Arts Build Communities (ABC) Grant is sponsored by Tennessee Arts Commission. Provides support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences and address community quality of life issues in Tennessee.

Arts Build Communities - Tennessee Arts Commission Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 Community Arts Development Visual Arts/Media/Craft/Design Creative Aging Artist Roster Creative Placemaking Roster Emergency Response & Preparedness Home > Grants > Arts Build Communities Locally administered grants for arts projects focusing on community priorities.

The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises.

ABC funds may be used to: Provide innovative arts experiences that are new or unfamiliar to community residents Offer arts programs that are designed to help affect positive change in community social issues Develop arts programming that strengthens social networks through community engagement Undertake cultural arts initiatives that enhance a community’s identity and/or economic development Offer training that helps experienced or emerging artists/arts administrators develop entrepreneurial skills or innovative strategies for building sustainability Open to organizations for arts activities if they meet all applicable requirements described in the guidelines.

Individuals and organizations awarded Major Cultural Institution or Partnership Support funding are not eligible to apply for ABC funding. Colleges and universities are eligible only for activities that clearly serve the needs of surrounding communities or the State and are designed to involve a broad audience.

Activities that are credit-producing or are oriented primarily to collegiate students and the academic community are not eligible. Arts Build Communities Grant Program Guidelines Fiscal Year 2026: August 16, 2025 – June 15, 2026 Before applying for a grant, all applicants are responsible for reading the Legal Requirements for Tennessee Arts Commission funding.

The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises.

ABC funds may be used to: Provide innovative arts experiences that are new or unfamiliar to community residents Offer arts programs that are designed to help affect positive change in community social issues Develop arts programming that strengthens social networks through community engagement Undertake cultural arts initiatives that enhance a community’s identity and/or economic development Offer training that helps experienced or emerging artists/arts administrators develop entrepreneurial skills or innovative strategies for building sustainability The Commission offers the ABC program through a decentralized decision-making and distribution process in partnership with regional designated agencies.

Through ABC, the Commission seeks to build communities by nurturing artists, arts organizations (including local arts agencies), and arts supporters in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. 12 designated agencies administer the ABC program on behalf of the Commission in all 95 counties (See below for a list of designated agencies).

Funds a variety of quality arts projects Funds requested may be listed in up to four Expense Categories in the PROJECTED PROJECT EXPENSES section of the application ABC is a non-matching grant Only one grant application may be submitted per applicant per year in this program Affirmative Duty to Report Major Organizational Change Any grantee shall promptly notify the state in writing of any significant changes in the organization’s structure, leadership or financial circumstances that could affect services provided under the grant contract resulting from this application.

Applications must be submitted online by 11:59 p. m. (CT) on July 1, 2025 .

Applications can be accessed beginning at 8:00 a. m. (CT) on April 1, 2025 through the Commission’s Online Grants System.

Applicants accessing the Online Grants System for the first time must register their organizations and create an organizational profile. Designated agencies are trained to assist ABC applicants with identifying eligible activities, providing feedback on draft applications, administering local grant review panels, and helping grant recipients track the success of funded activities.

Prior to submitting an application, qualifying organizations are encouraged to discuss the program or project proposal with your designated agency representative. To identify the appropriate designated agency, look for the applicant’s home county below. If you need help, please contact one of the designated agencies or Melissa Moody, Community Arts Specialist, at melissa.

moody@tn. gov or (615) 253-5133. 301 E.

11 th St. , #300, Chattanooga, TN 37403 Email: brianna@artsbuild. com Arts and Culture Alliance of Greater Knoxville PO Box 2506, Knoxville, TN 37901-2506 Email: cf@knoxalliance.

com Web: www. knoxalliance. com Counties Served: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Union 575 South Mendenhall, Memphis TN 38117-4215 Email: nabdalla@artsmemphis.

org Counties Served: Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby, Tipton Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council Contact: Ellen Kanervo & Katie Kennedy PO Box 555, 200 South Second Street Clarksville, TN 37041-0555 Email: ahdc@artsandheritage. us Web: www. artsandheritage.

us Counties Served: Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Stewart First Tennessee Development District First Tennessee Development District 3211 N. Roan Street, Johnson City, TN 37601 Email: mwillison@ftdd.

org Counties Served: Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Washington Greater Nashville Regional Council 44 Vantage Way #450, Nashville, TN 37228 Counties Served: Davidson, Rutherford, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, Wilson 314 East Main St.

