Search Through Grants for Performing Arts in Tennessee in the U.S.

Making community possible

At U.S. Bank, we are dedicated to supporting our communities through responsive and humbled actions focused on addressing racial and economic inequities and creating lasting change in our communities. Through our Community Possible Grant Program, we are partnering with organizations that focus on economic and workforce advancement, safe and affordable housing and communities connected through arts and culture.

The U.S. Bank Foundation is committed to making Community Possible through Work, Home and Play. We advance this work through collaborative grant making to bring equitable and lasting change through our focus on sustainable, high-impact funding with 501c3 nonprofit partners.

How we partner with nonprofits

We focus on collaborative grantmaking and sustainable, high-impact funding with 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners. We partner with organizations that support:

• Economic and workforce advancement
• Safe and affordable housing
• Community arts and culture

Our strategy

Our community affairs and foundation team work closely with U.S. Bank regional leadership, business resource groups and our National Community Advisory Committee to ensure that prevailing needs are addressed in all the communities we serve.

To make the most meaningful impact, we prioritize organizations that:

• Focus on economic development issues related to work, home and play
• Address more than one of the grant pillars (work, home and play)
• Are based in and serve designated U.S. Bank communities
• Advance diversity, equity and inclusion

Charitable Contributions

Costco Wholesale’s primary charitable efforts specifically focus on programs supporting children, education, and health and human services in the communities where we do business. Throughout the year we receive a large number of requests from nonprofit organizations striving to make a positive impact, and we are thankful to be able to provide support to a variety of organizations and causes. While we would like to respond favorably to all requests, understandably, the needs are far greater than our allocated resources and we are unable to accommodate them all.

Warehouse Donations:

Warehouse donations are handled at the warehouse level - please consult your local warehouse for up-to-date information regarding their donations contacts and review process.

Grant Applications

If the request is under consideration, you may be contacted by staff for any additional information needed. Applications are reviewed within 4-6 weeks, and decisions are made based on several factors, including: type of program; identified community need not otherwise available; indication that evidenced based data will establish measurable results of intended outcomes; community collaboration; broad base of financial support; project budget and operating expenses.

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

Background

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation seeks to dramatically improve the lives of underserved communities across the globe by supporting scalable, innovative, and impact-first solutions that leverage existing systems and stakeholders. Our goal is to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic products or services that have a proven ability to positively impact the lives of underserved people, and nurture those organizations at the early stages by providing capacity, capital, and community.

Our application process is designed to be open and accessible, and we accept applications year round from across our priority geographies and sectors. Borrowing from our venture capital legacy, we find exceptional entrepreneurs and provide them with: 

Capacity

• The core of DRK’s model is deep and extensive operational and technical support for each portfolio organization, both through dedicated hands-on Board service and specialist capacity-building resources for fundraising, board and organizational development, leadership, financial support, and scaling strategy,

Capital

• DRK provides up to $300,000 USD in either unrestricted grant funding or investment capital over a three-year period, and

Community

• DRK convenes our portfolio and alumni annually, facilitating connections and community. 

What We Fund

DRK Foundation funds early-stage social impact organizations solving the world’s biggest social and environmental problems using bold, scalable approaches.

What stage of growth does DRK Foundation typically fund?

Early stage: Organizations who are early stage, which we define as post-pilot and pre-scale. This typically means: 

• Your program, product or service is already being used in the market or in the field, 
• You have early indication that your model is having its intended impact on the beneficiary populations,
• Your organization is relatively young (ideally between two and five years old, although we will consider both younger and older organizations).

Venture funding: In the case of for profits, we typically support Seed to Series A organizations, and never lead rounds; we also generally but not exclusively refrain from participating in financings exceeding a $15M USD post-money valuation.  

PNC Foundation

Strengthening and enriching the lives of our neighbors in communities where we live and work.

Vision & Mission

For decades, we have provided resources to seed ideas, foster development initiatives and encourage leadership in nonprofit organizations where imagination and determination are at work enhancing people's lives everyday.

