Cultural Sustainability Grant

Cultural Sustainability Grant

Cultural Sustainability is a one-time grantmaking and learning program nationally funded by The Wallace Foundation and delivered regionally by the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations. NEFA is delighted to offer substantial, non-matching operating support grants up to $100,000 to arts organizations of color with annual operating expenses under $500,000.

The goal of this initiative is to enable self-identifying arts organizations of color to sustain and expand their practices, impact the communities they serve, and provide meaningful arts and cultural experiences for larger, cross-cultural audiences. Arts organizations of color deserve to become long-lasting, well-resourced cultural pillars across New England.

Criteria

Cultural Sustainability is designed for and will prioritize applications from self-identifying arts organizations of color. While we realize that language that centers communities of color is ever evolving, for the purposes of this program, an arts organization of color would meet at least two of the following three criteria:

• Led by a person or persons of color, either artistically or administratively
• Predominantly in service of Black, Latine, Asian, Arab, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, and/or Caribbean communities, or another community of color.
• Founded by and for a community of color

Successful applications will:

• Demonstrate cultural impact in New England and beyond
• Model equitable practices in artistic and administrative activities
• Display clear planning and progress towards sustainability of services & programming
• Enthusiastically participate and contribute actively to a learning cohort
• Illustrate mission alignment with Cultural Sustainability

Funding

Cultural Sustainability grants range from $20,000-$100,000, with partial funding opportunities to also fall within that range. No grantees will be awarded at less than 80% of their initial request.

Organizations will request funding based on their annual operating expenses:

• Organizations with budgets under $100,000 can request up to $25,000.
• Organizations with budgets between $100,001 and $250,000 can request up to $50,000.
• Organizations with budgets between $250,001 and $500,000 can request up to $100,000.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

• Applicant organizations must have reported under $500,000 in annual operating expenses in their two most recent fiscal years’ tax filings (Form 990, Form 1065, or Form 1120).
  • Organizations without tax documentation should upload profit & loss statements for their two most recently completed fiscal years.
• We welcome the following kinds of organizations to apply to Cultural Sustainability:
  • 501(c)3 non-profit organizations
  • Fiscally sponsored groups
  • Artist-centered or led LLCs, S Corps, Limited or General Partnerships
  • Federally- or state-recognized tribal governments
• All Cultural Sustainability applicants must have:
  • At least three (3) years of creative practice or arts programming experience
  • Significant arts and cultural presence in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
  • Please note that only one application is permitted across all Cultural Sustainability programs, so organizations who work in multiple regions may not apply through multiple Regional Arts Organizations.
  • An up-to-date profile on CreativeGround, NEFA’s creative economy database.
  • A Unique Entity ID in SAM.gov.
• Cultural Sustainability grants are unrestricted operating support and need not be related to a specific project.
  • Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to, staff salaries, supplies and equipment, rent, utilities, project costs, professional development, endowments, and operating reserves.
  • Grantees can utilize funding at their discretion.

Ineligibility

• Not Eligible:
  • Individuals
  • Units of local, state, or federal government
  • Schools, including K-12, preschool, colleges, and universities both public and private
• Cultural Sustainability funds may not be used for capital projects such as construction of a new building, renovations, and land purchases.
• For-profit entities may not use Cultural Sustainability funds for the sole benefit of any private shareholder or individual.