NEA Grants for Arts Projects

The Community Innovation grant program is a flexible program that invests in great ideas and the people who power them across the Foundation’s region (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota). CI grants fund the most promising ideas, across issue areas that have the potential to make the Foundation’s region better for everyone. Through this program, they aim to:

Develop, test and spread great ideas: CI grants invest in efforts to develop and test ideas to solve problems and create opportunities, and then spread the best ideas across communities.

Inspire, equip and connect leaders: Great ideas spread through people. CI grants invest in efforts to inspire, equip and connect leaders to more effectively lead change.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help fund a wide variety of community projects for nonprofits, government entities and Tribal Nations located in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or the 23 Native nations that share the same geography.

More Information: They recommend you schedule a call with their staff to discuss your idea. For more information, visit bushfoundation.org

These grants of up to $100,000 per year, with commitments up to two years, are available to Indigenous-led organizations working in one or more of the following focus areas:

Defend: Efforts include protecting and defending land, air, water, and natural resources.

Develop: Efforts include community and economic development initiatives based on sustainable, regenerative principles and a connection to land, culture, and identity.

Decolonize: Efforts include the revitalization and intergenerational transmission and continuity of Indigenous ceremonies, cultures, languages, and ways of life.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help Indigenous-led organizations with general operating support, capacity building, capital, and holistic support.

More Information: grants.ndncollective.org

Tourism Tip: This grant can help fund new tourism businesses in rural communities.

More Information: For more information, visit usda.gov.

The Stock Artist Development Fund supports and promotes outstanding artists identifying with underrepresented communities and provides a platform to showcase and celebrate their independent, empowered, and creative forms of visual expression. The fund offers empowerment of artists’ voices and financial support for talented artists with the eventual impact of promoting imagery that has been historically underrepresented in commercial media and aims to ensure that artists are compensated for their work.

Tourism Tip: This fund can be used to highlight underrepresented Indigenous communities.

More Information: For more information, visit adobe.com.

Tourism Tip: This program supports digital projects that are online or in person at venues such as museums, libraries or other cultural institutions.

More Information: For more information, visit neh.gov

The Wyoming Arts Council is again offering the Native Art Fellowship, an unrestricted award of $3,000 open to Native artists based within Wyoming who are working in any artistic discipline or medium. This fellowship is designed to raise the profiles of Native artists in Wyoming and celebrate their artistry. Two fellowships will be given this year, and applications are being accepted through June 9, 2022.

Tourism Tip: This grant funds projects for Native artists based in Wyoming.

More Information: https://wyoarts.state.wy.us/wac-grant/native-art-fellowship/

The Economic Development Administration is now accepting applications for the FY22 Build to Scale (B2S) program, which is designed to invest in regional economies through scalable business startups. The Build to Scale program’s national competitions will deploy $45 million to further technology-based economic development initiatives that accelerate high-quality job growth, create more economic opportunities and support the next generation of industry-leading companies.

Tourism Tip: This program can help strengthen existing businesses and fund startup businesses.

More Information: For more information, visit eda.gov.

The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the availability of $3,000,000 in competitive grant funds for the FY 2022 Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG) program. The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups in rural areas. Eligible applicants include Cooperatives, Groups of Cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers. This program supports Rural Development’s (RD) mission of improving the quality of life for rural Americans and commitment to directing resources to those who most need them.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help grow underserved businesses by providing technical assistance.

More Information: For more information, visit rd.usda.gov

Non-profit organizations in DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, VA, USVI, or WV who would like to engage folk and traditional artists, practitioners or culture bearers in community-based projects are eligible for funding in amounts from $1,000 to $7,000. The majority of project activities must take place within the mid-Atlantic region. Eligible project activities include but are not limited to performances, public art collaborations, workshops, trainings, exhibitions, fieldwork and artistic collaborations. Projects must include some publicly-accessible component, including but not limited to a performance, event, exhibit, video, podcast, Q&A session, public interest meeting, archival collection, website or report.

Tourism Tip: This grand can help fund art-related community projects.

More Information: For more information, visit midatlanticarts.org.

The Comcast RISE Investment Fund provides monetary grants to help Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)-owned small businesses grow as they navigate the challenges of the pandemic. The Investment Fund is the latest extension of Comcast RISE (Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment), the multi-year, multi-faceted initiative launched in 2020 to provide BIPOC-owned, small businesses the opportunity to apply for marketing and technology services from Comcast Business and Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help recover Indigenous tourism businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

More Information: For more information, visit comcastrise.com.

Tourism Tip: This program can provide tools to help grow Native businesses that attract visitors.

More Information: For more information, visit bia.gov.

This grant opportunity will result in the distribution of up to $22 million. The 2022 NSBP grants, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) seeks projects that meet the statutory eligibility and advance one or more of the four goals: (1) Safety; (2) Equity and Accessibility; (3) Economic Strength; and (4) Climate and Sustainability.

Tourism Tip: This program will fund projects that enhance designated scenic byways.

More Information: For more information, visit nsbfoundation.com.

The National Forest Foundation is currently soliciting proposals for its Matching Awards Program (MAP). MAP is a national, competitive grant program that provides federal funds for on-the-ground projects benefiting America's National Forests and Grasslands. The program supports action-oriented projects that enhance outdoor experiences, forest and ecosystem health, and engage local communities in caring for their public lands.

Tourism Tip: This program can be used to fund projects that enhance outdoor experiences.

More Information: For more information, visit www.nationalforests.org

The Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (OIED), through its Native American Business Development Institute (NABDI), is soliciting grant proposals from eligible federally recognized Tribes and Tribal organizations. NABDI award funding will be used to explore economic development opportunities through feasibility studies and business plans. Feasibility studies may concern the viability of an economic development project or business, or the practicality of technology, that a Tribe may choose to pursue to explore how a current Tribal business or enterprises could recover from and adapt to the challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Business plans may concern goals for economic opportunity and recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help recover Indigenous tourism businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

More Information: For more information, visit bia.gov.

AZ State Parks: Heritage Fund – Non-Motorized Trails Grant

The program provides funds to construct, rehabilitate and maintain trails and trailhead facilities for non-motorized use.

AZ State Parks: Competitive OHV Grants

Eligible projects could include off-highway vehicle recreation facilities, such as trail development and trail maintenance for the use of off-road motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel drive vehicles, or other off-road motorized vehicles.

Arizona’s State Lake Improvement Fund (SLIF) program assists state and local units of government to fund projects on waters where gasoline powered boats are permitted. This program is administered by the Arizona State Parks Board with guidance from the agency’s Grants and Trails Team. For fiscal year 2022 which begins July 1, 2021, there is $4 million available for project funding. AZ State Parks: Heritage Fund – Local, Regional, and State Parks (LRSP)

Tourism Tip: These grants can be used to develop non-motorized trails and outdoor recreation activities located in Arizona.

More Information: For more information, visit azstateparks.com

Small community organizations can receive $3,000 to support featuring folk arts in festivals, cultural events, and gatherings that bring folk artists and communities together. Project dates must be between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help support small community events located in Nevada.

More Information: For more information, visit nvartscouncil.org

Tourism Tip: This grant funds small-town community projects.

More Information: For more information, visit t-mobile.com.

The Secretary of the Interior, United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Office of Trust Services, Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience solicits proposals from federally recognized tribes and authorized tribal organizations to receive awards to support tribal climate resilience planning and strategy implementation, and ocean and coastal management planning.

The branch supports tribes as they prepare for climate change impacts on the tribal treaty and trust resources, economies, regenerative agriculture and food sovereignty, conservation practices, infrastructure and human health and safety. The branch's Annual Awards Program will provide funding for projects that support tribal climate resilience as tribes incorporate science, including Indigenous and Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Indigenous languages and technical information.

Tourism Tip: This program supports tribal businesses as they prepare for climate change impacts.

More Information: For more information, visit bia.gov.

Arts projects can be submitted in a variety of disciplines: Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Media Arts, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater and Visual Arts. If you are not sure which discipline to select, click here.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help fund any public-and visitor-facing arts program.

More Information: For more information, visit arts.gov or email challengeamerica@arts.gov. Grants are also available from State Art Agencies, like the one listed above for Nevada. To find your state or regional arts agency, click here.

The WORC Initiative is designed to facilitate the alignment of workforce development efforts with existing economic development strategies in rural communities hard hit by economic transition and recovering slowly. The WORC Initiative provides grant funds to enable impacted communities to develop local and regional workforce development solutions aligned with existing economic development strategies and community partnerships to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality. These grants support workforce development activities that prepare dislocated workers, new entrants to the workforce and incumbent workers for good jobs in high-demand occupations aligned with a regional or community economic development strategy.

