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Stark Community Foundation
Since 1963, Stark Community Foundation has been helping individuals, families, businesses and nonprofits like you support the causes you care about.
In addition to personalized donor services, we manage a competitive grantmaking program and award grants to address local needs. Today, the Foundation stewards over 1,000 charitable funds totaling $485 million in assets and has granted more than $300 million to nonprofits in our community and beyond.
Scholarships
Stark Community Foundation is one of the area’s major sources of college scholarship support— thanks to the generosity of caring individuals, families and businesses that have created scholarship funds.
The Foundation currently manages more than 100 scholarship funds that support hundreds of deserving students each year from Stark and Carroll counties.
The Manzer-Keener-Wefler Scholarship Fund
The Manzer-Keener-Wefler Scholarship Fund assists applicants with a field of study in or related to photography, visual arts (including graphic design).
This scholarship is renewable.
Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council (CAC) is a statewide agency committed to serving California artists, arts organizations, and communities of all sizes and needs. Guided by racial equity principles, the CAC continuously evaluates its grantmaking practices to ensure fair and inclusive funding opportunities that sustain a vibrant, safe, and resilient creative ecosystem across the state.
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures. The program includes three fellowship tiers with a different award amount:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice.
CAC Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact.
The CAC approved eight regional AOs for the fellowship in September 2025. Each of the AOs has information and details regarding their Individual Artists Fellowship programs, including application deadlines. If you are an individual artist, apply to the statewide fellowship program through the Regional AO listed below that serves your county. Please note: Individual artists must live in the region they are applying to and may submit an application to only one region.
Region 8: Far South Administered by Commission for Arts and Culture / Cultural Affairs, City of San Diego
The City of San Diego invites applications from eligible individual artists for the Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF), which provides unrestricted awards ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The California Arts Council (CAC) has selected the City as an Administering Organization for this statewide initiative, supporting a two-year fellowship program for individual artists and culture bearers across all disciplines.
The Individual Artist Fellowship for Region 8 serves San Diego and Imperial Counties, an area spanning 9,008 square miles and home to 3.48 million residents. The program strengthens the regional arts workforce by investing directly in artists whose work contributes to the cultural vitality of their communities.
Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council (CAC) is a statewide agency committed to serving California artists, arts organizations, and communities of all sizes and needs. Guided by racial equity principles, the CAC continuously evaluates its grantmaking practices to ensure fair and inclusive funding opportunities that sustain a vibrant, safe, and resilient creative ecosystem across the state.
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures. The program includes three fellowship tiers with a different award amount:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice.
CAC Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact.
The CAC approved eight regional AOs for the fellowship in September 2025. Each of the AOs has information and details regarding their Individual Artists Fellowship programs, including application deadlines. If you are an individual artist, apply to the statewide fellowship program through the Regional AO listed below that serves your county. Please note: Individual artists must live in the region they are applying to and may submit an application to only one region.
Region 5: Central Coast Administered by Arts Council Santa Cruz County
The City of San Diego invites applications from eligible individual artists for the Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF), which provides unrestricted awards ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The California Arts Council (CAC) has selected the City as an Administering Organization for this statewide initiative, supporting a two-year fellowship program for individual artists and culture bearers across all disciplines.
The Individual Artist Fellowship for Region 8 serves San Diego and Imperial Counties, an area spanning 9,008 square miles and home to 3.48 million residents. The program strengthens the regional arts workforce by investing directly in artists whose work contributes to the cultural vitality of their communities.
Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council (CAC) is a statewide agency committed to serving California artists, arts organizations, and communities of all sizes and needs. Guided by racial equity principles, the CAC continuously evaluates its grantmaking practices to ensure fair and inclusive funding opportunities that sustain a vibrant, safe, and resilient creative ecosystem across the state.
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures. The program includes three fellowship tiers with a different award amount:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice.
CAC Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact.
The CAC approved eight regional AOs for the fellowship in September 2025. Each of the AOs has information and details regarding their Individual Artists Fellowship programs, including application deadlines. If you are an individual artist, apply to the statewide fellowship program through the Regional AO listed below that serves your county. Please note: Individual artists must live in the region they are applying to and may submit an application to only one region.
Region 2: Capital Administered by Teatro Nagual
The Capital Region Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF), administered by Teatro Nagual, in partnership with the California Arts Council, celebrate and support artists across disciplines who are shaping culture in the counties of Alpine, El Dorado, Sacramento, Solano and Yolo. This program provides unrestricted funding to individual artists at key moments in their careers, empowering them to deepen their practice, expand their impact, and continue contributing to their communities.
Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council (CAC) is a statewide agency committed to serving California artists, arts organizations, and communities of all sizes and needs. Guided by racial equity principles, the CAC continuously evaluates its grantmaking practices to ensure fair and inclusive funding opportunities that sustain a vibrant, safe, and resilient creative ecosystem across the state.