The PNC Foundation's priority is to form partnerships with community-based nonprofit organizations in order to enhance educational opportunities, with an emphasis on early childhood education, and to promote the growth of communities through economic development initiatives.

Foundation Grant

The PNC Foundation supports a variety of nonprofit organizations with a special emphasis on those that work to achieve sustainability and touch a diverse population, in particular, those that support early childhood education and/or economic development.

Education

The PNC Foundation supports educational programs for children and youth, particularly early childhood education initiatives that meet the criteria established through PNC Grow Up Great. Specifically, PNC Grow Up Great grants must:

• Support early education initiatives that benefit children from birth to age five; and
• Serve a majority of children (>50%) from low- to moderate-income families; and
• Adhere to all other standard PNC Foundation guidelines, as outlined on the PNC Foundation website, applicant eligibility quiz, as well as the Foundation policies and procedures; and
• Include one or a combination of the following:
  • direct services/programs for children in their classroom or community;
  • professional development/workforce development for early childhood educators;
  • family and/or community engagement in children’s early learning
• Additional considerations:
  • The grant focus should include math, science, reading, vocabulary development, the arts, financial education, or social/emotional development.
  • The grant recipient, or collaborative partner, should have early childhood education as an area of focus. If the organization’s focus is beyond birth to age five, the specific grant must be earmarked for birth to age five.
  • Incorporate opportunities for PNC volunteers in classroom or non-classroom-based activities.

Economic Development

Economic development organizations, including those which enhance the quality of life through neighborhood revitalization, cultural enrichment and human services are given support. Priority is given to community development initiatives that strategically promote the growth of low-and moderate-income communities and/or provide services to these communities.

• Affordable Housing
  • The PNC Foundation understands the critical need for affordable housing for low-and moderate-income individuals.
  • We are committed to providing support to nonprofit organizations that:
    • give counseling and services to help these individuals maintain their housing stock;
    • offer transitional housing units and programs; and/or
    • offer credit counseling assistance to individuals, helping them to prepare for homeownership.
• Community Development
  • Because small businesses are often critical components of community growth and help foster business development, the PNC Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations that
    • offer technical assistance to, or loan programs for, small businesses located in low-and moderate-income areas or
    • support small businesses that employ low-and moderate-income individuals.
• Community Services
  • Support is given to social services organizations that benefit the health, education, quality of life or provide essential services for low-and moderate-income individuals and families.
  • The PNC Foundation supports job training programs and organizations that provide essential services for their families.
• Arts & Culture
  • Support is given for cultural enrichment programs benefitting the community.
• Revitalization & Stabilization of Low-and Moderate-Income Areas
  • The PNC Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that serve low-and moderate-income neighborhoods by improving living and working conditions.
  • Support is given to organizations that help stabilize communities, eliminate blight and attract and retain businesses and residents to the community.

Our MissionAdvancing Southern vitality through the arts.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, South Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture.

In partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and the State Arts Agencies of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — with additional funding from other public and private donors such as the Doris Duke Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and Mellon Foundation — South Arts supports artists and organizations through a rich and responsive portfolio of grants, fellowships, and programs.

Why? Because South Arts believes that the arts elevate the region, increasing connectedness and inspiring meaningful change in the process. 

Professional Development Grants for Arts Organizations

Program Description

South Arts strongly believes that skill and knowledge building for arts organizations are integral to success and sustainability. These grants are designed to support the professional development needs of Southern arts organizations for increasing organizational capacity to achieve long-term sustainability, growth, and/or operational stability. This grant program is open to film, visual arts, performing arts, traditional arts, literary arts, and multidisciplinary arts organizations.

Funding can support staff or board participation at conferences, workshops, and other professional development opportunities and events. In addition, these grants can support expenses for in-person and virtual professional development for organization-wide staff learning and training. Funds support travel expenses (for example, lodging and air/ground transportation), admission/registration fees, or other related expenses (for example, consultant/service fees for staff learning/training sessions). 

In Our Community

Republic Bank recognizes the importance of making a lasting IMPACT, and that starts by strengthening the communities in which we live and work. We believe Republic Bank not only serves the community but is also a part of the community.

Together, we can make an impact that goes beyond banking. Bank with us, and let’s strengthen our community – together.

Generally, organizations and activities meeting the established criteria will fall into one of the following categories:

• Education and Youth Programs
• Family and Community Welfare
• Civic Projects
• Healthcare and Human Services
• Performing Arts and Cultural Activities
• Recreation and Preservation Programs

In-Kind Donations

Republic Bank occasionally donates used computer equipment, office equipment, and furniture to community organizations. 

Tennessee Arts Commission

Our Mission

The Tennessee Arts Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly with the special mandate to stimulate and encourage the presentation of the visual, literary, music and performing arts and to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of Tennessee.

Arts Education Community Impact Grant

Support for high-impact arts education initiatives that build sustainable, community-driven systems to address opportunities and gaps in arts education.

The Arts Education Community Impact Grant supports cross-sector partnerships in building sustainable arts education systems across Tennessee. Grounded in principles of collective impact, this grant program aims to create lasting, systemic change by transforming how arts organizations, schools, and communities work together to ensure high-quality arts learning for all Tennessee K-12 students. This program builds on the Commission’s legacy of supporting school-based arts integration and reflects current field priorities emphasizing cross-sector partnerships to support arts education. Designed as a three-year funding opportunity, the program supports partnerships to address opportunities and gaps in arts education through planning, implementation, and knowledge sharing, while emphasizing community-driven approaches, shared leadership, impact, and sustainability. 

A 2:1 match is required. Applicants must provide $1 in cash match for every $2 in grant funds awarded.

About

The Tennessee Arts Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly with the special mandate to stimulate and encourage the presentation of the visual, literary, music and performing arts and to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of Tennessee. TN Arts Commission Governing Policies can be found here.

Mission

The mission of the Tennessee Arts Commission is to cultivate the arts for the benefit of all Tennesseans and their communities. Our vision is a Tennessee where the arts inspire, connect and enhance everyday lives.

Rural Arts Facilities Fund

Rural Arts Facilities Fund (RAFF) grants are designed to help rural communities carry out initiatives that build, renovate, or expand arts and cultural facilities. Project applications must demonstrate a history and/or commitment to arts and cultural programming in the community, cross-sector community support, feasible plans for revenue generation and facility management, and sustainable long-term operational goals. Public investment in rural arts and cultural facilities can help rural communities in a number of ways, including, but not limited to, expansion of arts and cultural opportunities for underserved audiences, job creation, tourism development, enhanced creative learning opportunities, as well as strengthening a community’s distinctive identity and quality of life.

The Tennessee Arts Commission is committed to advancing the arts as a driver of the creative economy and creative placemaking, as well as accelerating transformation of rural areas through the nonprofit arts and creative sector. The RAFF grant program builds upon work accomplished through the Creative Placemaking grant program and Tennessee Stages programs. Creative Placemaking grants provide funding for arts projects that enhance the distinctive local character of Tennessee places for positive economic and community outcomes. Many Creative Placemaking grants projects have helped renovate or enhance rural arts facilities.

With Tennessee Stages, the Commission created a searchable online database of performing arts stages across the state to help communities in all 95 counties increase capacity for providing arts experiences to their citizens. In addition to serving as a mapping tool and a block-booking resource for Tennessee’s performing arts industry, the project draws attention to the value and scope of these important assets, especially those in rural communities which may be underutilized.

Applicants may request up to $200,000 for projects that build, renovate, restore, preserve, or enhance rural arts facilities, including performing arts centers, art museums and galleries, multi-purpose arts centers, amphitheaters, and mobile stages. (Please note that applications targeting outdoor arts facilities must demonstrate that the proposed project will maintain or increase regular arts and cultural programming.)

