RISCA General Operating Support for Organizations Grant

RISCA General Operating Support for Organizations Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
Amount: US $3,000 - US $40,000
Last Updated: February 23, 2026

Summary

The Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) offers General Operating Support for Organizations (GOS-O) to arts and culture nonprofits in Rhode Island. This program provides multi-year unrestricted funding to organizations that significantly engage their communities through arts programming. GOS-O aims to promote equity, support diverse cultural representation, and foster economic vitality across the state. Eligible organizations must have a clear arts mission, be in continuous operation, and demonstrate strong community impact.

Overview

NOTE: Once organizations have been accepted into GOS-O, they will submit a full application once every three years according to a schedule based on organizational budget size. New applicants to the GOS-O category may submit a full application, regardless of their budget size, in the year in which they become eligible. Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) Mission Through grantmaking, programming, convening, policy-building and education, the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts ensures that arts and culture will play an ever more significant part in the well-being and experience of all Rhode Island residents. Vision We envision a Rhode Island where arts and culture are valued as an essential part of life, and for their contribution to a thriving state. Values We believe in the transformative power of arts and culture. All Rhode Islanders benefit from creative expression and a culturally vibrant state. As the agency of state government charged with supporting arts and culture in Rhode Island, RISCA is committed to: OPENNESS: Being respectful, welcoming and inviting to all.CONSISTENCY: Behaving intentionally, in a knowledgeable, responsive, engaged, respectful and transparent manner.DEDICATION: Developing authentic relationships, as a team and with others, built on our passion, humor, kindness and optimism.Through grantmaking, programming, and services, RISCA promotes:EQUITY AND ACCESS: Ensuring the identification and removal of barriers in all contexts, including cultural opportunities, resources and RISCA support for diverse communities throughout Rhode Island.COLLABORATION: Creating networks of mutual support among individuals, organizations and RISCA to strengthen communities.ECONOMIC VALUE: Honoring the time, skills, talents and excellence of artists and arts administrators through fair compensation.COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY: Supporting culturally relevant and responsive art to ensure the health and well-being of the arts and cultural ecosystem, beginning with arts education.ARTISTIC EXPRESSION: Protecting freedom of artistic expression in Rhode Island.LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT: Fostering diverse arts and cultural leaders in, from and for Rhode Island. About RISCA’s General Operating Support for Organizations (GOS-O) Program. RISCA’s General Operating Support for Organizations Program (GOS-O), formerly called the Investments in Arts and Culture (IAC) Program, provides multi-year unrestricted operating support to arts and culture organizations and culturally specific organizations across Rhode Island that meaningfully engage and inspire their community through arts and culture programming. Organizations in this program make important contributions to the diversity and vitality of our communities, the economy of our state, the enrichment of all Rhode Islanders, and our quality of life. Goals The working group developed these goals for the new general operating support program, now called General Operating Support for Organizations (GOSO). Provide multi-year unrestricted operating support for arts and culture organizations throughout the state through a competitive grant program.Include organizations that are evaluated by peer review panels as being responsive and accountable to the cultural needs of their identified communities.Through extensive recruitment and a streamlined entrance process, includes organizations that better represent the diversity of the state along the following parameters: Racial: only five BIPOC centered* organizations are in this program as of 2020. RISCA has set a goal of at least ten BIPOC centered organizations in the program by 2025. Geographic: there are towns and communities that have no organizational representation in GOSO. RISCA has set a goal of including at least three organizations from three different, unrepresented towns or cities in the GOSO program by 2025. Current unrepresented towns and cities include Barrington, Burrillville, Charlestown, Coventry, Cumberland, Foster, Glocester, Hopkinton, Johnston, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, Richmond, Smithfield, Tiverton, Warren, West Greenwich, and West Warwick.Provide a just and equitable distribution of funding that helps address the damage done by generations of institutional racism.For this goal to be realized, additional funding consideration will be given to organizations that represent historically and/or continuously marginalized communities or constituencies in their mission, programming, staff leadership, and board. In this specific context, historically and/or continuously marginalized communities may include but are not limited to BIPOC communities, such as African and African American, Arab, Asian and Asian American, Latinx, Middle Eastern, Native American and Indigenous, or Pacific Islander communities; people with disabilities; or others who can make a case for being historically and/or continuously marginalized. Deadlines Applications and application requirements will be slightly different for each budget cohort commensurate with the size and resources of different sized organizations. Budgets over $500,000: FY24 – Deadline is April 1, 2023. Budgets from $100,000 – $500,000: FY25 – Deadline is April 1, 2024. Budgets under $100,000: FY26 – Deadline is April 1, 2025. In the event that the April 1 deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, the revised deadline will be 11:59 PM on the next business day.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. In order to qualify for the GOS-O program, you must be:A non-profit organization.The organization must have a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), a UEI (SAM) number, and have received federal tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).Your organization must be incorporated in and conducting business in the State of Rhode Island, with 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service, registered with the Rhode Island Secretary of State, governed by a revolving board of directors, trustees or advisory board drawn from the community at large and shown to be actively involved in the governance of the organization (for confirmation that your nonprofit organization is incorporated in the State of Rhode Island, visit the Secretary of State’s online database). OR A non-exempt, Rhode Island-based organization using a fiscal sponsor that fits the above requirements.A semi-independent cultural entity that is either 1) associated with a university or 2) a subdivision of a larger nonprofit, only if they meet the following additional eligibility criteria:Manage their own budget.Have at least one full-time (min. 30 hours per week) compensated administrative staff position dedicated solely to the operation of the cultural entity.Have an advisory board that meets regularly to discuss policy, strategic direction, and resource development plans to ensure long-term sustainability.Organizations must also:Have arts and culture explicitly stated as a central part of your organization’s mission. Arts and culture organizations have as their primary mission regular cultural programs or services. An organization that includes arts and culture as a primary and major focus of a larger mission may apply, if their larger mission is centered in engaging a specific cultural group. Be in continuous operation and exhibiting or producing arts and culture programming for each year of the past five years. The programming may be seasonal in nature and not necessarily take up a full academic or calendar year.Present public programming in ADA accessible spaces. Persons with disabilities have the right to access all RISCA-funded programs. Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states, in part, that “no otherwise qualified person with a disability … shall solely by reason of their disability be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.Have high scores in the Project Grant for Organizations (formerly Arts Access) or Project Grant in Education program. Your organization must  either:receive an adjusted panel score of 83 or higher at least once a year for three consecutive years in RISCA’s PGO or PGE grant programs, orreceive a grant award once a year for three consecutive years in RISCA’s PGO or PGE grant programs, orsome combination of awards and high panel scores at least once a year for three consecutive years.The grant award can be used for expenses that are general operating expenses.GOS-O grantees are ineligible to apply for or receive funding from any other RISCA grant program during their grant award period, with the exception of the Cultural Facilities grant program.If you receive a grant, you must credit RISCA on all marketing materials. All RISCA grant awards are contingent upon the availability of funds from the Rhode Island State General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.All grantees are subject to periodic audit or review by RISCA or the State of Rhode Island.Organizations that do not qualify under these eligibility criteria may be eligible to apply for support through RISCA’s Project Grant for Organizations program.