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures. The program includes three fellowship tiers with a different award amount:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice.
CAC Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact.
The CAC approved eight regional AOs for the fellowship in September 2025. Each of the AOs has information and details regarding their Individual Artists Fellowship programs, including application deadlines. If you are an individual artist, apply to the statewide fellowship program through the Regional AO listed below that serves your county. Please note: Individual artists must live in the region they are applying to and may submit an application to only one region.
Region 1: Upstate Administered by the Nevada County Arts Council (NCArts)
In partnership with California Arts Council, Nevada County Arts & Culture is honored to serve as the Administering Organization for the Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship. The California Arts Council (CAC) has selected Nevada County Arts & Culture to design and implement a fellowship program that supports individual artists and culture bearers across all disciplines. The Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship will provide unrestricted funding in support of the fellows’ artistic practice.
Background & Purpose
The California Arts Council (CAC) is a statewide agency committed to serving California artists, arts organizations, and communities of all sizes and needs. Guided by racial equity principles, the CAC continuously evaluates its grantmaking practices to ensure fair and inclusive funding opportunities that sustain a vibrant, safe, and resilient creative ecosystem across the state.
Through regionally based Administering Organizations (AOs), the Individual Artists Fellowship (IAF) program uplifts and celebrates California artists across all disciplines and traditions, highlights their excellence and acknowledges their leadership in shaping traditional and contemporary cultures. The program includes three fellowship tiers with a different award amount:
CAC Emerging Artist Fellows – $5,000
Emerging artists are those in the beginning stages of making their work public and engaging the larger community in their practice.
CAC Established Artist Fellows – $10,000
Artists in the Established tier regularly make their work public and engage the larger community in their practice.
CAC Legacy Artist Fellows – $50,000
Artists in the Legacy tier can point to a significant body of work, produced over a substantial period of time, that has engaged their communities and that has made significant social impact.
The CAC approved eight regional AOs for the fellowship in September 2025. Each of the AOs has information and details regarding their Individual Artists Fellowship programs, including application deadlines. If you are an individual artist, apply to the statewide fellowship program through the Regional AO listed below that serves your county. Please note: Individual artists must live in the region they are applying to and may submit an application to only one region.
Region 6: South Administered by Los Angeles Performance Practice (Los Angeles County)
In partnership with California Arts Council (CAC), Los Angeles Performance Practice (LAPP) is thrilled to serve as the Administering Organization for the Individual Artist Fellowships in Los Angeles County.
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is an independent agency in the District of Columbia government. First established in 1968, it evaluates and initiates action on matters relating to the arts and humanities. Additionally, CAH encourages programs and the development of programs that promote progress in the arts and humanities. CAH is the designated state arts agency for the District of Columbia. It is supported primarily through District government funds. Additionally, it receives partial support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Projects, Events, or Festivals
Projects, Events, or Festivals (PEF) furthers CAH’s mission by encouraging progress in the arts and humanities in the District of Columbia by supporting Individuals and non-profit arts, humanities, arts education, and service organizations who significantly contribute to the District of Columbia as a world-class cultural capital. This grant opportunity program goals:
PEF is open for projects of all sizes that show District impact and engage District residents and visitors.
CAH encourages community-based projects that share characteristics such as geographic location, common interests, or community impact. Arts and humanities projects may include but are not limited to: concerts; visual arts exhibitions; literary readings; or festivals that feature dance, folk art, film, music, theatre and other art forms.
Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
The mission of the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) is to promote, perpetuate, and preserve culture and the arts in Hawai‘i. SFCA funding is provided by the State of Hawai‘i and the National Endowment for the Arts.
America250 Grant for Hawaiʻi Veterans
In celebration of the United States of America’s bicentennial, America250, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) allocated funding to state arts agencies nationwide to support arts projects celebrating the nation’s artistic heritage and creativity.
The project must celebrate America 250 through arts-based projects or programs directly focused on Hawaiʻi veterans. All project activities must be implemented in the State of Hawaiʻi. Proposals can include activities that honor veterans or improve the health and well-being of military and veteran communities. Examples of possible projects are arts and healing programs, visual arts, StoryCorps, spoken word, film, exhibition, performance, historical/heritage interpretations, and living history projects.
Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
The mission of the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) is to promote, perpetuate, and preserve culture and the arts in Hawai‘i. SFCA funding is provided by the State of Hawai‘i and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Community Arts Grant Program
The Community Arts Grants program (previously called Biennium Grants) supports eligible nonprofit 501(c)3 arts and culture organizations throughout the state. The grant awards funding to organizations supporting programs and projects that advance the arts, culture, and the humanities in the lives of the people of Hawaiʻi.
The legal provisions of the Community Arts Grants are in Sections 9-11 through 9-18 of the Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes. Each fiscal biennium grant budget is contingent on the State fiscal biennium and appropriations from the Hawaiʻi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. Grants awarded are subject to available funding for the fiscal year.