, Jackson, TN 38301-6226 Counties Served: Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McNairy Northwest Tennessee Development District 124 Weldon Drive, Martin, TN 38237 Email: tim. belton@nwtdd. org Web: https://nwtdd.

org/nwtdd/ Counties Served: Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion, Weakley PO Box 1976, 442 West Second North Street, Morristown, TN 37816-1976 Email: director@rosecenter. org Counties Served: Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson South Central Tennessee Development District 101 Sam Watkins Blvd. , Mt.

Pleasant, TN 38474-4024 Counties Served: Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry, Wayne Southeast Tennessee Development District 1000 Riverfront Parkway, Chattanooga, TN 37405-2103 Counties Served: Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie Upper Cumberland Development District 1104 England Drive, Cookeville, TN 38501 Counties Served: Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, White Any organization awarded Major Cultural Institution or Partnership Support funding for FY2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) is not eligible to apply for an ABC grant.

Financial assistance may be requested by an organization for arts activities if it meets all applicable requirements described in these guidelines. Individuals are not eligible to apply for ABC funding. Debarment and Suspension.

Grantees are required to sign contracts certifying to the best of its knowledge and belief, that it, its current and future principals, its current and future subcontractors and their principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal or state department or agency.

Unique Entity ID (UEI): In April 2022, the federal government transitioned away from the use of the DUNS and toward the new Unique Entity ID as the primary means of entity identification for federal awards government-wide. While not required to submit an application, the UEI will be required prior to receiving grant funding. To register your organization or get a Unique Entity ID, go to the SAM website SAM.

gov | Entity Registrations and click on the green Get Started button on the right side of the page.

An organization is eligible to apply for funding support of its arts activities if the organization meets one of the following qualifications: The organization is a nonprofit organization legally chartered in Tennessee and in possession of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service declaring the organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Private educational institutions must be a nonprofit and meet these tax-exempt requirements. The organization is an entity of government (such as city/county government departments, public libraries, public schools, etc.) Colleges and universities are eligible only for activities that clearly serve the needs of surrounding communities or the State and are designed to involve a broad audience.

Activities that are credit-producing or are oriented primarily to collegiate students and the academic community are not eligible. REQUIREMENTS FOR 501(c)(3) APPLICANTS All 501(c)(3) applicants must upload their most recent copy of the organization’s By-laws into their organizational profiles in the Online Grants System.

Nonprofit applicants’ 501(c)(3) statuses will be verified independently prior to being reviewed by a designated agency panel. Any applications from organizations with lapsed or unconfirmed nonprofit determination will be disqualified. The proposed project must take place and grants funds must be used between August 16, 2024 and June 15, 2025.

Applications that propose arts activities related to the Juneteenth holiday are eligible for Arts Build Communities grants as long as proposed projects conclude with all project expenses disbursed by June 20, 2025. ABC funds may NOT be used: To support a project already funded by the Commission For capital improvements (buildings or construction), for permanent equipment purchases or for the elimination of an accumulated deficit.

As “seed money” for starting new organizations For in-school, curriculum-based projects. Projects may target youth as participants and can occur within school facilities outside of regular school hours.

To begin, match, add to or complete any type of endowment campaign or program For out-of-state travel expenses All projects sponsored in part or entirely with ABC funds must be accessible to the general public Applications from colleges or universities or other institutions of higher education, whether public or private, must emphasize non-academic community involvement in the planning and implementation of the project The following are examples of activities and expenditures that are consistent with the funding philosophy for ABC: Projects that involve and promote Tennessee artists Visiting artists conducting master classes Festival coordination and programming Public performances, productions and exhibitions produced by the applicant Exhibitions of art by Tennessee artists and artists from outside Tennessee Promotion, publicity and newsletters Administrative and artistic staff support Research and documentation as part of a project or program development Touring projects that bring professional performers to communities across the state Improved program availability for Tennesseans with limited access to arts.

