Grant Opportunities for Organizations
Chief among the many programs and services of the Council is its Organizational Grant Program. Through this multifaceted package of matching grants informed by the needs of the field, the Council assists eligible organizations in fulfilling our intersecting missions of service to the people of New Jersey through the arts.
To be eligible organizations must:
- Have an arts mission for the organization, program or project
- Be incorporated in New Jersey as a nonprofit organization, be a college or university, or a unit of government
- Have tax exempt status with the IRS
- Be in existence for at least two years with a two-year track record of public programming or services
- Have an active governing board
- Serve audiences in a multi-county region of the state. Organizations or projects that serve audiences primarily within the boundaries of a single county are directed to apply to their respective County Arts Agency, which annually receive Arts Council funding for support of local arts programs.
FY13 Arts Grants Available
Guidelines and Applications are now available in the following grant categories:
General Operating Support (GOS)—New Applicants only
Awarded to New Jersey based, nonprofit, arts-missioned organizations to help underwrite the expense of their total operation including the expense of producing and presenting arts events.
General Program Support (GPS)—New Applicants only
Awarded to New Jersey based, nonprofit organizations, agencies, institutions, or units of local government to help underwrite the expense of presenting major, on-going arts programs. This grant category is open to a variety of organizations that produce or present on-going public arts programs.
Arts Project Support (APS)
Support for single arts events, such as a concert, theatre production, exhibition or dance performance.
Arts Education Special Initiatives (AESI)
Awarded to recipients of GOS or GPS grants to support the development or expansion of programs that make substantial contributions to quality arts education in schools. This grant category intends to aid arts organizations develop their full potential as community resources to educational systems throughout New Jersey and create a stronger infrastructure for arts education statewide.
Guidelines and Applications:
The FY13 Grant Funding Guidelines.
So that you may be fully informed, please be sure to read the entire Funding Guidelines document before selecting a grant category below.
Supporting Documents:
Grants are for the period July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013 and all grants require matching funds
Deadlines:
Grant Application Workshops:
In order to better familiarize prospective applicants with the various grant programs of the Council, it annually conducts a battery of workshops at numerous locations around the state. These workshops frequently include an opportunity for one-on-one consultation with a member of Council staff.
More Information About Workshops Offered.
Other Council funding programs and services that support arts organizations and build their capacity include:
- Critical Financial Services Program: Cosponsored with the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), this program is aimed at gaining a comprehensive understanding of the financial health and trends of the nonprofit arts industry in New Jersey and assisting organizations in achieving greater financial health. NFF is reviewing the annual financial audits for all General Operating and General Program Support applicants/ grantees with the summarization of audits shared with the grant review panels. NFF is also databasing the audit information, which is enabling financial trend analysis of the field and segments of the field. During a rigorous review process, the Council identifies organizations that have the potential to benefit from a deeper Nonprofit Business Analysis based on five years of financial data for an organization. The Analysis results in a report by NFF providing recommendations to the organization on how it might achieve greater financial health and stability.
- Cultural Trust Institutional & Financial Stabilization Grants: Operated in collaboration with the New Jersey Cultural Trust and the New Jersey Historical Commission, this program provides Cultural Trust grants for projects that help organizations increase their financial and operational stability and build their capacity. The Arts Council designs and manages the program that solicits and reviews applications from arts organizations and recommends awards to the Cultural Trust. To be eligible an organization first be designated as "qualified" by the New Jersey Cultural Trust.
- Southern New Jersey Staffing Initiative: This provides multi-year support to General Operating and General Program Support grantees of the Council or of the County Arts Agencies in the southern eight counties to add, expand or enhance a staff position in order to build their capacity to serve their communities.
- Cosponsored Projects: One vitally important way that the Council achieves its goals
of service to the needs of the entire state is through a battery of cosponsored projects in priority areas, such as
arts education, services to artists, access and regional service, arts marketing and promotion and more. By partnering
with other organizations that share the same goals, the Council is able to widen the resources applied to the issue
and build a statewide infrastructure of support. These grant funds leverage others and make for more efficient and
cost effective use of public funds.
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