Grant Categories
Applicants may submit an application for a project to one of the following categories that align with the SFCA Strategic Priorities 2019-2023. Applicants can apply for one or both fiscal years, and the category and project can be the same or different for each year.
A Community Arts Grant can be requested in the amount of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. A 1:1 match is required. This is a reimbursement grant program.
Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
The mission of the Hawai‘i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) is to promote, perpetuate, and preserve culture and the arts in Hawai‘i. SFCA funding is provided by the State of Hawai‘i and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Outreach Initiative Program
The State Foundation on Culture and the Arts (SFCA) provides public funds through the Outreach Initiative Program to support statewide touring and outreach activities that increase opportunities for individuals to experience different forms of artistic and cultural expression and engagement. The program supports the SFCA Strategic Priority Hoʻākoakoa (convene, to call together) to build community capacity for creativity, communication, and learning.
Program Scope
Administer a statewide touring program providing arts and culture outreach activities to under-served communities including, but not limited to, rural, socio-economic disadvantaged, geographically disadvantaged, programs for disadvantaged youth, programs for Native or immigrant populations, and activities involving individuals with varying abilities. The touring and outreach activities must be accessible. Activities must occur in person at public spaces, senior centers, public libraries, public housing communities, or a hybrid of online/streaming. The Outreach Initiative Program must provide activities to at least three (3) islands, including outreach to rural and/or under-served communities.
Kansas Department of Commerce
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses.
Kansas Arts Commision (KAC)| Arts Everywhere
Enhancing student success, the economy and Kansas communities through the arts
The Arts Everywhere grant program provides funding for cultural projects, programs, exhibitions, series, arts education projects, and other arts programming. This program provides funding for educational institutions, arts organizations, and community service non-profits to use the arts to increase student success, foster creative thinking, develop critical job skills, enhance community development, and increase participation in the arts across Kansas. Projects must relate to an arts and culture discipline (music, dance, theatre, creative writing, literature, painting, sculpture, folk arts, photography, crafts, media arts, visual arts, programs of museums, and other such allied, major art forms).
Match Requirements: KAC requires that all grants are matched at a minimum of 1:1 through a combination of cash and in-kind expenses.
Arts Everywhere grants are awarded in four categories:
Visiting Artists
This program provides funding for eligible organizations to engage and deepen the impact of arts programming on local and underserved audiences through exposure to and interaction with professional visiting arts. Presenters may book artists in any discipline, not just in performing arts.
Kansas Department of Commerce
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses.
General Operating (GOS) Support Grant Program
Strengthening the state’s cultural infrastructure
The General Operating Support (GOS) grant program provides funding for Kansas public and private non-profit arts and cultural organizations, including museums, local arts councils and commissions, statewide arts and cultural service organizations, and organizations that have cultural program activities in any of the art and cultural disciplines (music, dance, theatre, creative writing, literature, painting, sculpture, folk arts, photography, crafts, media arts, visual arts, programs of museums, and other such allied, major art forms). The organization’s mission must directly support arts and cultural programming.
Match Requirements: KAC requires that all grants are matched at a minimum of 1:1 through a combination of cash and in-kind expenses.
Kansas Department of Commerce
As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses.
Public Art & Murals Grant
Connecting communities through public art & mural projects
Program Description
This program provides funding for communities to activate publicly accessible spaces for the purposes of artistic use and public programming. The program is designed to utilize permanent and semi-permanent arts installations to increase community vibrancy and provide space for artistic expression and public engagement. For temporary, experimental projects in public spaces please see the Arts Everywhere grant program:1; 2; 3; 4; 5.
See the Kansas Mural Making Guide for more information and technical assistance with public art projects.
Match Requirements: KAC requires that all grants are matched at a minimum of 1:1 through a combination of cash and in-kind expenses.
Alabama State Council on the Arts: Individual Artist Fellowship Program
Cash awards are made to individual artists in the visual arts based on merit of work, career achievement, career potential and service to the state. This component provides awards to recognize artistic excellence as well as professional commitment and maturity and contributes to the further development of the artist and the advancement of his or her professional career. Applicants are encouraged to be as specific as possible about the proposed use of fellowship funds in order to illustrate the seriousness of their professional intent. Fellowships are competitive. Quality of work and professionalism as determined by samples of work and narrative are particularly important. Provide samples of the highest quality work completed within the last five years.
Types of Fellowships
The amount for a Fellowship award has been increased to $7,500.
Arts for All
Support for arts projects that focus on increasing participation in the arts for all Tennesseans.
Engaging in the arts can serve as a powerful tool to improve many aspects of a person’s life including health and well-being, social connectedness, positive aging, increased learning and self-improvement, to name a few. Research shows that the benefits of participating in the arts goes beyond aesthetic enjoyment and is a valid, sustainable way of improving a person’s life.
