National Endowment for the Arts: Challenge America

The Challenge America category offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations – those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Age alone (e.g., youth, seniors) does not qualify a group as underserved; at least one of the underserved characteristics noted above also must be present. Proposals should detail the efforts made to reach the identified underserved population. Grants are available for professional arts programming and for projects that emphasize the potential of the arts in community development.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups. Challenge America grants:

• Extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations
• Are limited to the specific types of projects outlined below

Partnerships can be valuable to the success of these projects. While not required, applicants are encouraged to consider partnerships among organizations, both in and outside of the arts, as an appropriate way to engage with the identified underserved audience.

Grants are available only for:

• Guest Artist project type, which refers to an arts event or events that will feature one or more guest artists
• Collaborative Marketing Campaigns, which may include unified promotion projects and/or cultural tourism projects incorporating the offerings of multiple institutions
• Public Art Projects, community-based and professionally directed

Amount: Awards are for a fixed amount of $10,000 and require a minimum $10,000 cost share/match.

Eligibility: Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations; units of state or local government; or federally recognized tribal communities or tribes may apply. Applicants may be arts organizations, local arts agencies, arts service organizations, local education agencies (school districts), and other organizations that can help advance the goals of the NEA.

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=323006

This post was filed under: