AWARD INFORMATION

Grant Amounts & Matching Funds

Applicants should be aware that federal grants management entails certain administrative responsibilities that some small-budget organizations may find too taxing on their limited resources. The Arts Endowment encourages organizations with operating budgets of less than $50,000 and organizations that have not applied for public funds previously to consider applying to local or state sources rather than this agency.

All grants require a nonfederal match of at least 1 to 1. For example, if an organization receives a $10,000 grant, the total eligible project costs must be at least $20,000 and the organization must provide at least $10,000 toward the project from nonfederal sources.

Access to Artistic Excellence and Learning in the Arts

An organization may request a grant amount from $5,000 to $150,000. Most grant awards will range from $10,000 to $100,000. Few grants will be awarded below $10,000; grants of $100,000 or more will be made only in rare instances, and only for projects that the Arts Endowment determines demonstrate exceptional national or regional significance and impact.

In developing an application, the Arts Endowment urges all applicants to consider the level of recent awards and to request a realistic grant amount. Applicants should review the lists of grants on the Arts Endowment's Web site to see recent grant award levels and project types. In the past few years, well over half of the agency's grants have been for amounts less than $25,000.

Applicants whose grants are recommended for less than the amount that is requested may be asked to revise the project budget. The Arts Endowment reserves the right to limit its support of a project to a particular portion(s) or cost(s).

Challenge America: Fast-Track Review Grants

All Fast-Track Review Grants are for $10,000.

Period of Support

The Arts Endowment's support of a project can start no sooner than the "Earliest Beginning Date for Arts Endowment Period of Support" listed on the Application Calendar. Grants awarded under these guidelines generally may cover a period of support of up to two years. The two-year period is intended to allow an applicant sufficient time to plan, execute, and close out its project, not to repeat a one-year project for a second year.

Challenge America Fast-Track Review Grants generally are smaller in scope and shorter in duration than other projects supported under these guidelines. It is anticipated that most projects -- including planning and close-out time -- will be substantially shorter.

Any planning costs that are included as part of the project must be incurred during the established period of support. No pre-award costs are allowable in the Project Budget. Project costs that are incurred before the "Earliest Beginning Date for Arts Endowment Period of Support" will be removed from the Project Budget.

A grantee may not receive more than one Arts Endowment grant for the same costs during the same or an overlapping period of support. In addition, different grantees may not receive grants for the same project costs during the same or an overlapping period of support.

National Endowment for the Arts · an independent federal agency
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20506