Arts & Community Grants

The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) operates an annual Arts and Community Grants Cycle aimed at supporting transformative community-based initiatives throughout Alabama’s Black Belt region. BBCF serves 12 counties—Bullock, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Perry, Pickens, Sumter, and Wilcox—and has long invested in arts, culture, and community development as foundational strategies to improve the lives of Black Belt residents. The grants are designed to foster local innovation and civic strength by providing crucial funding to non-profit and community organizations rooted in these counties. The 2026 grant cycle provides two separate funding tracks. Arts grants range from $500 to $3,500 and are intended to support local arts-focused initiatives and organizations. Community grants range from $500 to $5,000 and are designated for broader community-based projects that enhance civic life or address local needs. This dual approach allows BBCF to simultaneously promote cultural enrichment and community resilience. The program funds one-year projects, and in the previous 2025 cycle, BBCF awarded $344,447.20 to 126 organizations through 141 one-year project grants. Applications for the 2026 cycle open at 12:00 a.m. CST on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and will close at 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, February 6, 2026. Applicants must use a secure grant portal powered by Foundant, where they will log in or create an account. To begin the application, users must enter a county-specific access code. These access codes are distributed only to eligible parties: prior grantees will receive theirs via email, and first-time applicants are required to attend a virtual Grantseekers Workshop to obtain their code. The workshops are mandatory for new applicants or those unfamiliar with BBCF’s online system. Four workshop sessions will be offered via Zoom—two on January 20 and two on January 22—at 12:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. CST on both dates. These workshops are intended to equip applicants with critical technical and process-related information. Without attendance, new applicants will not receive the county access codes required to unlock the grant application portal. The 2026 grant cycle will conclude with a celebratory Awards Ceremony scheduled for April 25, 2026. This event will honor and recognize grant recipients for their contributions to community and cultural advancement in the Black Belt. BBCF emphasizes the community impact of its funding and encourages initiatives that uplift local voices, promote inclusion, and drive equitable development. For further details or assistance with Arts Grants, applicants can contact Aaron Head at [email protected].

Attend a required workshop if new; portal access depends on it.