National Endowment for the Arts Awards Challenge America Grants

November 25, 2003

		Contact: Victoria Hutter 202-682-5570

Washington, D.C. - The National Endowment for the Arts announced today the awarding of 86 grants totaling $860,000 through the agency's Challenge America: Access to the Arts Fast Track Review grants. These grants feature a simplified application and expedited review processes.

Organizations in 39 states and the District of Columbia will each receive $10,000 for projects that use the arts to address key community concerns. Most projects also represent a partnership between a nonprofit arts organization and other community organizations including schools, convention and visitors' bureaus, economic development agencies, or libraries.

Arts Endowment Chairman Dana Gioia said, "These Challenge America Fast Track grants support communities across the nation in their efforts to cultivate local artistic resources and to provide greater access to the arts for both residents and visitors. Our investment in these communities is an investment in their cultural foundation."

Challenge America: Access to the Arts Fast Track Review grants supports projects focusing on the development of:

• Cultural tourism and cultural districts, assisting local economic development and cultural publicity efforts;
• Civic design such as the design of public spaces and the restoration and renovation of cultural facilities and historic structures;
• Community cultural plans resulting in policies and strategies that reflect community needs.

The Arts Endowment received 154 applications for this category of which 31 were first-time NEA applicants, attesting to the program's role as a gateway for new Arts Endowment grantees.

Please see the complete listing of Challenge America grants.

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National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
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Washington, DC 20506