NYSCA Support for Organizations Grant 2026

The FY2026 Support for Organizations grant is administered by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to provide flexible and streamlined funding to arts and cultural organizations operating within New York State. NYSCA, whose mission is to foster and advance the full breadth of the state’s arts, culture, and creativity, prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. The agency values engagement across New York’s diverse communities and recognizes the role of arts and culture in both community and economic health. This grant program reflects NYSCA’s broader commitment to supporting artistic expression, cultural access, and creative innovation. This funding opportunity supports general operating and programming expenses for eligible entities that offer publicly accessible arts and cultural programming in New York State. Organizations can submit only one application for their entity but may serve as fiscal sponsors for others. Grants will range from $10,000 to $49,500 and cannot exceed 50% of the applicant’s total operating expenses for the fiscal year ending in 2024. Applicants must have had at least $20,000 in New York State-based arts and cultural expenses in that year. Prior funding from NYSCA does not guarantee future support, and the grant is not intended to serve as a renewable income source. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits authorized in New York, Native American nations, or units of local or federal government. Sponsored applications are allowed under certain conditions for nonprofits without tax-exempt status, unincorporated entities, and programs operating under larger parent organizations. Entities like LLCs, LLPs, and business corporations are ineligible. Applicants must be prequalified in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) by the application deadline and must submit current financial documentation, including FY2024 statements of activities and FY2025 approved budgets. Applications are assessed based on three criteria: creativity, public service, and managerial and financial capacity. Each is scored on a 0–5 scale. Scores of 2 or below in any category may result in ineligibility. The application requires narrative responses about organizational mission, history, programming, public engagement, and management practices, along with supporting materials, financial documentation, and a detailed breakdown of how grant funds will be used. The application opens May 22, 2025, and closes at 5 p.m. on June 26, 2025. Award notifications are expected by December 2025. Questions should be submitted at least two weeks before the deadline. Technical support is available via help@arts.ny.gov and SFS support is accessible at helpdesk@sfs.ny.gov or (855) 233-8363. Additional details, including prequalification procedures and application walkthroughs, can be found on the NYSCA website at https://arts.ny.gov.