About the OPPORTUNITY
Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs' Mission: To elevate Central Florida’s arts and culture to that befitting a diverse, world-class community.
Objectives:
- Enhance the Orlando area’s arts and cultural identity
- Present quality arts and cultural experiences
- Promote tourism
United Arts of Central Florida facilitates the Orange County Cultural Tourism Funding program.
Eligibility Requirements:
Any arts and cultural organization that meets every one of the following eligibility requirements:
- Cultural nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation registered and in good standing with the State of Florida and IRS, OR, an American Alliance of Museums (AAM)-accredited museum that meets all other requirements the same as a 501(c)(3); AND current with any open Orange County grants.
- Completed minimum of one year of providing cultural programming in Orange County that attracts tourists.
- Produce in ORANGE COUNTY the arts and culture event for which you are applying that is accessible and promoted to the general public. The project occurs within the Project Period of Nov. 1, 2024 to Feb 28, 2026, with actual event(s) that occurs between January 1 to December 31, 2025.
- The arts and culture activities proposed are not a supplementary event at a non-arts conference, professional meeting, reunion or other similar gathering.
- Market this project to potential visitors beyond the immediate four-county area of Orange, Osceola, Lake and Seminole counties.
- Show community support in donations specifically for this project that match the request amount at least dollar-for-dollar.
- Attend a FY25 Cultural Tourism Funding workshop – mandatory for first-time applicants and applicants that have not been awarded in the previous cycle.
- All applicants must have a checking account with a licensed financial institution.
- All applicants must prepare at least quarterly financial statements (Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Statement), also called Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Activities, that are reviewed and approved by the board (either signed statements or shown in board minutes to have been approved); within 9 months of fiscal year-end. The level of financial statements required (self-reported, to reviewed financials, to audited financial statements) and the maximum amount of the request is based on prior year revenue, as reported on the IRS Form 990.
- Have a current profile on the Central Florida Foundation Nonprofit Search website, bearing the “Reviewed” stamp, and accessible (enter URL for profile on grant request) by the application deadline (Optional for all applicants in the Small Requests category.)
- Complete the online application: forms, narrative questions and back up materials, as uploads or posted to profile.