Arts Project Support

Support for arts projects and activities across all disciplines that focus on community vitality and engagement in urban counties.

Appropriate Activities

Proposed arts projects must involve one or more Commission recognized art forms, including: visual arts, craft, media, design, music, theater, dance, folk and ethnic, or literary arts. The following are example activities and expenditures that are consistent with the funding philosophy for APS & RAPS:

• Projects that involve and promote professional artists, especially Tennessee artists
• Visiting artists conducting master classes
• Specific aspects of workshops, festivals, and conferences
• Public performances, productions, and exhibitions produced by the applicant
• Exhibitions of art by professional and folk artists, especially Tennessee artists
• Projects involving and promoting folk and traditional artists
• Promotion, publicity, and newsletters
• Administrative and artistic staff support
• Research and documentation as part of an arts project or program development
• Consultancies and residencies for administrative and artistic activities
• The development of long-range planning documents
• Improved program accessibility for underserved constituencies, e.g. children, people living in rural communities or isolated settings, people with living with disabilities, people of color, and senior citizens
• Art in public places
• Extensions of literary projects, journals with continuing publication, or juried anthologies
• Apprenticeship programs
• Computer software/training
• Technical/production support
• Technical assistance projects
• Touring/presenting projects that bring professional and/or traditional folk performers to communities across the state

Rural Arts Project Support

Support for arts projects and activities across all disciplines that focus on community vitality and engagement in rural counties.

Appropriate Activities

Proposed arts projects must involve one or more Commission recognized art forms, including: visual arts, craft, media, design, music, theater, dance, folk and ethnic, or literary arts. The following are example activities and expenditures that are consistent with the funding philosophy Rural Arts Project Support:

• Projects that involve and promote professional artists, especially Tennessee artists
• Visiting artists conducting master classes
• Specific aspects of workshops, festivals, and conferences
• Public performances, productions, and exhibitions produced by the applicant
• Exhibitions of art by professional and folk artists, especially Tennessee artists
• Projects involving and promoting folk and traditional artists
• Promotion, publicity, and newsletters
• Administrative and artistic staff support
• Research and documentation as part of an arts project or program development
• Consultancies and residencies for administrative and artistic activities
• The development of long-range planning documents
• Improved program accessibility for underserved constituencies, e.g. children, people living in rural communities or isolated settings, people with living with disabilities, people of color, and senior citizens
• Art in public places
• Extensions of literary projects, journals with continuing publication, or juried anthologies
• Apprenticeship programs
• Computer software/training
• Technical/production support
• Technical assistance projects
• Touring/presenting projects that bring professional and/or traditional folk performers to communities across the state

About the Foundation

The Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation was established in 1985 by Mrs. Adams out of her desire to support various charitable initiatives. Arthur Adams was a business entrepreneur who managed the Gary Group of telephone interests in the Midwest. Under his leadership as president and CEO, the Strowger Automatic Electric Company of Chicago developed and patented the dial telephone. Alice (“Elise”) Adams was born in Istanbul, Turkey. Her family relocated to Egypt during her childhood, and she spent much of her time in private school in Switzerland. She became proficient in the use of foreign languages and eventually mastered eleven of them. In the late 1930s, Arthur met and married Elise. They maintained several homes and eventually settled in Miami Beach, Florida. Following Arthur's death in 1958, Elise spent much of her time supporting philanthropic causes until she passed away in 1987.

Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation Grant

The Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation was established in 1985 as a private foundation to honor its founders, Mr. and Mrs. Adams. The foundation provides grants to charitable organizations primarily to benefit arts, culture, humanities, and education in the Memphis, Miami, and New York City areas.

Program areas

• Arts, culture, and humanities
• Education

Our Mission

Our mission is to continue and further the philanthropic legacy of Gardner Cowles, Jr. and the Cowles family, which includes promotion of education, social justice, health, and the arts.

