NEA replaces Challenge America grants for 2020
From an NEA dispatch today…
As many of you likely know, the Arts Endowment received $75 million as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The funds are intended to help nonprofit arts organizations across the country survive the forced closure of their operations in response to the spread of COVID-19. So that the Arts Endowment can effectively gear up to distribute this funding (which constitutes more than half of the agency’s annual grantmaking), the 2020 application deadline for Challenge America grants is cancelled.
We recognize this is an inconvenience for those organizations planning to apply under this opportunity. However, those applicants should instead apply to the Grants for Arts Projects opportunity, with a deadline of July 9, 2020.
The Grants for Arts Projects funding program awards grants to organizations of all sizes and includes projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations. The July 9 deadline is for projects that begin on or after June 1, 2021; please visit our website for more information.
Please note that applications submitted under Challenge America will not be transferred; a new Grants for Arts Projects application must be submitted by July 9.
Please see below for some technical assistance resources that may be helpful in preparing a Grants for Arts Projects application.
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. Please know that the Arts Endowment is doing all we can to serve the arts community that has been so profoundly impacted by this national crisis.
We invite you to visit the Arts Endowment’s COVID-19 page for more information including FAQs for applicants and grantees and links to government resources and nationwide resources for artists and arts organizations. Through the government resources link, you will find funding opportunities at other federal agencies (such as the Small Business Administration) that may be a good fit for your organization.
Preparing a Grants for Arts Projects application
- Guidelines presentation for Challenge America applicants interested in applying to Grants for Arts Projects: Read more
- Presentation on the Grants for Arts Projects guidelines featuring an overview of the funding category and tips for applicants: Read more
- Grants for Arts Projects Staff Contacts: Read more