Many people cannot participate or have limited access to the arts for several reasons. Their opportunity to experience or participate in the arts has been limited due to some type of barrier. Receiving the full benefits of the arts should be available to everyone regardless of economic condition, geographic location, or societal factors, just to name a few.
This grants category encourages applicants to use innovative ways to engage people with limited exposure to the arts in arts programming while reducing those barriers. Applicants in this category must fully explain the population they intend to reach, the limitations that are faced within this population of accessing the arts, and how their proposed arts program intervention will overcome these barriers.
Due to compliance with federal and state laws/policies, proposed programs in this category must be broadly open to the public, not give preferential treatment to any population, nor exclude any individuals from participating. Populations proposed to be reached must also be in compliance with federal and state nondiscriminatory policies and laws.
Application Guidelines
Proposed arts projects must involve one or more of these recognized art forms: visual, craft, media, design, music, theater, dance, folk or literary arts.
2026 CityArts Program Overview
The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in the creative economy, and expands access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. The CityArts Program aims to support a diverse group of arts and culture nonprofits reflective of the city of Chicago and its cultural landscape through flexible and strategic grant funding. Chicago arts and culture nonprofits of all sizes and artistic disciplines can apply for CityArts grants.
In 2026, the CityArts Program will offer two types of grants:
There will be separate applications and review processes for each type.
Eligible organizations may apply for both a general operating grant AND a project grant in 2026. Some past grantees that cannot apply for general operating support in 2026 may be eligible to apply for project funding if otherwise eligible. Refer to Eligibility Criteria below and in CityArts guidelines for more details.
General Operating:
Flexible support for Chicago-based arts and culture nonprofits of all sizes. General operating support funds may be used for artistic, administrative and/or program activities including expenses such as salaries, marketing, insurance, supplies, professional services, fees and training.
AAF: Arts & Culture Fund
The boards of the Amarillo Area Foundation and the Don and Sybil Harrington Foundation decided to allocate a portion of the Discretionary Grant funds from the Economic Opportunity cycle to fund visual and performing arts organizations within the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. The funding priorities are operational, programmatic, marketing, and capital expenses.
This application process is new, and an external arts committee will select organizations to recommend to the Amarillo Area Foundation board of directors for funding. The requests must fall within the range of $5,000-$50,000.
The purpose of the Alabama Arts License Tag Grant Program is to promote the arts in Alabama, especially arts education, including visual arts, dance, folk arts, drama, and music.
Grants for visual artists provide funding to support creative projects, exhibitions, and professional development. The following grants help artists gain resources, promote their work, and make a lasting impact on cultural and artistic communities.
Explore 100+ funding opportunities for visual artists, with $8.3M in resources. Instrumentl helps artists and organizations navigate funding options with deadline notifications, refined search tools, and funder insights to foster creative growth.
How common are grants in this category?
Common — grants in this category appear regularly across funding sources.
Over the past year, when are grant deadlines typically due for grants for Visual Artists?
Most grants are due in the third quarter.
Major funders of visual artist grants that contribute to the $2.7M in funding available include agenies such as the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and state arts councils.
Grants for visual artists are available to individual artists, nonprofit arts organizations, museums, and visual arts collectives. These grants provide funding for creative projects, exhibitions, and professional development, helping artists access resources, showcase their work, and make a lasting impact on cultural and artistic communities. Many funders prioritize projects that foster artistic excellence, expand public access to art, and support emerging artists.
Based on Instrumentl’s live grant database for visual artists, grant deadlines are most common in Q3, accounting for 28.5% of all submission dates. The slowest period for new grant opportunities in this category falls in Q4, making it a less competitive time for preparation and strategic planning.
Visual artist grants support projects, exhibitions, artist residencies, and arts education programs. These grants encourage innovation, leadership, and the exploration of art’s cultural impact on society. Funders seek to foster creativity, provide financial support to artists, and enhance cultural engagement within communities.
Funding for grants for visual artists grants varies widely, with award amounts ranging from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,400,000. Based on Instrumentl’s data, the median grant amount for this category is $8,400, while the average grant awarded is $80,160. Understanding these funding trends can help nonprofits set realistic expectations when applying.
To improve their success rate, artists and art organizations that are interested in virtual artist grants should consider the following in their proposals:
For additional guidance, explore our step-by-step guide to crafting compelling grant proposals.
Instrumentl simplifies the grant application process by offering an intuitive platform that helps artists and art organizations discover relevant funding opportunities, track deadlines, and analyze funder-giving patterns. The platform's automated alerts ensure users never miss a deadline, while detailed funder insights help organizations tailor their applications to align with grantor priorities. See how Phoenix Children's Foundation saves three hours per week on grant prospecting with Instrumentl.