About the OPPORTUNITY
Update: More information for future cycles of this grant will be announced soon. Please check back periodically for updates.
Community Project Grants provide competitive funding up to $5,000 to support specific, relevant, and meaningful arts, history, and science experiences of value to the communities you serve. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, United Arts defines “community” as any group that your organization is intentionally working to serve (e.g. members, students, artists, participants, audience, geographic community, ethnic heritage, or cultural traditions).
Funds may be used to create, perform, exhibit, or publish artistic works or to present arts, history, or science events by contracting with services or other organizations or individuals and will require a public-facing component that increases access to art and cultural experiences.
Open to 501(c)(3) Organizations, Community Project Grants:
- Increase access to and participation in arts, culture, history, or science programming within our communities.
- Act as a catalyst for positive change through arts and culture-based creative community development.
- Amplify a variety of cultures, voices, and experiences in our communities.
What to know for this cycle:
- Operating Support and Diversity in the Arts grantees are eligible to apply, but the project must be focused on increasing access in the community and not to fund an already existing program/event.
- The work must be either an expansion to new sites or a new program/service being offered to a new community.
- It cannot be used to supplant a project you would otherwise still provide.
- For the purposes of this funding opportunity, United Arts defines “community” as any group that your organization is intentionally working to serve (e.g. members, students, artists, participants, audience, geographic community, ethnic heritage, or cultural traditions).
Maximum Request Amount: $5,000
- Funding is competitive; not all projects of merit are able to be funded.
- Any applicant whose project will not be possible with partial funding must indicate so in the application.
- United Arts funds may be used to support eligible project-related activities within the one-year grant period.
- Applicants will be notified if they include ineligible expenses in their project budget/application.
Organizational Eligibility:
- Applicant organizations must have current 501(c)3 status and current good standing with the state of Florida Division of Corporations as a nonprofit organization. United Arts will verify status at www.irs.gov and sunbiz.org.
- The nonprofit 501(c)3 must be located in Lake, Orange, Osceola, or Seminole counties (United Arts uses the principal address listed on an organization’s W-9 and Sunbiz registration).
- The nonprofit organization should have a Unique Entity ID through the federal government to receive United Arts Funding (learn more about getting a Unique Entity ID here).
- This is not required, but it is highly suggested to register for a Unique Entity ID as it is often a requirement on state, city, and outside funding opportunities.
- Faith-based organizations who have 501(c)3 status as long as the event is a non-faith-based program open to any segment of the population.
- Applicant organizations must be in good standing with any prior United Arts grant or contract reporting.
- Operating Support grantees are eligible to apply, but the project must be focused on increasing access in the community. The work must be either an expansion to new sites, or a new program/service etc., being offered to a new community.
Organization Eligibility Restrictions:
Organizations are NOT eligible if they are:
- In a period of disbarment with the federal government.
- Organizations that are adjuncts to for-profit organizations. (“Friends of” organizations are eligible to apply only in lieu of the parent nonprofit organization).
- A public or private entity governed by an agency of the state government.
- Fraternal or sports organizations.
- Political causes, candidates, organizations, or campaigns.
In all cases, final eligibility decisions are made by United Arts staff. Approval of a previous project grant funding does not guarantee funding in subsequent years.
Project Eligibility:
Projects based in the arts and culture, history, or science that take place in Lake, Orange, Osceola, or Seminole counties and are open to the public. Exhibits, performances, festivals, arts education, outreach programs, and art-based community development activities are examples of typical projects. Professional artists must be involved in the planning and execution of each project. For arts education programming, teachers must have an arts background. Social and Human Service Organizations must partner with professional artists and/or arts organizations.
For more information on requirements and evaluation, please download the Guidelines document.
Application Tips:
- Start early!
- Read these guidelines thoroughly and take note of any questions.
- Proofread! It can be helpful to have colleagues and other members of your organization review the application before final submission. You can ask for a courtesy review by United Arts before the deadline.
- Gather your needed documents: organization financials (most recent IRS Form 990 or financial statements – balance sheet and income/expense statement), support materials (press, flyer/program, patron surveys, link to max 5 minutes of video, etc.), and Letter of Support.
- Save often!
- Submit early!
- Leave extra time at the end in case you have questions or computer trouble. Missing documents or fields will prevent the submission of the application. Contact and project information for all grantees will be made available to the press, and United Arts may use quotes or pictures from applications or reports in publicity.
- Don’t stop here!
- Post your events for free at https://calendar.unitedartscfl.org/login/. This resource is open to everyone to use, and it will be a requirement to post your project if awarded. For instructions on how to post to the Calendar, visit this link.
For tech support or other questions: Contact Cameron Robinson at cameron@unitedartscfl.org or call 407-504-0684 or Outreach at outreach@unitedartscfl.org.
