Visual Arts and Music Mini-Grant

The JCS Arts, Health and Education Fund (JCS Fund), through the DuPage Foundation, is offering the 2025 Visual Arts and Music Mini-Grant program. This initiative supports the creative community in DuPage County, Illinois, by offering targeted financial assistance to not-for-profit arts organizations and government entities. The JCS Fund focuses on enriching the local cultural landscape by encouraging the development of visual arts and music projects that reflect the community’s diversity and vitality. The primary objective of the Mini-Grant program is to increase engagement and excitement around the arts in DuPage County. Eligible projects include visual arts in any medium, such as exhibitions, pop-up galleries, murals, master classes, and community art projects for seniors or tied to cultural heritage. The program also welcomes applications for general music programs, particularly those benefiting children, and instrumental music initiatives. These small grants aim to support local creativity in a tangible and direct manner. Eligible applicants include IRS-registered public charities under Section 501(c)(3), as well as DuPage County governmental agencies. Each organization is allowed to receive one mini-grant per calendar year. However, receiving a JCS Fund Mini-Grant does not disqualify an organization from applying to other grant programs offered by the DuPage Foundation, such as the Community Impact or Arts DuPage grants. Applicants may request funding between $500 and $2,500. There is no specified total program funding amount or a defined number of awards. Funding will continue to be disbursed until the available pool is exhausted. Applications must be submitted through the DuPage Foundation’s online grant portal. Requests to support events must be received by one of the five deadline dates provided, and at least two months in advance of the event date. The five 2025 application deadlines are March 14, April 30, June 30, August 31, and October 31. These deadlines correspond with minimum post-deadline event dates to ensure timely review and award. The review process gives special consideration to organizations that have not previously received funding from the DuPage Foundation. Applications are evaluated based on multiple criteria: project goals, anticipated impact, artistic experience and qualifications, financial planning, and community engagement. This multi-faceted approach ensures that selected projects are both meaningful and feasible. For further information or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact Laura Ernst at the DuPage Foundation. She can be reached via email at laura@dupagefoundation.org or by phone at 630-598-5295. There is no mention of a pre-application process or question submission window. Applications will remain open until all funds are allocated, and awards are made on a rolling basis in alignment with the submission deadlines.