The Founder

The Cowles Charitable Trust was first established in 1948 by Gardner “Mike” Cowles, Jr. (1903-1985). Born into the Cowles publishing family of Des Moines, Iowa, Mike was the youngest of Gardner Cowles and Florence Call Cowles’ six children. A newspaper editor and publisher by trade, he was committed to his family’s traditions of responsible, public-spirited, and innovative journalism as well as philanthropy. 

The Cowles Charitable Trust supports the arts, education, the advancement of ethical journalism, medical and climate research.

Presentation Grants Program

Presentation Grants are an opportunity for organizations in South Arts' nine-state region to receive fee support to present Southern guest film directors, visual and performing artists, or writers from outside of the presenter's state. Artist fee support is awarded for:

• film (documentary, fiction, experimental, and animation),
• performing arts (theater, music, opera, musical theater, and dance),
• literary arts (fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry),
• traditional arts, and
• visual arts (crafts, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media).

Projects must include both a public presentation (film screening, performance, reading, or exhibition) and an educational/community engagement component. These grants are limited and very competitive. Based on the artist fee, the maximum request is $9,500 for modern dance and contemporary ballet or $7,500 for other artistic disciplines. 

South Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have prioritized this commitment to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations representing persons with disabilities are represented as both applicants and grantees. In addition, we encourage applications for projects that engage BIPOC artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

Arts & Culture Alliance

The Alliance was created in 2001 through a highly participatory community-driven process. Its predecessor was the Arts Council of Greater Knoxville, formed in 1974.

ADVOCACY: The Alliance operates as a unifying voice representing the arts and culture community to government, businesses, the media, and the general public, all of which benefit from a healthy, thriving arts and culture industry. The Alliance’s advocacy projects also create a channel for artists and cultural organizations to express their unique voices individually. Each year, the Alliance membership makes a positive impression on the Tennessee state legislature when more than 50 member artists and cultural representatives convene for the annual Legislative Arts Day.

SERVICE: The Alliance provides many services and tools to help artists and organizations become more successful, including administrative assistance, planning tools, grant preparation, and access to information services. The Arts & Culture Alliance, in cooperation with the local arts community, proudly presents Penny4Arts, a program developed in 2010 to meet the local arts community’s long-term goal of serving and educating East Tennessee’s children. Penny4Arts provides children an opportunity to attend local arts and culture events/activities at the maximum cost of ONE PENNY when accompanied by an adult.

SUPPORT: The Arts & Culture Alliance is the area’s premier united arts fund, distributing $2,000,000 annually to local artists and arts and culture organizations. There are five components to ACA’s Arts & Heritage Fund: Knox County Tourism Consortium Grants, Bailey Opportunity Grants, General Operating Support Grants, American Rescue Plan Grants, and Arts Build Communities (ABC) Grants.

Bailey Opportunity Grants

Through the generosity of Ann and Steve Bailey, the Arts & Culture Alliance offers Bailey Opportunity Grants, providing opportunities for growth to individual artists and small, professionally oriented arts and culture organizations. Opportunity Grants are meant to help Knoxville’s artists and small 501(C)(3)-designated art and culture organizations advance artistically and professionally.

Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

For over 30 years, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) has been driving meaningful, positive change in our community. We do this by bringing together those who want to help and those who need help. Through the power of collective philanthropy, our goal is to amplify donor intent while remaining flexible enough to ensure that resources are directed to where they can do the greatest good.

We know the greater Nashville area. We understand its neighborhoods, its most pressing challenges, its unsung nonprofit heroes, and its emerging partnerships with the greatest potential. As our region continues to rapidly change, that knowledge gives us a unique vantage point to bring people and places together to do what none of us can do on our own—build a more thriving and inclusive community.

Mission: Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee strives to build a more thriving and inclusive community — today and for generations to come — by transforming thoughtful generosity into positive change.

