National Endowment for the Arts Releases Application Guidelines for CARES Act Grants

April 10, 2020

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) includes $75 million in funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to administer for COVID-19 assistance. Of the total, 40% of funding will be administered in partnership with state arts agencies, and the remaining resources will be delivered through direct one-time grants to eligible nonprofit arts organizations across the country to help these entities and their employees endure the economic hardships caused by the forced closure of their operations due to the spread of COVID-19. Distribution of critical funds will be expedited at national, regional, state, and local levels to help retain as many jobs as possible, as quickly as possible.
 
Support is limited to any or all of the following: 

• Salary support, full or partial, for one or more positions that are critical to an organization’s artistic mission.
• Fees for artists and/or contractual personnel to maintain or expand the period during which such persons would be engaged.
• Facilities costs such as rent and utilities.

All applicants for direct grants must be previous National Endowment for the Arts award recipients from the past four years. All grants are no cost share/non-matching and will be awarded for a fixed amount of $50,000. Eligible applicants include nonprofit arts organizations, local arts agencies, statewide assemblies of local arts agencies, nonprofit arts service organizations, units of state or local government, federally recognized tribal communities or tribes, and a wide range of other organizations that can help advance the goals of the NEA and this program. Make note of the April 22 deadline and be sure to review the applications guidelines, as well as Frequently Asked Questions.