Tourism Tip: This initiative can be used to promote new, sustainable job opportunities and long-term economic vitality.

More Information: For more information, visit dol.gov

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) will award $85 million in nationwide funding through the America the Beautiful Challenge (ATBC) to advance the America the Beautiful Initiative and its goals to connect and restore the lands, waters and wildlife upon which we all depend. In the first year, ATBC will seek to fund projects across the following themes; Conserving and restoring rivers, coasts, wetlands and watersheds; Conserving and restoring forests, grasslands and other important ecosystems that serve as carbon sinks; Connecting and reconnecting wildlife corridors, large landscapes, watersheds and seascapes; Improving ecosystem and community resilience to flooding, drought and other climate-related threats; Expanding access to the outdoors, particularly in underserved communities.

Tourism Tip: This grant can fund projects that help preserve tribal lands used for recreation.

More Information: For more information, visit nfwf.org

The purpose of RMAP is to support the development and ongoing success of rural Microentrepreneurs and Microenterprises, each as defined in 7 CFR 4280.302. The regulation can be accessed online at https://www.ecfr.gov. To accomplish this purpose, RMAP provides direct loans and grants to Microenterprise Development Organizations (MDO).

Tourism Tip: This program can be used to provide technical assistance and entrepreneurship training to rural individuals and businesses.

More Information: For more information, visit rd.usda.gov

Tourism Tip: This grant can help preserve or enhance climbing environments.

More Information: For more information, visit accessfund.org.

It is strongly recommended that you contact the Foundation’s office to discuss proposed programs before you start the application process. The Kettering Family Foundation (KFF) will consider activities in the following categories: categories: Arts, Culture and Humanities, Public/Society Benefit, Education, Environment, Health/Medical and Human Services.  

Tourism Tip: Use this grant to fund arts and culture family-friendly tourism organizations.

More Information: For more information, visit cfketteringfamilies.com or email info@ketteringfamilyphilanthropies.org.

National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant Program (URC) works towards diversifying the nominations submitted to the National Register of Historic Places. URC grants are funded by the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and are administered by the NPS. Projects include surveys and inventories of historic properties associated with communities underrepresented in the National Register, as well as the development of nominations to the National Register for specific sites. Congress has appropriated $1.25 million for the URC Grant Program.

Tourism Tip: This grant will fund projects focused on preserving historic landmarks and places.

More Information: www.nps.gov

Funded through the Historic Preservation Fund, the History of Equal Rights grant program preserves sites related to the struggle for any or all people to achieve equal rights in America. The History of Equal Rights grants are not limited to any specific group and are intended to include the broadest possible interpretation of sites associated with efforts to achieve equal rights. This program funds physical preservation work and pre-preservation planning activities for sites that are listed in or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or as a National Historic Landmark.

Tourism Tip: This program can fund physical preservation of a historic site to include historic districts, buildings, sites, structures, and objects.

More Information: For more information, visit nps.gov

Through the Indigenous Communities program, EDA is allocating $100 million in American Rescue Plan funding specifically for Indigenous communities, which were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

Tourism Tip: This grant can help recover Indigenous tourism businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19.

More Information: For more information, visit www.eda.gov or email your questions to indigenous@eda.gov.

Strategic economic development revitalizes communities. Approached holistically, it attracts investments, builds wealth, and promotes sustainability. As a foundational first step, planning is crucial to successful economic development. It encourages us to leverage resources, build partnerships, advance the principles of equity, and strengthen systems to address global threats like climate change. By sequencing – or “stacking” – funding opportunities, you can effectively meet your community’s economic development goals. There is a wide range of federal resources available to help you identify complementary programs, but it can be daunting to know where to begin. Together, the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) are pleased to offer this joint planning resource guide, designed to help you eliminate barriers and encourage collaboration among your stakeholders.

See the guide here

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AIANTA collects funding opportunities that may be of interest to Indigenous or Native American tourism & hospitality enterprises looking to grow their tourism, culture, heritage, arts, agritourism or other culture and heritage programming.

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Meet the AIANTA team at www.aianta.org/about-aianta/our-team.

Email info@aianta.org to receive more information.