Ernest and Selma Rosenblum Fund for the Performing Arts

Ernest and Selma Rosenblum always valued music and the performing arts. Born in Chausy, Russia, Ernest and Selma immigrated to Nashville, Tenn. in the early 1900s. Ernest was an accomplished violinist, Selma played the piano, and to the delight of their eight children, their house was always filled with music, song and dance. In 2008, Dr. Marvin J. Rosenblum, son of Ernest and Selma, established the Fund in honor of his parents, who considered music and the performing arts a vital part of life and education.

While the arts play an integral part in the lives of Middle Tennesseans, exposure and education are a constant priority to maintain that. From grand orchestras to a theater in the heart of a small town, the spirit of Ernest and Selma Rosenblum can be heard and felt across Middle Tennessee. The tradition of the Rosenblum family is carried on so others can be as enriched as they were.

The Community Foundation encourages grant requests for program/project support. 

Funding Goals

• Support for Performing, Musical, and/or Related Arts

Nonprofits may request grants up to a maximum of $15,000.

About the Foundation

Jesse W. Couch lived a life of zeal, honor, and dedication to the betterment of his community. The Couch family now humbly stewards the foundation he created to carry on his legacy of service for future generations. We believe that impact is best accomplished through partnerships with local organizations that know the people and communities they serve. We invest in and support efforts to protect the environment, further conservation and preservation initiatives, and save historical architecture that preserves community heritage. We also support initiatives that promote wellness and mental health and organizations seeking to provide and further education for all communities.

Annual Grant Focus

Each year, we seek to partner with and support non-profit organizations making an impact in the focus areas listed here.  The focus areas for 2025 are:

• Animal Wellbeing: We are dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations that nurture compassion and respect for all living animals. We must have animal-focused organizations that advocate for animal rights and provide humane treatment across all spectrums.
• Early Childhood Education: We are looking for schools that are providing young children with a creative and balanced approach to education. Things we love in early childhood curriculums:
  • Life Skills
  • Collaboration With Their Peers and Teachers   
  • Having Fun   
  • Montessori Teachings   
  • Project Based Teachings   
  • Diversity   
  • More Time Outside   
  • Less Screen Time
• Teachers: Teachers are essential to providing children with the best possible education. We must invest in their future and are always looking for teams that help them succeed in educating future generations.
• Get Outside: Being outside can improve memory, fight depression, lower blood pressure, and more! We support organizations that facilitate and encourage more outdoor activities that help create healthier communities. 

The Program

Professional Development and Artistic Planning Grants are available to support the professional development needs of Southern presenters, programmers, or curators, for strengthening program design or increasing organizational capacity. South Arts strongly believes professional development for presenters/programmers/curators is integral to success, including traveling to see new works and attending convenings. This grant program is open to film, visual arts, performing arts, traditional arts, literary arts, and multidisciplinary organizations.

This funding can support staff’s travel expenses to conferences, festivals, exhibitions, workshops, and other professional development opportunities. Funding also supports guest artists’ or guest curators’ travel expenses for onsite planning meetings with presenting organizations. These grants support travel expenses (for example, lodging and air/ground transportation), admission/registration fees, and other related expenses. In addition, these grants support expenses for virtual professional development opportunities and staff training (for example, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility training or technology training for virtual engagements).

South Arts is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have prioritized this commitment to ensure that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) led organizations, LGBTQIA+ led organizations, and organizations led by people with disabilities are represented as both applicants and grantees. In addition, we encourage applications for projects that engage BIPOC artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with disabilities.

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation Grant

The Foundation will consider requests to support museums, cultural and performing arts programs; schools and hospitals; educational, skills-training and other programs for youth, seniors, and persons with disabilities; environmental and wildlife protection activities; and other community-based organizations and programs.

