Small Arts & Culture Grants
2023 APPLICATION CLOSED. NEXT APPLICATION DATE TBD.
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.
- 2023 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2022 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2021 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2019 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2018 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2017 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2016 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2015 Small Arts & Culture grantees
- 2014 Small Arts & Culture grantees
Frequently Asked Questions
The program is currently being renewed on a year-to-year basis.
Yes.
Use only the last completed fiscal year’s actual expenses as reported to the IRS to determine your organization’s eligibility.
It is ineligible to apply.
In response to input from non-profits and community stakeholders, and in recognition that securing operating support can be especially challenging for small groups, OCF will continue to focus on this need for small arts and culture organizations. Organizations are free to use the funding towards any project or general expenses as they see fit.
Proposals must come from tax exempt 501(c)3 organizations. An organization may use a fiscal sponsor in some circumstances. Please refer to the Request for Proposals for more information.
Organizations must have been in existence for a minimum of one year as evidenced by registration with the Oregon Secretary of State and the Oregon Department of Justice.
There is no minimum budget size to apply.
No.
Yes, this program is reviewed independently from other OCF programs. Other applications will not affect your eligibility or competitiveness for this program and vice versa.
Step-by-step instructions can be found on the OCF website (www.oregoncf.org) and within the online grant application portal. If you need technical assistance with the online system, please e-mail grants@oregoncf.org.
One year from the time of notification and disbursement.
Grantees who received a Small Arts & Culture grant in 2022 or prior should submit a report through SurveyMonkey here.
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.