Native Arts + Cultures Foundation - LIFT Program is a grant from the Native Arts + Cultures Foundation providing $15,000 one-year awards to early-career Native artists working across traditional, visual, literary, performance, film, and interdisciplinary arts. Each award includes at least $5,000 for the artist's personal compensation and well-being, with remaining funds for project expenses.

The LIFT program also provides professional development training in areas such as intellectual property, financial literacy, and grant writing; optional mentorship; and advocacy support.

Eligibility is limited to enrolled members of US federally or state-recognized tribes or Alaska Native corporations, or persons of Native Hawaiian ancestry, who are emerging artists with fewer than ten years of experience and have not previously received a single award of $15,000 or more.

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youtube. com/user/NACFMedia) #### LIFT – Early Career Support for Native Artists The Native Arts + Cultures Foundation (NACF) is pleased to announce the upcoming open call for the **2026 LIFT – Early Career Support for Native Artists** program.

The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation’s (NACF) **LIFT – Early Career Support for Native Artists** program supports emerging Native artists through one-year awards to develop and realize new projects. These awards are a crucial investment in cultivating fresh voices and envisioning the future of our respective Native practices.

Now in its fifth iteration, **LIFT** builds upon extensive research and strategic planning to expand opportunities for early-career Native artists. The program encourages artists to uplift communities, advance positive social change, point courageously toward environmental sustainability, and foster communal meaning-making.

Through their projects, **LIFT** artists address critical issues such as cultural sovereignty, environmental and social justice, healing and well-being, and systemic change.

**LIFT** provides a comprehensive suite of services, including $15,000 awards, artist professional development, mentorship, project evaluation, documentation, and communications/marketing support – designed to nurture the growth and potential of emerging Native artists as they refine their craft, advance their careers, and establish their place as vital creative voices in their communities.

_This opportunity is designed for emerging Native artists who are shaping their practices and for whom the award may serve as a launching point in their careers. We encourage eligible artists to apply and become part of this transformative program. _ **Award Amount:** $15,000, with at least $5,000 for the artist’s benefit and well-being.

**Number of Awards:** 15 total. Artwork: Kimberly Fulton Orozco (Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska). _Insecure Mix.

Canoe Story. 31. Our Stories Carry Us Through Time Together (Dance to Keep them Alive).

_ please click here to apply #### **January 22, 2026** DEADLINE for applications Award Recipients Publicly Announced #### **August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027** Frequently Asked Questions **Can a Native artist or curator from outside the US apply? ** + Applicants must be enrolled members or citizens of a US-based federally or state-recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native corporation or of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

Applicants are required to provide documentation of their Native citizenship or ancestry. + Applicants must also demonstrate US residency. + Applicants from US territories and Indigenous communities outside the US are not eligible to apply.

+NACF understands that there are also unrecognized tribes, a myriad of uncounted and undocumented Native people, people of complex mixed-heritage identities, and a wide range of Indigenous peoples living in the U.S. from throughout the Americas. There is no Native American monolith.

However, these eligibility requirements are essential to remaining steadfast to the objectives of this organization’s founders and its intent to serve Native peoples from the US. **Can I submit more than one application? ** NACF will accept only one submission per applicant.

**Can I apply if I have already received an NACF award in previous years? ** Previous NACF awardees who received support before 2023 are eligible to apply. However, former LIFT awardees are not eligible to receive the LIFT award again.

Additionally, artists who have received a single award of $15,000 or more at any point in their artistic career—whether from NACF or other funders—are not eligible to apply for LIFT. **Can I apply if I am currently a student and/or enrolled in an education program? ** No, the applicant must not be a student during the award period.

**Will I receive feedback about my application? ** Due to the large number of applications we expect to receive, we cannot provide individual feedback. * **GRANTMAKING**: One-year award of $15,000, with $5,000 allocated directly to the artist for their compensation and well-being, and the remaining funds for project expenses.

