Grow, Invest, Gather (GIG) Fund Grant

_NOTE: The launch of the FY26 GIG Fund cycle is currently on hold._

GIG Fund

Flexible support to help arts and culture organizations grow their capacity, fund artist engagements, and build community.

What is the GIG Fund?

The GIG Fund is a grant of $2,000-4,000 that supports creative projects and educational events in the Midwest. These funds help organizations present artists in their community by supporting programming and touring costs. The GIG Fund is a grant that supports Midwestern organizations that want to contract with a professional artist to offer activities to their community.

Matching requirement

Organizations will be required to demonstrate matching funds on a 1:1 basis for the grant amount.

To demonstrate the match, your expenses should each be at least double your GIG Fund grant. Potential sources for the match include salaries and wages, in-kind contributions, volunteer hours, earned and contributed revenue (donations, ticket sales, other non-Federal grants), or cash from the applicant or partner organizations.

Eligibility

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

* Who should apply?
* 501c3 non-profit organizations and tribal organizations with annual expenses of $1 million or less.
* Organizations located in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, or Wisconsin, and the Native Nations that share this geography.
* Arts and cultural organizations in any arts discipline (literature, performing arts, visual arts, traditional arts, multidisciplinary arts, etc.) or nonprofit organizations that provide arts programming (social service agencies, etc.)
* Priority will be given to new applicants to the program.
* Organizations will need to have a UEI number from SAM.gov in order to receive grant funds. You may apply to GIG Fund even if you do not have a UEI number yet. Apply for a UEI at SAM.gov.
* Organizations applying for GIG Fund grants should not have any overdue reports or funding moratoria with Arts Midwest.
* Examples of eligible applicants include:

* Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3, U.S. organizations
* Nonprofit colleges and universities
* Federally recognized tribal governments
* Units of state or local government

* Eligible expense examples- Eligible expenses include:
* Artist fees (required),
* allocated time of staff salaries,
* software licenses to host virtual activities,
* facility rental,
* equipment purchases for supporting artistic engagements ($4,000 or less),
* accessibility accommodations for individuals with disabilities or auto-immune conditions,
* promotion, and artist travel.

Ineligibility

* Ineligible Applicants
* Organizations applying with a fiscal sponsor
* For-profit business or organizations
* Artists, ensembles, and artist’s agents
* Examples of ineligible projects - This fund does not support the following types of projects:

* Capital projects
* Dance/theater companies or independent artists seeking funding for their own self-produced material. (e.g., funding to help underwrite an annual company production of A Christmas Carol.)
* Independent artists seeking funding for their own self-produced material.
* Projects that feature mostly student performers.
* Artist fellowships/scholarships
* Projects that are not arts focused (e.g., food festivals, fireworks displays, conference keynote speeches, etc.)
* Projects that are part of a benefit or fundraiser.
* Projects that are funded by another Arts Midwest program.
* Projects funded by another federal source.

* Federal funds cannot be used as match.
* Examples of unallowable expenses
* As a Federally funded program, unallowable uses of funds include, but are not limited to:
* refreshments,
* concessions,
* alcohol,
* fundraising costs,
* lobbying,
* retrofitting or construction of physical space,
* international travel,
* bad debts and collection costs,
* home office workspace,
* subgranting or regranting,
* cash reserves or endowments,
* goods for resale, and
* prizes.
* Do not include these costs in your budget.