Extensions of literary projects, journals with continuing publication or juried anthologies Computer software/training that builds or enhances creative workforce skills Technical/production support The following are examples of activities and expenditures not fundable through ABC: Janitorial service and general physical plant maintenance Permanent equipment purchases Payment of accumulated deficits New periodicals, books, etc. (such as vanity publications) Scholarly arts-related research and writing Purchase of local public art Planned fundraising events Events to which the general public is not invited Payments to members of the organization’s board Consultant fees for technical assistance FY26 Arts Build Communities Grants will not require a match during the FY26 ABC Grant cycle.

Note that the match requirement may change in future grant periods. Funds requested may be listed in up to four different expense categories in the Commission Funds Requested column in the budget. However, applicants are encouraged to request to spend the grant funding in as few expense categories as possible.

The budget section requires that you include your entire projected budget rather than just an exact grant request. Applicants may list all other projected budget expenses under the Other Project Expenses column. These expenses may be listed in multiple expense categories.

Showing a match under the Other Project Expenses column is not required for FY26 ABC Grant applications but is encouraged if the applicant intends to spend other funds on the proposed project. Please itemize all income sources that support the proposed project under the appropriate categories. Note: these figures can be projected figures assuming the project is approved.

See Budget Line Item Definitions for guidance on how to fill out the application budget. Grants Review Process and Evaluation Criteria An application to ABC goes through a local review process. Notification of your panel review date and time will be made within approximately 21 days from the application deadline.

An advisory panel of at least five (5) members reviews these applications. Four or more members are selected from the arts community represented by your designated agency. One panel member will be either a Commission member or staff person.

While not required, your attendance at the panel review meeting is strongly encouraged.

Advisory panels reviewing grant applications for this program assign scores based on how well the proposed project addresses ABC program objectives (see page 1) and use the following evaluation criteria on a 100-point scale: Artistic/Cultural Merit (35 points) Applications should provide evidence of how the proposed arts/cultural project shows value to the community being served.

Competitive applications may demonstrate artistic/cultural merit by showing how projects will accomplish one or more of the following: Provide arts experiences that expose participants to new perspectives or media Deepen audiences’ appreciation of artists, media, or movements Provide opportunities for engagement in the creative process Advance community priorities and/or address social issues in or through the arts Promote local traditions or community assets in or through the arts Build social connections and understanding between diverse groups of people Enhance the sustainability of cultural enterprises Provide a hospitable environment for arts organizations and/or artists to thrive creatively and/or economically Competitive applications may also demonstrate that proposed project supports the work of artists through payment of fees, services or appropriate benefits.

Community Engagement and Participation (35 points) Applications should provide evidence of how organizations understand and are responsive to the communities they serve.

Competitive applications will demonstrate the engagement and participation of their communities by not only showing how proposed projects advance organizational missions, but also by showing to what extent community members are involved in planning, executing and evaluating the projects.

Additional evidence includes: needs assessment research; formal partnerships that advance project goals through resource and responsibility sharing; and demonstrated support from local community leaders. Competitive applications may also demonstrate goals and objectives that are designed to address social issues or build economic sustainability through the arts.

Budget and Financial Support (20 points) Applications should include realistic project budgets with accurate cost and income estimates. Competitive applications will show that organizations are actively raising funds through requests to individual contributors, private corporations, foundations, government sources, AND/OR through viable earned revenue projections.

Operational Practice (10 points) Applications should provide evidence that planning procedures are clear, inclusive and include discussion on past project results (when appropriate). Competitive applications will address all application questions and provide correct and complete information.

Scoring Rubric for Arts Build Communities All ABC sponsored programs, services and facilities are fully accessible to all Tennessee artists and citizens. Artists representing Tennessee’s diverse artistic and cultural heritage are urged to apply and participate in programs and activities.

No person on the ground of race, color, national origin, disability, age, religion or sex shall be excluded from participation in, or be denied benefits of, or otherwise be subject to discrimination of services, programs and employment provided by the Commission and its contracting agencies.

