Creative Heights is sponsored by Oregon Community Foundation. Supports innovative arts and culture projects in Oregon that engage local artists and communities.

Creative Heights » Oregon Community Foundation Providing opportunities for artists and culture bearers to stretch their creative capacity, share new works and explore bold ideas. LOI APPLICATION WINDOW: January 2, 2026 - February 12, 2026 The Creative Heights initiative aims to increase Oregon’s cultural visibility and vitality while supporting unique opportunities for Oregonians to experience innovative arts and culture.

Up to $1 million in projects will be funded annually with grants from $10,000 to $100,000 per project. An informational webinar on the Letter of Inquiry Process was held on Thursday, January 22 and can be accessed at this link . The webinar transcript can be found here .

Letter of Inquiry Process Interested applicants must submit a brief Letter of Inquiry (LOI) via our online portal in SlideRoom . This application system is unique to Creative Heights and cannot be accessed through the main OCF grant portal. LOI’s should describe the proposed project idea, the lead artists/curators/collaborators involved, and how the project idea is distinct or different from previous work.

Applicants must also indicate the preliminary grant request ($10,000-$100,000) and may upload (optional) letters of support from key collaborators. Full Application (By Invitation Only) Selected proposals will be invited to submit a full application between May 1 – 25, 2026. The full application will include a detailed project budget, project plan, bios from lead collaborators, work samples, and a tentative timeline.

For applicants that are not affiliated with nonprofit organizations, a letter of commitment and a fiscal sponsorship agreement from a 501c3 nonprofit is required with the full application. Scope of Proposals Sought Creative Heights grants are for the creation and/or presentation of new and innovative performances, exhibitions, programs, and other works of art and culture.

OCF is interested in reviewing proposals for a range of funding levels and timelines to best serve the specific needs of proposed projects.

Project funding may be spent over a period of two years and can support any artistic or cultural expression, including visual, dance, folk & traditional arts, film/video/media, literary arts, museum exhibitions, music, theatre & performance arts, history & heritage, and multidisciplinary or emerging fields. Individuals, collectives or organizations may submit a Letter of Inquiry for Creative Heights funding.

If selected to submit a full application, applicants must identify a 501(c)3 nonprofit partner to receive funds.

Creative Heights proposals must: Engage Oregon artists or culture bearers as lead collaborators Engage Oregonians as audiences, viewers or participants Compensate artists appropriately as professionals Ineligible projects include those that primarily: Are educational in nature or whose outcomes are related to the acquisition of experience or skills vs. creating professional artistic or cultural work Include work not available to the public (for example, art for a private collection/nonpublic space) Are intended to advance capital investments or the administrative capacity of an organization (for example, building/renovating/purchasing structures or spaces; purchase of major equipment; projects to build systems, infrastructure, and skills above creative outcomes) Do not originate from an artistic/cultural creative impulse (for example, organizing or presenting existing artistic or cultural work without a clear curatorial vision; creating a festival, residency or other program without major investments in the creation or commission of work) Are proposals to complete a studio work (painting/album/film/publication/sculpture/etc.) without specific and robust plans for exhibition, dissemination, community interaction, or engagement in Oregon Are a continuation of existing work (for example, projects largely focused on touring/exhibiting/presenting previous work) without clear creative impulses to adapt, build or revisit the work in a meaningful way Will be completed within three months of receiving the grant funding (annually in August) Grant funding may be used for any expenses related to the project, including commissioning fees; pay for artists, curators, and scholars; costs associated with research, rehearsals, workshops; promotion; design and production; dissemination and documentation; and any other direct costs related to creation, presentation, or exhibition.

For information on past grantees and documented findings on the initiative, please visit the Creative Heights Community Impact page . We encourage applicants to review recent awards to help determine if their project may be competitive for funding. Additional Information and Assistance Before contacting us, please review our FAQ's below.

