Reaching Forward

Refinements

Throughout 2019, the Arts Work Fund AWF partnered with 21 African American, Latinx, Arab American, Asian American, and Native American arts leaders to co-design a new grant program and refine our grantmaking criteria and processes. COVID-19 interrupted the launch of our new grant program as we shifted to respond to emergency relief efforts. But we have instituted the grant making refinements that emerged from this process.

What's New

  • Continue to commit a minimum of 50% of our grant dollars to organizations led by, for, and about people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, and women.
  • A simplified application process has been created.
  • A review panel of artists, arts administrators, and Arts Work Fund funders will make grant recommendations.
  • Organizations can propose to use grant funds as needed, rather than being limited to using funds to underwrite the costs of external consultants.
  • There is no minimum budget requirement for grant eligibility, though our cap of $800,000 in operating expenses remain.
  • Paid staff is not required, but organizations need to have a history of operating as a volunteer-based organization.
  • Rather than require funded organizations to submit final reports, we are asking them to share lessons learned on our blog post so that learnings extend to the broader arts sector.

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