If an individual believes he or she has been subjected to discrimination he/she should contact the Commission’s Director of Arts Access, Kim Johnson , (615) 532-9797. For FY2026, any applicant awarded an ABC grant will be required to submit Title VI training and certification in the online grants system by October 1, 2025. Instructions for completing this required training is found here.

General Application Instructions Read all instructions carefully before completing any part of the application form. All questions must be answered. Supplying complete and accurate information is the responsibility of the applicant.

Incomplete applications will likely receive low scores by a review panel if they are accepted at all. Clearly and briefly respond to the questions asked. Regardless of the number of characters used, your answers MUST fit into the space provided online.

We recommend editing your answers for clarity and simplicity. Deadline and How to Apply If you are a new applicant to the Tennessee Arts Commission, register to use the Online Grants System . You are strongly advised to register well in advance to the application deadline.

Anyone registering close to the deadline date can expect delays in the processing of their grant application. Log in to the Online Grants System to complete your “Organization Profile” and begin an application for an ABC grant. Use the “Organizations” tab on the left-hand menu to ensure that the profile is complete and accurate.

This information is as important as the application itself. Incomplete or erroneous data will impact your chances for funding. To edit the profile, click the “Edit” button at the top of the Organization screen.

Use the “People” tab on the left-hand menu to ensure that your “People” profile is complete and accurate. This information will also be used in the review of the application. To edit the profile, click the “Edit” button at the top of the screen.

When both your “Organization” and “People” profiles are complete and accurate, select the “Apply for Grants” tab again and choose the ABC grant application. Complete all of the application fields. Create and upload required attachments.

Submit by 11:59 p. m. (CST) on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.

NOTE : The forms in this portal do not auto-save. Always click the “Save” button before navigating away from the form you are editing to save your work. Beware—clicking the back navigation button on your web browser will exit you from the system and you will lose your work.

Association or Connection to Multiple Organizations: If you are associated with more than one organization, the organization that you were originally associated with will pre-populate in the organization name field on any newly opened application. To change to another associated organization, simply delete the pre-populated name and type in the correct organization.

Panel Review and Award Notifications Locally organized peer review panels will review applications in late July or August. Your designated agency will send an email confirming receipt of your application as well as a panel review schedule. If you have not received a confirmation email by July 22, please contact your designated agency or Melissa Moody , at 615-253-5133 for more information.

You will be prompted to upload the following Supporting Materials in the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section of the application. Prepare and title each of the following documents before submitting your application. For Government Applicants: No Supporting Materials are required.

For Non-Profit Applicants Only: List of Board of Directors, Advisory Committee or Council members. The board list (at the time of application) must include the following: Number of years on the board Corporation Annual Report as filed annually with the Secretary of State’s Office.

In lieu of the report, you may also submit a copy of the email verification issued by the Secretary of State’s office or a copy of the online verification sheet maintained by the Secretary of State’s Office . Optional Support Material Applicants may upload documents or supply a weblink to media for panels to review. The documents or link should be directly related to the application proposal.

Support material will be viewed online by panelists prior to the applicant’s scheduled review and will not be accepted by the Commission or designated agencies at the panel meeting.

FY26: August 16, 2025 - June 15, 2026 Applications that propose arts activities that extend between June 15th-20th due to event-specific required dates (e.g. Juneteenth) may request an exception to policy to be eligible for Arts Build Communities grants as long as proposed projects conclude with all project expenses disbursed by June 20, 2026.

Application Dates & Deadlines Applications Open 4/1/2025 Application Deadline 7/1/2025 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organizations legally chartered & headquartered in Tennessee Entities of local government within Tennessee Maximum Request of $5000 (non-matching). Note, if awarded, the organization will have to pay for expenses up front and get reimbursed after completing reporting requirements. Address: 320 6th Ave N.

, Nashville, TN 37219 For accessibility accommodation requests including alternate digital formats, captioning, ASL, and assistive technologies please contact Kim Johnson, Director of Arts Access, 615-532-9797.