Cross-Sector Impact Grants

South Arts’ mission is advancing Southern vitality through the arts, and this program addresses a strategic goal to cultivate and strengthen deep, cross-sector partnerships that are artist and community centered. As our communities continue to change, the arts play an incomparable role in addressing many of our communal and individual challenges and strengths. The value of partnership and working together across sectors brings new opportunities, increased effectiveness, and greater depth to our collective work. Through this program, South Arts seeks to provide significant support to projects developed by partners that harness the power of “Arts & …” (these are projects at the intersection of arts and other sectors). This year, we are shifting to a new program model.

Over the next three years, South Arts is committed to one community impact area – Health and Wellness. Eligible projects must focus on the “Arts & Health and Wellness” theme - for example, arts & mental wellness or arts & physical health. Matching grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded to support approximately 18 projects. We anticipate funding these 18 projects for three grant cycles and expect applicants to commit to the collaborative work for a three-year duration. Funding will be awarded in three separate fiscal years with streamlined, grant renewal forms submitted for cycles two and three. Matching grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to continue or advance the project with the same two partners in cycles two and three.  

South Arts’ mission is advancing Southern vitality through the arts. This program addresses two of South Arts’ strategic goals:

• Connect artists and arts professionals in the South to resources that will increase opportunities for success within and outside the region
• Advance impactful arts-based programs that recognize and address trends and evolving needs of a wide range of communities in the South

Project Requirements

SSouth Arts welcomes applications from partnering entities working together on a project that addresses Arts & Health and Wellness through cross-sector partnerships. Projects must utilize the arts as a tool in creative approaches to address and advance a health and wellness issue that is of importance in their community. Projects should also establish or advance relationships across at least two different sectors, one being in the arts. 

Arts disciplines may include, but are not limited to:

• Performing arts, including dance, music, theater, musical theater, opera;
• Literary arts, including fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry;
• Visual arts, including craft, drawing, experimental, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media;
• Film or media;
• Traditional and folk arts, including music, craft, storytelling, dance; or
• Multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary artforms.

Community impact areas may include, but are not limited to:

• Physical (overall well-being and the ability of the body to function properly);
• Mental/Emotional (overall well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life and their emotions);
• Social (overall well-being that stems from connection and community); or
• Occupational (overall physical, mental, and social well-being of workers). 

Matching Requirements

The minimum grant request is $5,000 and the maximum request is $15,000 (subject to funding availability). A match of at least 1:2 is required; meaning for each grant dollar, the grantee must provide $.50 towards the project expenses. For returning grantees, in cycles two and three, the maximum request is $10,000 (subject to funding availability).

Up to half of the match may be comprised of in-kind contributions such as donated materials, donated services, or other contributed non-cash assets or staff time diverted to this project. At least half of the match must be cash. For staff time diverted to this project, up to 10% of the total project expenses, but no more than $5,000 can be included as a cash expense or cash match for staff time. The remaining staff time must be an in-kind contribution. Contracted individuals and services specifically for this project are eligible cash expenses. 

Detailed Program Description

Grants of up to $2,500 for organizations to make arts programs accessible to persons with disabilities.

The Southeast is home to some of the world’s more diverse and vibrant artistic communities. At South Arts, we believe that the arts are for everyone. The arts enrich the lives of people of all abilities and backgrounds. In our commitment to amplifying the success of the Southeast’s arts ecology, South Arts offers micro-funding to supplement the efforts of arts organizations throughout our service area.

Art making is for everyone too! South Arts encourages arts organizations to hire artistic personnel of all abilities at all levels; for these grants in particular, we encourage arts organizations to work directly with artists who identify as disabled. 

Through our partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, South Arts offers small grants that compliment existing efforts by arts organizations to include audiences and artists with disabilities. Accessibility micro-grants are available to support Nonprofit, 501c3, arts organizations located within the South Arts Service region states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. This funding program is open to a wide variety of organizations, including community cultural organizations, museums, performing arts presenters, theatre companies, visual arts and music organizations. Priority funding will be given to new applicants to South Arts.

