ARLINGTON ARTS GRANTS PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The FY 2025 Arlington Arts Grants Program is a competitive program that supports arts organizations with financial grants for General Operating Support (GOS). Grants are to be awarded for activities that:
- Are mission focused;
- Foster excellence, cultural equity and diversity of arts and culture in Arlington County;
- Have significant impact on the community or meet a need in the County; and,
- Result in distinctive, high quality, and meaningful cultural experiences in Arlington County.
NEW FOR FY 25
For FY 25, the GOS program will be made up of four (4) categories outlined in the guidelines. Applications receiving an average score of 75 or above will receive funding; the amount of funding is based on the category the organization is in, the organizations average score, the organization’s reported 990 revenue, and the amount of available funding.
- Placemaking Anchor Operating Support Grants
- General Operating Support I
- General Operating Support II
- Folk, Cultural Heritage & Traditional Arts Operating Support Grant
*Please note that GOS I & II will use the same application. Categories will be determined by answers to the criteria questions*
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Grant Category
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Defining Features
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Expected Outcomes
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FY 2025 Grant Criteria
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FY 2025 Grant Award
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Placemaking Anchor Operating Support Grant
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- Own or lease real estate in a mixed-use district
- Regular schedule of programs/events
- Professional staff
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- Generate jobs
- Drive foot traffic
- Attract tourists
- Commercial tax revenue
- Contributes to a culture of the arts
- Annual Milestones of strategic plan are being met
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- Own or lease real estate in a mixed- use district that is open to the public for a consistent schedule of programs.
- Employ at least one full-time staff member or two part-time staff members. Staff are issued IRS W-2 forms (not contractors).
- Annual revenue over $200,000
- Current strategic plan in place
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Up to 20% of annual revenue as stated on the most recently filed 990 with a max of $75,000. Final amount determined by score and overall amount available.
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Arts Organization General Operating Support I
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- Professional arts organization
- Professional Staff
- Regular Schedule of programs/events
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- Potential for growth into a placemaking anchor retained in Arlington
- Annual milestones of strategic plan are being met
- Connectedness for participants
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- Employ at least one full time staff member or two part-time staff members. Staff are issued IRS W-2 forms.(not contractors)
- Annual revenue over $100,000
- Paid artists and staff based at a minimum of the federal minimum wage.
- Consistent and regular program of events
- Current strategic plan in place
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Up to 20% of annual revenue as stated on the most recently filed 990 with a max of $30,000. Final amount determined by score and overall amount available
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Arts Organization General Operating Support II
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- Mix of professional and amateur artists
- Focus on local talent
- Affordable for children and families
- Offers lifelong arts participation
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- Community engagement, participation and/or education
- Connectedness for participants
- Introduction to different arts genres and opportunities
- Social Impact
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- Annual revenue a minimum of $20,000 per year
- Staff can be full-time, part-time, contractor, or volunteers.
- Artists can be unpaid, stipend, or hourly.
- Programming or organizational activities (rehearsals included) should take place at least 120 days of the year.
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Up to 20% of annual revenue as stated on the most recently filed 990 with a max of $20,000. Final amount determined by score and overall amount available
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Folk, Cultural Heritage & Traditional Arts Operating Support Grant
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- Rooted in the cultural life of a community.
- Artistic traditions are preserved and passed down.
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- Sharing of cultural practices with community
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- Annual revenue of at least $10,000 per year
- Staff can be full-time, part-time, contractor, or volunteers
- Artists can be unpaid, stipend, or hourly
- Programming can be consistent throughout the year or a festival or program to share cultural practices in line with the mission of the organization
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Up to 20% of annual revenue as stated on the most recently filed 990 with a max of $15,000. Final amount determined by score and overall amount available
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At least 51% of artistic and/or cultural work must be performed, produced, or presented for the public in Arlington County within the grant period. The grant period is from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
Attend a Workshop
The Grants Office and the Grants Committee together offer Arts Grants Preparation Workshops that provide an overview of the FY 2025 Arts Grants Program and include step-by-step directions for completing the application. All organizations applying for a grant are required to attend one workshop. If you cannot make one of the workshops, please schedule a call with the Grant Administrator. To schedule please email sraphael@arlingtonva.us Workshops for Grants will be held virtually via MS Teams and should last no more than one hour. Registration is required. Please be on time.
Please register for one of the following dates and times: Please register here:
- Tuesday, July 9, 2024, 11:30 a.m. – 12: 30 p.m.
- Wednesday, July 10, 2024, 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Links to the applications are available in the GOS guidelines - FY 25 GOS Guidelines(PDF, 357KB).