Deadline: 02-Aug-21
The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) is offering New England States Touring (NEST) Grant Program for nonprofit organizations to present touring artists in venues across New England.
Organizations may apply to present artists residing in any location (local, regional, national, and international) for performances and community engagement activities that are virtual or in-person.
- Organizations may submit up to three NEST applications; the total amount requested across all three applications may not exceed $15,000.
- Organizations with budgets above $500,000 may request up to 75% of the artist fee.
- Organizations with budgets below $500,000 may request up to 100% of the artist fee.
- Presenting partners are not required for any application, although partnership and collaboration are encouraged.
Funding Criteria
- The amount of funding awarded is based on the extent to which the project meets the criteria. The funding criteria are:
- Clear rationale for how the project aligns with the organization’s arts programming goals and its significance for the community.
- Additional activities beyond the performance, which provide opportunities for the artist(s) in this engagement to meaningfully connect with various sectors of the community. Cross-sector exchanges (connecting arts and non-arts organizations) and collaboration are strongly encouraged.
- Expands access to the arts for all New England communities. NEFA acknowledges structural inequities that have excluded individuals and communities from opportunity based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, class, age, language, culture, and geography, and strives to counter those inequities in work.
- In addition to the funding criteria, priority will be given to:
- Projects which include partnerships with other New England presenting organizations whether through collaborative booking or co-presenting activities.
- Organizations that have historically had less access to financial resources, especially those in rural communities and/or deeply engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
- Organizations that have not already received NEST funding in FY21 (June 1, 2020 – May 31, 2021)
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for NEST funding, applicants must:
- Be a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, school, federally-recognized Indian tribal government, or unit of state or local government. (Nonprofit organizations do not have to be arts organizations. Organizations that do not have a federal tax identification number may apply if part of an official government agency.)
- Be based in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)
- The federal government now requires that all NEFA organizational grant recipients supported by federal funds register for DUNS numbers.
- Applicants must be able to provide documentation of their compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).
- Maintain an updated profile in the CreativeGround directory for their cultural nonprofit. If the applicant nonprofit is not a cultural or arts-based organization, please contact Falyn Elhard (they/them/theirs) to confirm your organization’s qualification for a CreativeGround profile.
For more information, visit https://www.nefa.org/grants/find-grant/new-england-states-touring-nest-grant