Ineligibility

Council support may not be used for:Expenses for programs that occur in spaces that are not ADA compliant. Persons with disabilities have the right to access all RISCA-funded programs. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states, in part, that “no otherwise qualified person with a disability … shall solely by reason of their disability be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all programs and facilities meet or exceed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards and are accessible to all. Rhode Island arts facilities, and the managers of arts projects in Rhode Island, must make their programs as accessible as possible to the widest number of people and work to remove barriers that may block accessibility. This includes addressing the structural, programmatic, communication and attitudinal barriers that keep people with disabilities from fully participating in arts programs.Capital projects. The construction or renovation of buildings or additions to buildings, with the exception of accessibility improvements to cultural facilities.Addressing Debt. Eliminating or reducing existing debt, or for contributions to an endowment fund.Any development efforts, such as social events or benefits.Prizes and awards.Your project having an award or competition component does not make the project ineligible; RISCA funds just may not be used for the prize or award.Hospitality expenses. This includes food and beverages for openings or receptions. Under no circumstances will the purchase of alcoholic beverages be supported. Note: your project can have hospitality expenses; RISCA funds just may not be used for hospitality expenses.Expenses outside of award period. Expenses incurred or activities occurring prior to July 1 or after June 30 in the fiscal year in which the grant has been awarded.Regranting funds. Applications where the purpose is to “regrant” or award funds using some or all of the RISCA grant funds.Undergraduate or graduate school activities. Activities which are part of a graduate or undergraduate degree program, or for which academic credit is received.Religious activities. Applications for projects that proselytize or promote religious activities, or which take place as part of a religious service. Private functions. Performances and exhibitions not available to the general public.