NEA Grant Application Deadlines

In This Section

The NEA has updated the deadlines and guidelines for FY27 Grants for Arts Projects, the Endowment’s major support category for organizations for projects anticipated to take place beginning in 2027.  

• Grants for Arts Projects, February cycle (GAP1): Part 1 (Intent to apply) February 12, 2026; Part 2 Applicant Portal available February 18, 2026 9am ET – February 25, 2026 11:59pm ET
• Grants for Arts Projects, July cycle (GAP2):Part 1 (Intent to apply) July 9, 2026; Part 2 Applicant Portal available July 14, 2026 9am ET – July 21, 2026 11:59pm ET
• **Our Town and Challenge America applicants will now apply within the Grants for Arts Projects program and choose the “Design & Our Town” or “Challenge America” discipline.

Before you can submit an application, you must register with Login.gov, the System for Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov, and Grants.gov or renew/verify these registrations. Registration can take several weeks.

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The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) also offers two grant programs through its Office of Research & Analysis:

• Research Grants in the Arts funds research that investigates the value and/or impact of the arts, either as individual components of the U.S. arts ecology or as they interact with each other and/or with other domains of American life. Matching/cost share grants of $10,000 to $100,000 will be awarded.
• NEA Research Labs fund long-term research agendas that include multiple empirical studies and the dissemination of various products or services for promoting public knowledge about the arts and their contributions to American life. Each Lab must include an interdisciplinary team of researchers and a partnership with at least one arts organization or working artist. Cost share grants of $100,000 to $300,000 will be awarded.

Application guidelines for the present round of funding are available on the NEA website. The upcoming deadline is March 23, 2026. Please direct any questions to nearesearchgrants@arts.gov.