Community Arts Development Grants

The Community Arts Development Grants, administered by the Alaska State Council on the Arts (ASCA), support small nonprofit organizations across Alaska in building and expanding arts programming in underserved areas or artistic disciplines. This funding initiative is rooted in ASCA’s mission to foster the development and promotion of the arts for the benefit of Alaskan residents. The program specifically seeks to enrich communities through exhibits, concerts, dance performances, festivals, workshops, readings, theater productions, and other arts-based community events. In addition to programmatic support, the grant also enables organizational development in arts administration, including board development, financial systems, and budgeting processes. Organizations that operate entirely on a volunteer basis, without paid staff, receive priority consideration for funding. Each grant award is capped at a maximum of $5,000. The application process is straightforward and conducted online via ASCA's GOSmart grant system. Applicants must create a profile and submit their proposal prior to the relevant quarterly deadlines. These deadlines are June 1 (for activities beginning July 1), September 1 (activities beginning October 1), December 1 (activities beginning January 1), and March 1 (activities beginning April 1), with all funded activities concluding by June 30 of the same fiscal year. Eligibility for this program includes nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit colleges and universities, tribes, and units of state or local government. Fiscal sponsorships are permitted for organizations that do not meet eligibility criteria independently, provided there is a formal agreement in place. Applicants must have a SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and register with the State of Alaska Vendor Self Service system to receive grant disbursements. Grant decisions are made following quarterly meetings of the Council Trustees, typically shortly after each application deadline. Award notifications are communicated thereafter. For technical assistance or application guidance, applicants are encouraged to contact Charlie Sears at 907-269-6608 or via email at charles.sears@alaska.gov. Additional guidance and grant program materials can be accessed on the ASCA website.

Priority is given to volunteer-run organizations; applicants should engage staff for technical support before applying.