Applicants must have:

• A mission that centers arts, culture, and/or creativity.
• Publicly accessible programming.
• At least three years of programming history.
• A physical address located in Washington State.
• An annual operating budget between $0-$350,000.
  • Grants for organizations with a budget over $350,000 will open in April 2023.

Applicants must be one of the following:

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit
  • 501(c)(3)s should have current state corporate nonprofit status and current federal tax-exempt determination under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
• A group fiscally sponsored by a 501c3
  • Learn more about fiscal sponsorship here.
• Local Arts Agency
  • Local Arts Agencies are officially designated by a local government to provide art services to the public on behalf of the local government.
• Tribal Government

Who is not eligible?

• Individuals
• For-profit or religious organizations
• Government agencies, universities, colleges, academic departments, and K-12 schools
• Full list of what ArtsWA can and cannot fund as a state agency.

Gather your documents

• IRS Letter of Determination. For fiscally sponsored groups, we will need your fiscal sponsor’s IRS Letter of Determination.
• Your organization’s annual operating budget. You can use this operating budget template if you need. For fiscally sponsored groups, we will also need your fiscal sponsor’s budget.
• Work samples of your past projects or programs. Work Sample Guidelines

Gather your identification numbers

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from SAM.gov. Learn more about getting your UEI (SAM) here. For fiscally sponsored groups, we will need your fiscal sponsor’s UEI.
  • IMPORTANT: As of April 2022, recipients of grants using federal funds are required to have an UEI number. The UEI replaces the DUNS Number. If you don’t have one yet, you should apply now. You may apply for this grant without one but cannot receive funds until you have a UEI.
• Federal Tax ID (EIN). For fiscally sponsored groups, we will need your fiscal sponsor’s EIN.
• Statewide Vendor (SWV) number. If you receive a grant, you will need to have an SWV number to receive payment from the state. Learn more about the SWV number here. For fiscally sponsored groups, we will need your fiscal sponsor’s SWV number.
  • If you have received payment from Washington State in the past – you likely already have a SWV number. You can check on the status of your SWV number by using the vendor number lookup or contacting: PayeeRegistration@ofm.wa.gov.

Apply in Submittable

• Submittable is the online platform where you will submit your application. Log in or create an account here.
• If you need assistance with Submittable, take a look at our Submittable FAQs.

Organization Information

• Organization and relevant staff/volunteer contact information
• Legal status:501(c)(3), Fiscally Sponsored, Local Arts Agency, or Tribal Government
• Your organization’s or your fiscal sponsor’s Employer Identification Number (EIN), Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and Statewide Vendor (SWV) number.
• Disclose if your organization or project has a conflict of interest with ArtsWA. This is for transparency only. You can read our full Conflict of Interest Policy here.

Programs Overview

• Give a short, one-sentence description of your organization.
• Select the creative practices and the communities your programs serve.
• Narrative Question #1: Give a brief description of your organization’s programs. Things to consider: What programs are you most excited to provide in 2023-2025? What past programs do you consider your most successful? How did you know they were successful?
• Narrative Question #2: How does your organization engage people and encourage belonging? Things to consider: Who is your community? How do they access and experience your programs? How are your programs culturally relevant and responsive to the people you serve? Does your organization explicitly serve people negatively impacted by structural inequity*, and if so, how is your organization suited to serve your intended audience?
  • *Structural inequity refers the widespread and long-standing negative impacts of historically exclusive or discriminatory institutional policies and practices. In the context of arts funding, governmental and private funders have historically designed grant programs for and uplifted European/European-American art for able-bodied, cis/straight groups, often in urban settings, for example. Learn more about the National Endowment for the Arts’ Equity Plan here. For a FAQ on Civil Rights for applicants and to ensure your organization complies, click here.

Operations & Budget

• Narrative Question #3: Briefly describe how your organization plans to sustain and operate through 2025. Things to consider: What are your organization’s goals for the next two years? Who is involved in creating those goals? How does your organization plan for sufficient funding through 2025? How does your organization ensure staff or volunteer capacity to carry out programs through 2025?
• Share a copy of your last completed annual operating budget.

Work Samples

• Share 3-5 Work Samples of your organization’s past programs. You may upload images, video, audio, or other documents in any combination. Work Sample Guidelines

 Additional uploads

• If you are fiscally sponsored, upload your fiscal sponsor’s annual operating budget.
• Your organization’s or your fiscal sponsor’s IRS Letter of Determination. This is the document that confirms you have 501(c)(3) status. Does not apply to Local or Tribal Governments.

The panel will be considering the criteria below as they review your application:

• Creative Impact: Your programs are robust and creative. They have a culturally responsive, meaningful impact on the community you serve.
• Public Benefit: Your organization is engaging and accessible. Your programs include services for communities negatively impacted by structural inequity. Examples of Public Benefit.
• Organization Planning: You have clearly described your organization’s goals and strategies to remain in operation through 2025.

Screening for Eligibility: Staff will screen your application to make sure your application meets eligibility requirements.

Panel: All applications are reviewed and scored by a panel. Panelists help ensure that people from across Washington State are an integral part of distributing public money. After the application window closes, panelists representing a variety of geographic locations, creative fields, and backgrounds will review applications and make recommendations for funding to ArtsWA’s Board of Commissioners.

Board Approval: Recommendations will go to the ArtsWA Board for approval on May 2, 2023.

Notification: Notification of award or decline will go out the week of May 10, 2023. Awarded applicants can expect their contract and instructions on how to receive funds in the next weeks after notification. Learn more about managing a grant here.

Accessibility

Federally funded projects must be accessible to people with disabilities. You can use this accessibility checklist when planning your programs. You do not need to check all boxes to be eligible for funding; this is simply a worksheet and resource for your organization.

Civil Rights

All applicants for funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) are required to certify that they are following the civil rights statutes that govern nondiscrimination in Federally assisted programs. For a FAQ on Civil Rights for applicants and to ensure your organization complies, click here.

Appeals

Unsuccessful applicants can appeal in accordance with Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 30.12.036, found here.

About ArtsWA

ArtsWA is the Washington State Arts Commission. The Washington State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts fund our programs. Grants are contingent on available state and federal funding. ArtsWA complies with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations concerning civil and human rights. For more information regarding Washington State Arts Commission’s policies on Accessibility, Diversity, and Nondiscrimination, click here.

FY24 General Operating Support: Sustaining Guidelines

Application Webinar

What We Can and Cannot Fund

Work Sample Guidelines

Public Benefit Examples

Submittable FAQ

Getting your Statewide Vendor (SWV) number

Getting your Unique Entity Identifier (SAM)

Fiscal Sponsorship Guidelines

Operating Budget Template