Creative Communities (CC) Program

Creative Communities (CC) Program is sponsored by Wisconsin Arts Board. The Creative Communities (CC) grants program encourages arts education, cultural understanding, and community arts development in Wisconsin. It provides support for projects in Arts Education, Folk and Traditional Arts, and Local Arts.

A 1:1 match, with at least half as cash, is required.

Creative Communities (CC) Program Creative Communities (CC) Program ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​FY28 Application Calendar​ ​Intent to Apply Deadline (for new applicants only) ​ Phase 1 Application Deadline​ ​Announcement of Phase 2 Invitation or Rejection ​Phase 2 Application Deadline ​Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection ​​Earliest Beginning Date for Grant Related Activities* *Grant award checks may not arrive until well after your project begins, depending on when the Legislature passes the state budget and other factors beyond our control.

Please plan accordingly. *​​ ​ ​Note : You must choose between the Creative Communities (CC) grant program and the Creation and Presentation (C&P) grant program. You may not apply to both.

If you currently participate in the C&P grant program, please do not apply to CC. Do you have Creative Communities related questions? Folk and Traditional Arts , contact Kaitlyn Berle via email ( kaitlyn.

berle@wisconsin. gov ) or via phone ( 608-266-8106 ). Karen Goeschko via email ( karen.

goeschko@wisconsin. gov ) or via phone ( 608-267-2026 ). Do you have SmartSimple​ or accessibility related questions?

Contact Nathaniel Petreman via email ( nathaniel. petreman@wisconsin. gov ) or phone ( 608-264-8191 ) .

​ ​ ​Grant Program ​Description ​ The Creative Communities (CC) grants program encourages arts education, cultural understanding, and community arts development in Wisconsin. It provides support for p​rojects that further WAB’s goals in the following three areas: Folk and Traditional Arts , and Local Arts .

Through direct financial support of specific art​s projects, WAB sustains the vitality of Wisconsin culturally, educationally and economically. Organizations that have 501(c)3 nonprofit status or are part of local government/educational institutions are eligible to apply. Individuals and for profit entities (such as LLCs) are not eligible to apply.

An eligible Creative Communities project is a collaborative endeavor that is carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular aim within an identified community.

It is either: less than three years old at the time of application (this means that the project itself must have been in existence for less than three years, not that the project has received WAB funding for less than three years), or a newly expanded dimension of an existing project (this means that the grant application must request support for costs related only to the new elements) A project must be distinct from the organization's regular, ongoing programs/services.

Please be sure to review the Applicant and Project Eligibility Information page for additional details. ​ Note : ​Organizations that received a FY27 Creative Communities grant are not eligible to apply to the FY27 Creation and Presentation Program in October, 2026. Grants will range from a minimum of $1,500 to a maximum of $6,000.

A 1:1 match, at least half of which must be cash, is required from the applicant for these funds. The amount of the grant request cannot be more than half the overall budget of the project. Complete a simple Phase 1 application after reading the FY28 Phase 1 guidelines by clicking 'Apply Here' at the top of the righthand column on this page.

Be invited to submit a Phase 2 application Why use a two-phase application process? ​ Public Service & Public Value Application Timeline for FY28​ As of April 2022, all applicants are required to obtain a “Unique Entity Identifier” (UEI) through the System of Award Management (SAM. gov) .

Please do this before applying. February, 2027 (TBD) : Virtual Q&A for Phase 1, 12:15 pm (not required). ​ ​ Use this time to ask questions of WAB staff and hear other applicants' questions.

If you have accessibility needs, please Nathaniel Petreman via email ( nathaniel. petreman@wisconsin. gov ) or phone ( 608-264-8191 ) .

While this is not required, it is encouraged. ​ ​ February 4, 2027 : Intent to apply deadline. Applicants that have not previously applied to WAB’s Creative Communities program must notify the Arts Board of their intent to apply by this date.

Notification should be in the form of an email to artsboard@wisconsin. gov . ​​ February 11, 2027 at 3:00pm : Phase 1 Deadline ​ February 25, 2027 : Eligible applicants receive invitation to continue into Phase 2 March, 2027 (TBD) : Virtual Q&A for Phase 2 (Phase 2 eligible groups only).

A meeting link will be sent directly to Phase 2 applicants.

March 25, 2027 at 3:00 pm : Phase 2 Deadline - Only applicants that received the panel's invitation to apply to Phase 2, submit application materials by 3 pm April 2027 : Separate panels meet to review applications to the Arts Education, Folk Arts and Local Arts components - see specific dates in the righthand column of this webpage May 2027 : Wisconsin Arts Board meets to consider recommendations from panels July 1, 2027 : Awarded projects may begin Resources for Grant Applicants Open Door Arts Accessibility Self Assessment Grant Proposal Writing 101 SAM.

gov UEI Registration Instructions​ Phase 2 N​ arrative Questions ​​​ Phase 2 Budget Categories​​​​​​ Sample Evaluation Tools ​​ Sample In-Kind Contribution Report ​​ SmartSimple registration demo​ Updating your Organization's Mission Statement and Organizational History​ ​ Successful Arts Education Proposals and Projects from Schools and School Districts ​ Wisconsin's Arts & Creativity (Art and Design, Dance, Media Arts, Music, and Theatre) Standards for Arts Education applicants​ Learning assessment ideas for Arts Education applicants​ ​ Resou​rces for Grant Recipients: February 4, 2027 (Phase 1) Basic Eligibility Requirements ​ FY27 Phase 1 Guideline s (for reference only) FY27 Phase 2 Guidelin​e s​ (for reference only) ​FY28 peer review meetings: ​Arts Education - April 28, 2027 ​ Folk Arts - April 30, 2027 Local Arts - April 27​, 2027​ Panel meetings are livestreamed on the WI Arts Board's YouTube channel.

These meetings are ​open to the public. All applicants are encouraged to observe. A ccess the panel meetings ​ .

​ ​ FY27 D eadline: July 31, 2027​ FY26 Deadline: July 31, 2026 ​​Final reports can be completed through WAB's online application system, SmartSimple . ​ ​ Prior to FY20, WAB used JotForm for final reports. ​​ After contacting staff to discuss your need for an extension, please complete a Final Report or Grant Activity Extens​ion Request Form​ .

Acting As a Fiscal Receiver W-9 Form (please note that the organization name on this form must match the name, or fiscal receiver, if used , on the grant application form) New Supplier Form ​ (required of first-time grantees) ​ Join the Arts Board mailing list! ​