The Onondaga County Small Festivals Fund is a grant program administered by CNY Arts, Inc., made possible through funding from the County of Onondaga. The primary goal of the program is to support small-scale arts and cultural festivals that take place within Onondaga County, New York. This initiative is aimed at enriching the local cultural landscape and providing financial support to nonprofit organizations that organize festivals to engage and benefit their communities through artistic and cultural programming.
Eligible applicants for the program must be nonprofit organizations located in Onondaga County. These organizations must be responsible for planning and executing the festivals that are being proposed for funding. The maximum award amount per grantee is $7,500, and all projects funded through this opportunity must occur within the 2025 calendar year, from January 1 to December 31. Notably, festivals that take place before the grant award announcements are still eligible for reimbursement, as long as the project occurred within the defined project period and met all criteria.
Applications must be submitted online through the Submittable platform. The application deadline is Tuesday, April 29, 2025, by 12:00 PM (noon). Applicants will be required to complete a structured application that includes eligibility details, uploaded documentation, answers to specific application questions, and acceptance of grantee responsibilities if awarded. CNY Arts provides a scoring rubric and clearly outlines the review process to ensure transparency and fairness in the selection of grantees.
CNY Arts offers support to applicants needing accommodations or assistance during the application process. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact Jeremy Stoller, Program Manager, for help or more information about the grant. Jeremy can be reached at jstoller@cnyarts.org or by phone at (315) 435-2158.
This program represents a critical investment by Onondaga County in its arts and cultural infrastructure, helping to sustain and expand local festivals that foster community identity, participation, and economic impact.
