Recovery Blog

Having distributed $50 million of Recovery funds among more than 700 recipients, and with all projects now complete, the NEA becomes the second federal agency to conclude its Recovery Act activities. (The Smithsonian Institution was first, in July 2011.)

As it normally does with program funding, the NEA divided its awards into two categories:

• 60 percent were grants awarded on a competitive basis to nonprofit arts and related organizations 
• 40 percent was awarded to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations.

637 grants were made to nonprofit art and related organizations for a combined $30 million. State/regional arts commissions received a total 56 grants involving approximately $20 million.

All grants were specifically intended to help the nonprofit arts sector weather declines in philanthropic and other support during the recession.