We encourage applicants to attend or review our informational webinar before contacting us, as this program is highly competitive and it is difficult for our small team to respond to all inquiries quickly. OCF is committed to making our Creative Heights application process accessible to all. If you need accommodations to complete your application, please contact our staff at CreativeHeights@oregoncf.

org . We will work with you to ensure you have the support you need. Have questions about your Creative Heights application or the SlideRoom application portal?

Contact us at CreativeHeights@oregoncf. org or (503) 227-6846 where your call will be directed to the appropriate staff member. 2026 Creative Heights FAQs Do the applicants need to be a 501(c)3 organization?

No. Individuals, collectives, and organizations may submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). If invited to the full application, individual applicants and non-501(c)(3) collectives must secure a nonprofit partner or fiscal sponsor to receive funds on their behalf. All grants must be made to a 501(c)3 nonprofit registered with the IRS and the Oregon Department of Justice.

This sponsor does not need to be identified at the LOI stage, but if invited to submit a full application, a sponsor must be secured with a signed agreement in place prior to final submission. Are current or past grantees for Creative Heights or other OCF programs eligible to apply?

Current or past Creative Heights grantees may apply again once their prior project and final evaluation are complete and a final project budget has been submitted. Previous funding from Creative Heights or other OCF grant programs does not affect eligibility. Can an applicant submit more than one Creative Heights proposal?

No. Individuals, lead artists, and organizations may submit only one Creative Heights application per year. Choose the project you most want to pursue. Only one application will be accepted for each project, so you should not submit an application for the same project multiple times as an individual, collective, or nonprofit.

Can an organization or individual apply to multiple OCF programs? Yes. Organizations may apply to multiple OCF programs but may submit only one proposal per program per year.

Organizations may apply for and receive grants from multiple OCF grant programs, but only one proposal per grant program will be accepted per year. Note: Individuals may apply to Creative Heights and the Fields Artist Fellowship concurrently; they are reviewed as separate grant programs and are distinct awards. Should an individual, organization, or collective submit the application?

There is no preference for who applies. From OCF’s perspective, whomever is named as the applicant will have control over how funds are used in the case of any dispute.

The applicant should generally be whoever is directing the creative vision, controlling decision-making, and is who we expect will have control over how the funds are directed, especially if there is any question from reviewers or the project team after an award is announced. Panelists for this program often want to understand who is directing the project’s vision and budget when multiple partners are involved.

How can we represent an application that is a collaboration between more than one nonprofit and/or creative artists? If multiple partners share creative ownership and decision-making, you may apply as a collective and list all individuals and/or partners. If one partner or individual primarily directs the vision or will oversee the project, that partner should apply as the lead applicant rather than applying as a collective.

This helps us avoid confusion over ownership of the project and provides a clear point of contact for the project. We do not recommend applying as a collective if one partner is primarily directing the vision and use of funds while asking other partners to collaborate in more limited roles.

If a collective applies and there is disagreement over how to use funds, we will attempt to mediate the dispute under the premise that all parties named in the collective have equal ownership of the project and awarded funds. Can I collaborate with or pay artists/organizations who have an active Creative Heights grant? Yes.

You may collaborate with or hire active Creative Heights grantees as long as they are not the creative lead or project owner of the new application. An organization, lead artist, or collective from another active Creative Heights project cannot be the creative lead or owner of the project, but they can assist you and you can include payment or a fee as a line-item to your budget.

If you are unsure if this applies to you, please contact OCF staff before applying. Partnering with a past grantee would generally not impact your chances of securing an award. You can co-lead a project with a past grantee if their project has been completed and closed.

I applied for Creative Heights funding before and was not awarded funding. Can I apply again with the same project? Yes, you may apply again with the same project.

Please submit a new application through our online portal to be considered and include any updates or changes since your last submission. Do I need a fiscal sponsor? Individual applicants and non-501(c)(3) collectives require a nonprofit partner or fiscal sponsor.

