Small Arts & Culture Grants

IN 2024 ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD APPLY FOR THE ARTS AND CULTURE REBUILDING PROGRAM

Overview

Oregon Department of Justice charity data shows that the majority of registered arts and culture nonprofit organizations in Oregon have annual budgets under $100,000. Although these organizations are central to the vitality of Oregon’s communities, they are often not eligible or competitive for traditional grant programs.

In response to this need, Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) invests $350,000 annually to support small community-driven arts and culture organizations. One-year grants of $1,000 to $5,000 for general operating support will be available to selected arts and culture applicants. Please note that all applications will be automatically set with  $5,000 as the amount requested.

2023 RFP

Review the information below from our Request for Proposals from 2023 for more detailed information on eligibility, the scope of proposals sought, application process and review criteria. Additional information can be found in our FAQ section below.

Application Process

Applications are accepted through MyOCF.  You must be a registered user to access OCF’s Grants Portal.  If you don’t have an account, you can create one by following the instructions on the MyOCF login screen.

Staff Assistance 

Questions about accessing or navigating the online system, resetting your password, or other technical issues may be submitted OCF via email to grants@oregoncf.org. Questions about eligibility or the narrative questions may be submitted to smallartsculture@oregoncf.org. We will respond by email or phone as soon as we are able.   

Past Grantees

View lists of past grantees below. The 2020 cycle was cancelled to provide COVID relief funding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this an annual grant program?
Can an organization apply each year whether they are denied or granted an award?
The program eligibility criteria require that the organization’s operating expenses be under $100,000. What if last year’s budget meets the criteria, but this year’s budget does not?
What if the organization is over the annual allotted $100,000 in operating expenses?
Why is funding directed to operating support instead of project support?
What if our organization is not a 501(c)3?
Does an organization have to be in business for a certain amount of time or have a minimum budget size to apply?
Does an organization need to have paid staff to be competitive for a grant?
Can an organization apply to Small Arts and other OCF grant programs in the same year/cycle?
How can I get help for filling out the on-line grant application?
How long do we have to spend the grant?
What are the reporting requirements?
What if I still have questions?