Please see the latest information below from the National Endowment for the Arts.

FY 2026 Grant Opportunities

The National Endowment for the Arts is updating its FY 2026 grant guidelines (originally posted in December 2024) with deadlines in March 2025 and July 2025. These changes impact organizations applying in the Grants for Arts Projects or Challenge America categories.

Challenge America

The Challenge America opportunity is canceled for FY 2026.

• Organizations that have applied or were planning to apply to the FY 2026 Challenge America grant opportunity are encouraged to apply to the Grants for Arts Projects category at the March or July deadlines instead.
• This change is to focus NEA staff resources on the Grants for Arts Projects category.

Grants for Arts Projects

The National Endowment for the Arts is revising the FY 2026 Grants for Arts Projects guidelines and they will be available on arts.gov/grants no later than Monday, February 10, 2025. The updated guidelines are in response to recent directives. They also streamline and simplify the application process and align with the agency’s mission.

As part of these changes, the February 13, 2025, Grants for Arts Projects deadline has been canceled.

• The FY 2026 deadlines are now March 11, 2025, for GAP 1 and July 10, 2025, for GAP 2.
• Organizations that have already submitted an application must submit a new application under one of these deadlines.

Funding priority will be given for projects that take place in 2026-2027 that celebrate and honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This can include incorporating an America250-related component or focus within a larger project.

Additional changes to the Grants for Arts Projects guidelines include a requirement for applicants to have completed a five-year history of arts programming prior to the application deadline. See details in updated guidelines.

 

 

Webinar

A webinar covering the updated guidelines will take on Tues., February 18, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

Free to attend; however, registration is required HERE.

• Webinar recordings will be posted shortly after the presentations in the Applicant Resources section of the Grants for Arts Projects webpage.
• In addition, frequently asked questions will be available in the Applicant Resources section.

Anyone interested in applying for FY26 Grants for Arts Projects is encouraged to attend.