All grants must be made to a 501(c)3 nonprofit registered with the IRS and the Oregon Department of Justice. You do not need to identify a fiscal sponsor for the LOI, but one must be secured with a signed agreement in place before the full application deadline if invited. What does a fiscal sponsor do?

A fiscal sponsor receives grant funds, tracks and distributes them according to an agreed process between the applicant and the sponsor, and provides financial oversight. Additional support varies by sponsor and may be defined in a sponsorship agreement. Can a nonprofit act as a fiscal sponsor and also apply for its own Creative Heights project?

Yes. A nonprofit can sponsor other applicants and also apply as the artistic lead on its own project, so long as it does not publicly claim more than one project as its own programming. Can a fiscal sponsor support multiple applicants?

Yes, and they do not need to wait for previously sponsored projects to conclude before sponsoring new applications. What kinds of projects are eligible? Any art form may be eligible as long as the project significantly engages Oregon artists and Oregon audiences.

Proposed projects require strong plans for dissemination and audience engagement, so a proposal to create a film, album, literary work, visual art piece, etc. must articulate components beyond studio production. Are capital projects eligible? Projects primarily focused on capital improvements, renovations, or equipment purchases are typically not eligible.

Our goal for Creative Heights is centering creativity and helping artists create bold new work. Even though capital projects are typically not eligible, if a capital project can provide specific and tangible pathways to support creating new work, it could be eligible. If funds are not being used to support specific creative projects, then it is not likely eligible.

Can project expenses occur outside of Oregon? There is no restriction on where you can spend grant funds so long as the project meaningfully benefits Oregon artists and Oregon audiences. Are applicants from outside Oregon eligible to apply?

Generally no, unless the project clearly supports Oregon artists in lead roles and provides meaningful public access for Oregon audiences. We're happy to discuss proposals if you are not sure about eligibility. One example we encountered was a grant request by a nonprofit outside Oregon to cover costs for Oregon-based artists to participate in a California-based residency program.

In this scenario, the project was ineligible, as we are looking for opportunities for both Oregon artists to be supported in creating new work and for Oregon audiences to have access to innovative arts and culture. Participating in a residency could be eligible if it was being used to advance a specific project but would typically need some type of public presentation for this program that is accessible to Oregonians.

Is a new program that brings artists together and concludes with a festival, or group exhibition eligible? These types of projects are usually eligible, but not often competitive unless they have a clear curatorial focus and can articulate how the project is a creative stretch for the applicant. If your project primarily supports the presentation of work, but not the creation of new work, it is likely not competitive.

What kind of risk-taking or innovation is OCF looking for? OCF does not use a fixed definition. Competitive projects often include experimentation, new collaboration methods, new creative practices, or meaningful evolution from past work.

Simply exploring a “taboo topic” is less competitive than innovating in methods or practice. What constitutes a risk/stretch for an applicant whose mission focuses on creating new and/or innovative works? The stretch must be beyond normal practice — for example, larger scale, new collaborators, or new creative methods.

What makes a Creative Heights proposal competitive? Highly competitive proposals will likely demonstrate the capacity for high artistic achievement, innovation in execution, and feasibility to realize the project goals. Competitive projects often: Support creation and/or presentation of ambitious new work by Oregon artists, curators, producers, historians, creatives and culture bearers.

Represent a creative stretch or risk for the artists and organizations involved. Offer the applicant an opportunity to learn and grow their discipline or craft in scope, scale and/or practice. Demonstrate strong community engagement and social impact.

Advance artistic or cultural fields in Oregon. Engage collaborators, artists, or curators with strong track records. Examples of supported projects can be found on our Community Impact page.

What types of projects are less competitive? Projects presenting existing work with minimal artist investment or evolution. Projects that aim to engage a specific population, history, or community without lead collaborators who represent those communities.