* **PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:** Awardees will participate in culturally grounded training in key areas that address both the practical and visionary needs of Native artists and are focused on the long-term sustainability of their creative practices.

Workshop topics include intellectual property and legal rights, artist agency and curatorial collaboration, financial literacy and tax preparation, artist legacy and stewardship, conservation practices, and guidance on grant writing and residency applications.

* **MENTORSHIP:** We encourage artists to select a mentor of their choice—such as an established artist, elder, teacher, or community leader—who can provide guidance and act as a sounding board periodically throughout the planning and implementation of their projects.

While mentorship is an optional program component, artists should ensure their mentors are compensated appropriately by allocating a portion of their budget to provide a fair stipend for the mentor’s time and expertise. * **EVALUATION:** NACF will help define project deliverables, track progress, and complete internal and external grant reports.

Awardees will participate in regular check-ins and provide project documentation, a mid-year report, and a final report detailing their project’s development and outcomes. * **ADVOCACY:** NACF will assist awardees in presenting their work at relevant conferences and public events, to provide a platform for conversation around the impacts of their projects and Native voices to effect change around vital issues.

To be eligible for the LIFT program, applicants must: * Be at least 18 years of age. * Be a U.S.-based resident. * Be an enrolled member or citizen of a U.S. federally-recognized or state-recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native corporation, or of Native Hawaiian ancestry.

Applicants will be asked to provide documentation of their enrollment or membership in an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, or of their Native Hawaiian ancestry.

* Be an individual practicing artist working in Traditional Arts, Visual Arts (2D and 3D), Music, Literature (Fiction and Poetry), Performance (Dance/Choreography, Theater, Playwrighting), Film (Documentary, Animation, and Fiction), Interdisciplinary Arts, and Multidisciplinary Arts. * Be emerging artists or early in their artistic careers.

NACF defines “emerging” as follows: * Experience: Artists with less than ten years of experience in their artistic career. * Note: Changing artistic disciplines does not “restart” a career. Artistic practice is considered in aggregate.

For example, an artist who has been a musician for 12 years but has recently started working in film is not considered emerging simply because they are working in a different discipline. * Age: There is no age restriction. Early career may refer to an artist who is 18–30 years old or someone over 30 who began their arts career later in life.

* Funding History: Artists must not have received a singular award of $15,000 or more in their artistic career. * Other Definitions: An artist may also be considered “emerging” if they have yet to develop a substantial body of work or have limited to no experience exhibiting or presenting their work to the public.

* NOT BE enrolled in a university or higher education institution during the 12-month award period (August 1, 2026-July 31, 2027). * Propose a _new_ project centered on their own artistic creation that can be developed and presented publicly within one year of the award, or before July 31, 2026. * Artists will apply using the online application form in Submittable by the deadline of March 19, 2026, at 8:00 PM Pacific time.

* NACF staff will review each submitted application for eligibility, adequacy of work samples and supporting materials, and completeness. * A review panel of art peers and professionals will evaluate applications and recommend up to fifteen (15) artists to receive support with approval from NACF’s Board of Directors. * NACF will notify all applicants via Submittable in July 2026.

Please allow plenty of time to complete your submission. The application deadline is March 19, 2026, at 8:00 PM Pacific time. The LIFT application includes six sections: 1.

**Eligibility:** Applicants will answer a list of questions to determine their eligibility for the LIFT program before proceeding to the remainder of the application questions. 2. **Contact Information:**Applicants will provide their best contact information.

3. **Demographic Survey Questions:** Optional, confidential questions to help NACF better advocate for Native artists. 4.

**Project Narrative:** In this section, you will be asked to provide a written description of your proposed project, which includes: (1) short project description; (2) background or context for the project; (3) project themes; (4) project activities and the role of the artist applicant; (5) your previous work; (5) plans for community engagement or public presentation of the project; (6) mentorship component (optional); and (7) a twelve-month timeline for the project (to be completed by July 31, 2027).

