NYFA Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants

The Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants program is administered by the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) with support from the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Robert Rauschenberg, an influential American artist, was committed to helping fellow artists in crisis, founding the nonprofit Change, Inc. in 1970 for this purpose. Continuing this mission, the program provides timely, one-time financial assistance to artists in need who are facing recent, unexpected medical, dental, or mental health emergencies. The focus is on artists whose practice is in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts, and choreography, and who are generative artists creating their own, independent work. The program is intended to help ensure that artists can obtain critical treatment without incurring substantial or overwhelming debt. Grants are available for up to $5,000 and may be used for a range of eligible expenses including provider bills, diagnostic tests, therapies, prescription medications, emergency dental work, and transportation to appointments. Requests may cover costs already incurred or anticipated within 12 months from the date of the emergency. Ineligible costs include ongoing treatment for chronic conditions, non-emergency care, elective procedures, insurance premiums, and non-medical expenses. Funds are distributed directly to the artist, unless pre-approved otherwise, and are generally paid via direct deposit. The program distributes approximately $150,000 per cycle, making it highly competitive. To qualify, applicants must be at least 21 years old, reside in the U.S., District of Columbia, a U.S. Territory, or Tribal Nation, and meet income eligibility with an average adjusted gross income over the last two tax years not exceeding $75,000 for individuals or $150,000 for joint filers. The medical emergency and treatment must occur within the U.S. Applicants must not have received a Rauschenberg Medical or Dancer Emergency Grant previously, must not be enrolled in a degree program, and must demonstrate ongoing public engagement in their artistic practice over the past five years, with at least one public opportunity annually. Work that is solely self-distributed online without public marketing for a specific date and time is not eligible. Applications must include a brief description of the emergency and its onset date, a requested grant amount and expense breakdown, and statements on the impact to creative practice, economic severity, and severity of the condition. Applicants must provide documentation of the condition and expenses, as well as a resume or CV showing sustained artistic activity since 2019. Submissions are made via Submittable, with accommodations available for paper or assisted applications if requested in advance. Applications undergo a two-step review: eligibility screening by NYFA staff, followed by panel review assessing demonstrated need, severity of condition, economic impact, and potential for the funding to support continuation or resumption of artistic work. High-scoring applications enter a lottery for final award selection. Recipient identities remain confidential. The program operates on a recurring bimonthly cycle, with specific application opening and closing dates for each round. For Cycle 32, applications open August 12, 2025, close September 9, 2025, and notifications are issued October 24, 2025. Cycle 33 opens October 7, 2025, and closes November 4, 2025; Cycle 34 opens December 9, 2025, and closes January 6, 2026. Emergencies must have occurred within approximately six months before the application window, with each cycle defining an earliest eligible date. Contact for the program is Mollie Quinlan-Hayes, reachable at emergencyfunds@nyfa.org or 212-366-6900 ext. 239. Detailed guidelines, timelines, and application forms are available on NYFA’s website. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the full eligibility criteria and prepare documentation early to meet the competitive review process.

Submit promptly at opening due to high demand; clearly demonstrate both emergency need and financial eligibility; include complete supporting documentation.