South Arts has prioritized the following:

• South Arts prioritizes applications from BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ identifying organizations.
• South Arts prioritizes applications from organizations led by persons with disabilities or organizations that provide significant programming to artists or audiences with disabilities.
• South Arts is committed to funding artists organizations in rural communities (with populations under 50,000).
• Primary consideration will be given to new applicants.

Usage of Funds

Grants awards may reimburse the applicant for any combination of qualifying expenses incurred during the grant period. Projects may include but are not limited to the following:

Programs

• Usage of large print or braille program materials for patrons/audiences with low vision
• Artist/consultant fees to provide accessibility training or audits
• Transportation of constituents or performers with disabilities
• Preparation for special exhibitions (i.e. space modifications or accessibility audit)
• Audio description
• Sign language interpretation
• Website accessibility
• Docent training for visual or audio enhancement
• Consultant fee to develop an overall accessibility plan for your organization
• Inclusive programming
• Staff training to learn about accessibility as it relates to programming, operations, or facilities modifications (i.e. travel to a workshop and/or training)
• Other accommodations that make programs accessible

Facilities Enhancements

• Accessibility signage for exterior and/or interior space
• Modification of restroom(s) signage
• Modification to drinking fountain(s) signage
• Installation of Braille plaques

About

The Tennessee Arts Commission was created in 1967 by the Tennessee General Assembly with the special mandate to stimulate and encourage the presentation of the visual, literary, music and performing arts and to encourage public interest in the cultural heritage of Tennessee. TN Arts Commission Governing Policies can be found here.

Mission

The mission of the Tennessee Arts Commission is to cultivate the arts for the benefit of all Tennesseans and their communities. Our vision is a Tennessee where the arts inspire, connect and enhance everyday lives.

Tennessee Arts & Rural Health Initiative Grant

The Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC) was awarded $75,000 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to fund a new statewide initiative, Tennessee Arts & Rural Health. In conjunction with additional state funding, this new initiative seeks to use the arts as a way of adding value in increasing health and wellness outcomes by using arts-based activities and programs involving patients, their families, and staff in rural TN hospitals.

Background

Rural hospitals often lack the resources to effectively use interventions like the arts to create programs that increase patient health and wellness outcomes, build healing environments where staff and patients can thrive, and improve the quality of life through participation in the creative arts. Research has shown that when the arts is used in conjunction with medical care, patient health outcomes increase. The use of the arts in medical settings has proven to provide a therapeutic, low-cost, non-pharmacological alternative to medications. Examples in the research include using music to improve cognition and memory in Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients or using dance to improve physical mobility of Parkinson patients. Even within hospitals, participation in the arts can stimulate therapy and engagement with patients, help families connect with their loved ones, enhance staff hospital relationships, and help to contribute to the patient’s comfort and well-being. The arts have many benefits and is proving to be a vital tool in improving overall health and wellness for many people.

Funding and Examples of Proposed Projects

The Commission seeks to fund 4-6 rural hospitals from $5,000 up to $25,000 each to create or continue arts and health programming involving patients, their families, or staff. A minimum of one award will be made in each of the state’s three grand divisions (i.e., East, Middle, & West). Projects must involve an arts form or component (i.e., music, dance, visual arts, literary arts, etc.).

Examples of proposed projects that could be implemented in rural hospitals include:

• Artist infused spaces that lead to the creation of murals at the hospital
• Meditation gardens with public art component
• Arts exhibition space for hospital lobbies
• Creation of arts healing spaces by patients and staff
• Professional artist-led art classes held at hospital for in-patients and their families

The Arts Fund for East Tennessee was established in 1986 to serve as a source of funds to support excellence in the arts, expand access to the arts, and connect artists with each other and with East Tennessee communities. 

In 2024, the Arts Fund for East Tennessee will focus its grantmaking on celebrating our region’s richness in artistic expressions and cultural diversity. Grants will be awarded to sustain cultural traditions and to encourage all forms of artistic expression. 

Grants will be awarded for two-year terms in July 2024. The grant term is July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026.

Amounts will range from $5,000 – $15,000.