Projects nearing completion with limited opportunity for additional growth or community engagement We encourage applicants to review lists of past grantees on our Community Impact page to assess whether their proposal can match the levels of artistic merit, innovation and impact demonstrated by past grantees. Does a project need to result in a public presentation?

Competitive proposals typically include one or more public components, but it is not required. You can apply for funding for any phase of creation of a new work including research and development prior to public presentation.

However, Creative Heights is a very competitive program, and past review panels have generally funded projects that include high levels of community participation or engagement in the creation or exhibition of new work. Projects without any public components or community participation would likely need to demonstrate future plans for engagement to be competitive.

Would a proposal for presenting non-Oregon artists or works be competitive? Presenting non-Oregon artists could be competitive if there was significant participation by Oregon artists or other creative collaborators on the project as well. Proposals that do not engage Oregon artists as primary collaborators will not be competitive.

Budget and Funding Requests What financial information is required in the LOI? Only a requested grant amount ($10,000–$100,000). No budget or financial information is required unless invited to submit a full application.

Do we need to provide a project budget in the application? You do not need to provide a budget for the LOI, but if you move to the full application round, we ask for a detailed budget. It is helpful to do some groundwork on a budget before applying, as we ask you to identify a grant request amount (within a set range) on the LOI.

You are welcome to use the sample budget template that we provide for the full application, but you should not upload a budget as part of the LOI. Will OCF fund a specific percentage of a project budget? There is no set percentage.

Creative Heights may fund an entire project or be part of a mix of earned and contributed funding in a project budget, depending on the need. We do not typically partially fund projects and invite you to request what is needed up to the maximum of $100,000. Can I use grant funds for any project-related expenses?

Yes. Eligible costs include (but are not limited to) fees for artists and producers, studio or venue rental, equipment and materials, administrative support, marketing, travel or other expenses directly related to the project. Can I use additional funding sources or sponsors?

Yes. You may combine Creative Heights funding with support from additional sources. Will organization size or geographic location play a role in funding decisions?

No. Organizations of all sizes and Oregon locations can be competitive. The strength of the proposal, the creative stretch, and the capacity to complete the project are the primary selection criteria. We strive to fund projects across Oregon, but there are no mandates on geographic distribution of awards.

How are proposed projects reviewed? Proposals are reviewed by community members, often past grantees or other peer-reviewers. If you would like to volunteer to review applications or suggest reviewers, please contact us at CreativeHeights@oregoncf.

org . What is the entire application timeline and when will funding be disbursed? Letters of Inquiry are due by 11:59 p.

m. (PST) on February 12, 2026. Full applications will be invited in early April for a May deadline.

A letter of commitment and fiscal sponsorship agreement from any sponsor nonprofit is required with the full application. Applicants will be notified of their awards in August. Funding will be disbursed by end of August and may be used for two years from the award date.

Preference will be given to projects that are not within three months of completion upon receiving the award. Can I preview the LOI questions? Yes, when the application goes live.

What are the evaluation or reporting requirements? Evaluation and reporting consists of conversations with our staff at the project’s start, midpoint and completion. A final budget is also required at completion.

No lengthy written report is required. Can I request accommodations or accessibility support? OCF is committed to making our Creative Heights application process accessible to all.

If you need accommodations to complete your application, please contact our staff at CreativeHeights@oregoncf. org . We will work with you to ensure you have the support you need.

Contact us at CreativeHeights@oregoncf. org or (503) 227-6846 where your call will be directed to the appropriate staff member. If you already have an account and are having trouble logging in to our online grant application portal, please reset your password by visiting the following link: https://oregoncf.

slideroom. com/#/login/form . Once there, click on “Forgot Password” and follow the prompts.

You will need to provide the email address you used to set up the account previously and watch for an email from SlideRoom containing a link to reset your password. OCF does not have access to your password, nor can they reset your password internally. Need more info?

Take a deep dive into our occasionally asked questions document for more specific inquiries that have been asked at our past informational webinars.