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Two-phase process: Phase 1 deadline Feb 18, 2026 (passed); Phase 2 deadline March 26, 2026. Intent to Apply deadline was Feb 11, 2026.
Creative Communities Grants is a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board that funds arts education, cultural understanding, and community arts development projects throughout Wisconsin. Awards range from $1,500 to $6,000 with a required one-to-one match. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, local government entities, and educational institutions in Wisconsin.
Projects must be collaborative, less than three years old or represent a newly expanded dimension of an existing program. The application process is two-phased, beginning with an Intent to Apply followed by a full application upon invitation. For FY27, the program also includes a special one-time America250 grant opportunity.
Applicants must choose between the Creative Communities program and the Creation and Presentation program and may not apply to both.
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Creative Communities Program (and America250) Creative Communities Program (and America250) FY27 Application Calendar for Creative Communities Intent to Apply Deadline 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 Activi tie s* * Grant award checks may not arrive until well after your project begins, depending on when the Legislature passes the state budget.
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.
======================================================================================= SPECIAL NOTE FOR THIS GRANT ROUND ONLY : The Creative Communities Phase 1 application form also serves as the application form for the one-time America250 grant funding that the WI Arts Board offers this year. To learn more about the America250 grant , please click on this A merica250 Grant Guidelines link: https://artsboard. wisconsin.
gov/pages/America-250-Grant-Program. aspx Applicants must choose between applying for a Creative Communities grant OR an America250 grant at the February 18, 2026 deadline. Small and mid-sized organizations that received a FY26 Creation and Presentation grant may also apply for an America250 grant, which is different than a Creative Communities grant.
======================================================================================= The Creative Communities (CC) grants program encourages arts education, cultural understanding, and community arts development in Wisconsin. It provides support for projects that further the Arts Board’s goals in the following three areas: Arts Education , Folk and Traditional Arts , and Local Arts .
Through direct financial support of specific arts projects, the Arts Board 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 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 FY26 Creative Communities grant are not eligible to apply to the FY26 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 FY27 Phase 1 guidelines by clicking 'Apply Here' at the top of the righthand column on this webpage. Be invited to submit a Phase 2 application Why use a two-phase application process?
Public Service AND Public Value Application Calendar for FY27: As of April 2022, all applicants are required to obtain a “Unique Entity Identifier” (UEI) through the System of Award Management (SAM) at https://sam. gov . Please do this before applying.
February 11, 2026: Virtual Q&A for Phase 1, 12:15 pm (not required)* A recording of the session is available here . February 11, 2026: 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 18, 2026: DEADLINE - Creative Communities Phase 1 application deadline, 3 pm March 6, 2026: Eligible applicants receive invitation to continue into Phase 2 March 12, 2026: Virtual Q&A for Phase 2 (Phase 2 eligible groups only)* March 26, 2026 : DEADLINE - Only applicants that received the panel's invitation to apply to Phase 2, submit application materials by 3 pm April 2026: 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 2026: Wisconsin Arts Board meets to consider recommendations from panels July 1, 2026: Awarded projects may begin *Virtual Q&A - Use this time to ask questions of WAB staff and hear other applicants' questions.
A meeting link will be sent directly to Phase 2 applicants. If you need alternative access, please email artsboard@wisconsin. gov .
While this is not required, it is encouraged. Resources for Grant Applicants Grant Proposal Writing 101 Updating your Organization's Mission Statement and Organizational History SAM.
gov UEI Registration Instructions Phase 2 Narrative Questions Phase 2 Budget Categories Sample Evaluation Tools Sample In-Kind Contribution Report FY21-FY23 Panel Review Recordings 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 Resources for Grant Recipients: What Comes Next?
Questions? Contact Arts Board staff via e-mail or phone 608-267-2026 (Karen Goeschko) or 608-264-8191 (Dale Johnson). FY27 Phase 1 Guideline s FY27 Phase 2 Guideline s FY27 peer review meetings: Arts Education - April 23, 2026 Folk Arts - April 28, 2026 Local Arts - April 30, 2026 Peer review meetings are held virtually and are open to the public.
All applicants are encouraged to observe via the livestream on WAB's youtube channel . FY26: July 31, 2026 deadline FY25: July 31, 2025 deadline Final report available through WAB's online application system, SmartSimple. Prior to FY20, Arts Board used a form service called JotForm for Creative Communities final reports.
Call Dale Johnson at 608-264-8191 with questions. After contacting staff to discuss your need for an extension, please complete a Final Report or Grant Activity Extension 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!
Scoring criteria used to review proposals for this grant.
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Organizations with 501(c)3 nonprofit status or local government/educational institutions in Wisconsin. Individuals not eligible. Project must be collaborative, less than 3 years old or a newly expanded dimension of an existing project. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows $1,500-$6,000 (1:1 match required). Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
The most recent published deadline was March 26, 2026, which has passed. This is an annual program, so a new cycle should follow. Check the funder's website for the next application window.
Creative Communities Grants (Wisconsin Arts Board) is funded by Wisconsin Arts Board. Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
This opportunity targets applicants in Wisconsin. If your organization operates elsewhere, check the official notice for location requirements.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
Jerome Early-Career Project Grants is a grant from Forecast Public Art, funded by the Jerome Foundation, that funds the creation of new public art projects by early-career artists based in Minnesota. Two grants of $8,000 each are awarded annually to support temporary or permanent public artworks anywhere in Minnesota. Projects may be supported by public or nonprofit agencies but private commissions are not eligible, and a secured project site is required at the time of application. The program places special emphasis on supporting BIPOC and Native artists, LGBTQIA+ artists, women artists, immigrant artists, rural artists, and artists with disabilities. Eligible applicants are Minnesota-based individual artists with 2–10 years of generative experience. The application deadline was October 15, 2025.
The Local Cultural Council Program is a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council distributing $1,000 to $10,000 through a statewide network of 329 Local Cultural Councils (LCCs) representing every city and town in the Commonwealth. Each LCC awards funds based on local community cultural needs as assessed by council members. Eligible applicants include artists, nonprofits, schools, and organizations pursuing arts, humanities, and science projects. Applications are submitted directly to local councils and are typically due by October 16. Grants from most LCCs are reimbursement-based. Massachusetts Cultural Council funds the LCCs centrally, which then regrant to community projects.
NEA Grants for Arts Projects runs its second FY cycle with a July 9 Part 1 (Grants.gov) deadline and a July 21 Part 2 (Applicant Portal) deadline. Awards run $10,000–$100,000 against a mandatory 1:1 match, and only 501(c)(3)s with five years of arts programming qualify. Here's how the two-step submission, the match math, and the five-year rule decide who actually gets funded.
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