Opportunity Fund Grants

The Opportunity Fund Grants support small to midsize arts organizations and initiatives promoting social and economic justice, primarily benefiting the Greater Pittsburgh community. Funding areas include performing and visual arts, with a focus on projects led by Black and LGBTQ+ individuals. Grants are available for organizations with 501(c)(3) status or governmental entities. The fund emphasizes flexibility in its focus to adapt to community needs, ensuring diverse projects receive support.

Opportunity Fund awards grants to small to midsize arts organizations, and organizations and initiatives that advance social and economic justice.
At least 75% of our grants are awarded to projects that benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community.
Performing & Visual Arts
with an emphasis on small- and mid-sized arts organizations, and:

• TheatreDanceClassical chamber musicJazz musicCraft
• Social & Economic Justice
• with a focus on Racial Justice, and:

Black-Led Movement WorkCivil libertiesCivil rights, with special interest in Black and LGBTQ+ people, and other groups impacted by social injusticeHuman rightsReproductive freedomSocial servicesEconomic independenceHousingTangible aidTransportationHealthcareOther safety net resources

Eligibility

The Opportunity Fund awards grants to organizations that have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, and to certain governmental entities.The Opportunity Fund focuses its arts funding on small to mid-size arts organizations, which we classify as organizations with annual budgets of $1.5 million or less.Any nonprofit organization may apply for social and economic justice funding, regardless of its size.The Opportunity Fund offers both project-based grants and operational support.Any university that applies to the Opportunity Fund for financial support of one of its programs may allocate up to 10% of the awarded grant funds to support the university’s general overhead expenses.Organizations may receive up to one grant from the Opportunity Fund in any given year (365-day period). An organization that applies for, but does not receive, funding from the Opportunity Fund is eligible to apply again the very next cycle.In any given cycle, an organization acting as a fiscal sponsor for others may submit applications for an unlimited number of sponsored groups—and one to support its own work—as long as none of them have received funding from the Opportunity Fund within the last year (365 days).

Ineligibility

The Opportunity Fund does not make grants directly to groups without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status or to organizations located outside of the United States.We cannot make grants to individuals.