constituency throughout the state.
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) is excited to introduce a new grant program, the Creative Sector Flex Fund (CSFF). The CSFF is designed to address the changing needs of dynamic PA arts organizations with average annual revenue between $10,000 – $200,000.
This grant program incorporates the current needs of the field by offering grantees the flexibility to use $5,000 grants in ways that ensure the most significant impact for their organizations and communities.
Application Review Process
PPA partner advisory panels evaluate them based on the following criteria:
Community ValueApplicant demonstrates:Artistic offerings that strengthen its community culturally, educationally, and/or economically.Artists and artistic offerings and services involve and are meaningful to the community being served.Relevant arts learning opportunities and creative endeavors for community members.Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ValueApplicant demonstrates:Apart from being audience members or beneficiaries, community members are central to the design of the applicant’s work.Plans and action-oriented practices toward diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in ways that are relevant to the community, including efforts to reach new audiences.Stewardship ValueApplicant demonstrates:Planning processes appropriate to its organization, mission, and goals.Capacity to carry out programs and projects as planned.Appropriate financial planning and oversight practices.

Eligibility

EligiblityApplicants must:Be a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation, or a unit of local government (counties, cities, boroughs, townships, and municipal authorities). Be located in Pennsylvania, except for nonprofit, tax-exempt corporations acting as a fiscal sponsor on behalf of an unincorporated group or not-for-profit limited liability company (LLC) that is located in Pennsylvania.Be registered with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations, except for local governments and fiscal sponsors.Have a history of at least TWO years of consistent arts programming in Pennsylvania.Have an annual average arts revenue of $10,000 to $200,000. PCA determines revenue size by a two-year average of Total Revenue of an organization’s Form 990-Department of the Treasury- Internal Revenue Service. Non-arts organizations and/or arts organizations whose 990 is postcard, must attach a board/committee approved arts-specific program financial statement for their most recently completed two fiscal years. The program financial statement must include program revenue, including contributed and earned income and income realized from investments, as applicable, and expenses. In-kind is not included.Applicants that previously applied in Program Stream or Entry to Program Stream may now apply in this program if they meet the eligibility requirements.Parent (and Related) OrganizationsA parent organization that includes separately identifiable and independent components (e.g., a university campus that has a presenting organization and a radio station) may apply for each such eligible component.An eligible independent component must be a unit that is both programmatically and administratively distinct from the parent organization. This independent status is demonstrated by the component’s:Unique mission, separate and distinct from the parent entity;Dedicated staff, with duties specific to the mission of the component;Independent board/committee, mostly consisting of members not associated with the parent entity and generally functioning with substantial oversight and management of the component;Separate budget, maintained by the component; andTwo-year history of arts programming undertaken by the component.To qualify as an eligible independent component, it should be equivalent to a stand-alone institution. A parent organization should consult with the PPA partner organization for their region to verify eligibility of the component before preparing an application.Matching RequirementsAll grants must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar basis in cash.Eligible uses of funds are flexible, including the support of applicants’ administrative, programmatic, and project-related expenses.One application per applicant per year may be submitted.

Ineligibility

Pre-K -12 public, private and parochial schools including all charter schools are NOT eligible. K-12 schools should contact the Arts in Education Program of the PCA for other opportunities.Individuals and LLCs with fewer than two organizers/members are not eligible to apply.Matching RequirementsIn-kind goods and services may not be used to match PCA funds.Flex Funding grant funds cannot be used to match other PCA grants.Grant funds cannot be used for any of the following:Activities outside the activity period of the grant.Activities that have a religious purpose.Payments to lobbyists.Cash prizes and awards.Benefit activities.Hospitality expenses (i.e., receptions, parties, gallery openings).Capital expenditures, including equipment costing $500 or more.Competitions.Performances and exhibitions not available to the public.