Deadline: 27-Apr-23
Challenge America is offering primary support to small organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines that extend the reach of the arts to groups/communities with rich and dynamic artistic and cultural contributions to share that are underserved.
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is proud to support the nation’s arts sector with grant opportunities so that together they can help everyone live more artful lives. The arts contribute to the individual well-being, the well-being of the communities, and to the local economies. The arts are also crucial to helping them make sense of the circumstances from different perspectives as they emerge from the pandemic and plan for the future.
Principles
The program is rooted in principles that include, but are not limited to, their recognition that:
- Some groups/communities and some geographic areas with rich cultural identities have limited grant funding opportunities, and/or have been historically underserved by national arts funding;
- Some small organizations may face barriers to accessing grant funding; and
- Some applicants to the NEA may benefit from enhanced technical assistance resources.
Funding Information
- Challenge America seeks to address the potential barriers for organizations seeking funding. The program features an abbreviated application, a standardized $10,000 grant amount, and a robust structure of technical assistance to facilitate entry to NEA funding opportunities.
- This category may be a good entry point for organizations that are new to applying for federal funding. Total project costs must be at least $20,000 or greater.
Eligible Projects
- Challenge America supports arts projects in all artistic disciplines, including Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Media Arts, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Arts, Theater, and Visual Arts.
- Projects must extend the reach of the arts to groups/communities with rich and dynamic cultural identities that are underserved. Possible projects include, but are not limited to: arts programming, including commissioning or presentation of artists or artwork; marketing and promotional activities; and organizational planning. Projects may consist of one or more specific events or activities, and should not cover all of your programming for a season. They do not support seasonal or general operating support.
- As applicable, engagement with the following constituencies is encouraged (in accordance with White House Executive Orders), including but not limited to:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
- Tribal Colleges and Universities,
- American Indian and Alaska Native tribes,
- Predominantly Black Institutions,
- Hispanic Serving Institutions,
- Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and
- Organizations that support the independence and lifelong inclusion of people with disabilities.
- Projects may focus on reaching a particular group or demographic; however, they may not be exclusionary under Federal civil rights laws and policies prohibiting discrimination. This extends to hiring practices, artist selection processes, and audience engagement.
Eligibility Criteria
- If an organization applies to the Challenge America category, it may not also apply to the Grants for Arts Projects category during the same calendar year.
- The following are eligible to apply:
- Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations;
- Units of state or local government; or
- Federally recognized tribal communities or tribes.
- Applicants fitting the above eligibility requirements may be arts organizations, local arts agencies, arts service organizations, local education agencies (school districts), or other organizations that can help advance the goals of the NEA.
- To be eligible, the applicant organization must:
- Be a first-time applicant to the NEA or
- Be a previous NEA applicant that was not recommended for funding in any of the three most recent Fiscal Years (FYs 2021, 2022, or 2023) in any of the following grant programs:
- Grants for Arts Projects;
- Research Grants in the Arts; or
- Our Town.
- Previous Challenge America, American Rescue Plan (ARP), and CARES Act applicants and grantees are eligible to apply.
Ineligible
- Previous NEA applicants recommended for funding in Grants for Arts projects, Research Grants in the Arts, or Our Town in FY 2021, FY 2022, or FY 2023, are not eligible to apply.
- The following are not eligible to apply:
- Individuals;
- Applications through a fiscal sponsor/agent
- Designated state and jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs) and their regional arts organizations (RAOs).
For more information, visit NEA.
