Is your organization eligible? 

• A mission that focuses on art, culture, and/or heritage.  

• Publicly accessible programming.   

• A minimum of three years of programming history.  

• A physical address located in Washington State.  

• An annual operating budget between $100,000 to $350,000.   

Applicants must be one of the following: 

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit or   

• Fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3), click here for ArtsWA’s Fiscal Sponsorship Requirements  

• Local Arts Agency (must be officially designated to provide art services on behalf of the local government.) 

• Tribal Government  

Who is not eligible? 

• Individuals   

• For-profit organizations  

• Religious organizations (eligible for project support only)  

• Government agencies or departments (unless designated as a Local Arts Agency)  

• 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

• Washington State Unified Business Identifier (UBI) (all organizations must be registered as a WA Nonprofit/Charity with the Secretary of State).  
• 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.

Starting with the FY26 funding cycle, we will implement priorities-based criteria to ensure our limited funds are distributed equitably. This funding structure and process is strategically designed to maximize support for our growing community while aligning with the objectives in our strategic plan. We seek to keep diverse communities engaged in the creative economy, support the creative sector statewide, and emphasize cultural equity, community diversity, and sector growth.  

Notice to applicants: We recently updated the evaluation criteria. We will not assign priority to applicants outside of King County, the City of Tacoma, and the City of Olympia.

Priorities for Operating Support grants  

• Businesses located in counties identified by the state as distressed areas: Clallam, Cowlitz, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Skamania, Stevens, Wahkiakum, and Yakima.   

• Organizations serving constituencies consisting of 25% or more of an underserved group. “Underserved” means populations whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, historical exclusion and marginalization due to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, economics, disability, or other social or institutionally imposed barriers.  

Applications are reviewed for eligibility and scored by staff who recommend funding to ArtsWA’s Board of Commissioners.    

Board approval: Recommendations will go to the ArtsWA Board for approval.  

Notification: Notification of award or decline will go out the by or before the last week of May. 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.

Word document version of application – for drafting purposes only

Grantee Responsibilities & Grant Payments

What We Can and Cannot Fund

Work Sample Guidelines

Public Benefit Examples

Submittable FAQ

Fiscal Sponsorship Guidelines

Operating Budget Template