5. **Project Budget:** In this section, you will complete a budget form showing how you will allocate the $15,000 award funds towards your proposed project. 6.

**Work Samples and Supporting Materials:** In this section, you will provide the following: (1) artist work samples; (2) artist website(s), if available; (3) artist’s resume or CV; (4) artist bio; (5) artist headshot; (6) one letter of recommendation; and (7) documentation of Native citizenship or ancestry.

Panelists will review applications using the following criteria: Applicants should describe the project’s style, format, themes, and creation process. Projects must involve the development of new work by the applicant artist and include a public presentation.

Applicants should describe the social issue(s) the project will address, its significance to the community or communities, and the anticipated impact of the project in addressing these issues. The project should be feasible in scope and achievable within the available resources. Artistic experience is demonstrated through technical skills, originality, innovation, inspiration, and the unique niche of the artist(s).

This can be indicated by work samples, resume/CV, letter of recommendation, as well as any relevant training, apprenticeships, or education. Financial capacity is demonstrated by the viability of the project budget. If the total project budget exceeds the $15,000 award, applicants must show other sources of support (e.g., additional grants, in-kind contributions, earned income, etc.).

The proposed project should be realistic in scope, with a budget that aligns with the planned activities. It must also include appropriate compensation for the artist (minimum $5,000), as well as for any collaborators and mentors. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS **Can a Native artist or curator from outside the U.S. apply?

** * Applicants must be enrolled members or citizens of a US-based federally or state-recognized American Indian tribe or Alaska Native corporation, or of Native Hawaiian ancestry. Applicants are required to provide documentation of their enrollment or membership in an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, or of their Native Hawaiian ancestry. * Applicants must also demonstrate U.S. residency.

* Applicants from U.S. territories and Indigenous communities outside the U.S. are not eligible to apply. * _NACF understands that there are also unrecognized tribes, a myriad of uncounted and undocumented Native people, people of complex mixed-heritage identities, and a wide range of Indigenous peoples living in the U.S. from throughout the Americas. There is no Native American monolith.

However, these eligibility requirements are essential to remaining steadfast to the objectives of this organization’s founders and its intent to serve Native peoples from the U.S._ **Can I submit more than one application? ** NACF will accept only one submission per applicant. **Can I apply if I have already received an NACF award in previous years?

** Previous NACF awardees who received support before 2024 are eligible to apply. However, former LIFT awardees are not eligible to receive the LIFT award again. Additionally, artists who have received a single award of $15,000 or more at any point in their artistic career—whether from NACF or other funders—are not eligible to apply for LIFT.

**Can I apply if I am currently a student and/or enrolled in an education program? ** No, the applicant must not be a student during the award period. (August 1, 2026-July 31, 2027).

**What if I accidentally submitted my application before it was completed? ** If you submitted your form in error, please email Amber Ball, Grantmaking Specialist, at apply@nativeartsandcultures. org.

You may request to edit your submission up to 24 hours before the deadline or no later than March 28, 2026, at 8:00 PM. Pacific time. **Will I receive feedback about my application?

** Due to the large number of applications we expect to receive, we cannot provide individual feedback. Click Here to apply today For technical support with the online application form, click the “Technical Help” button on application webpage or complete Submittable’s support request form. You may also contact Amber Ball at apply@nativeartsandcultures.

org or 971-417-4835 Ext. 435. For inquiries about the LIFT program eligibility or content, please contact Laura (Cales) Matalka at grantsupport@nativeartsandcultures.

org or 360-334-7285.

DOWNLOAD THIS PAGE AS A PDF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF 2025 LIFT Awardees**,**NACF Kalikopuanoheaokalani Aiu Angelique Kalani Axelrode Kyle “Hokona” Kootswatewa Wicanhpi Iyotan Win Autumn Cavender Akilah/Glittering World Girl T.

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