Cultural Assistance Program (CAP) Grant

The Cultural Assistance Program (CAP) Grant is administered by the Essex County Arts Council (ECAC), with funding provided by the Essex County Board of Supervisors and additional support from ECAC itself. This grant program is intended to support arts, cultural, and historical programming that serves the residents of Essex County, New York. CAP grants are designed to fund small-scale, publicly accessible cultural projects with tangible community benefits. While organizations outside of Essex County may apply, they must clearly document how their programming directly benefits Essex County residents. The CAP Grant is open to a wide array of organizations, including arts and culture nonprofits, libraries, museums, municipalities, and other entities providing cultural programming. A key requirement is that projects must be completed by December 31, 2026, and must be open to the public. Applicants must demonstrate fiscal and managerial capability to implement the proposed project, and 2025 CAP grantees must have submitted their final reports by February 1, 2026, to remain eligible for this funding cycle. ECAC emphasizes that CAP grants can fund up to 50% of total project expenses, with the maximum award set at $1,000. Application materials must include a signed application form in PDF format, a current board list with professional affiliations and locations, and promotional materials from prior CAP-funded programs if applicable. A budget worksheet is required, which must detail income and expenses such that the total income equals total expenses. The CAP grant will only fund certain types of project expenses, such as programming costs, artist honorariums, temporary materials, venue rentals, professional services, and promotion. It explicitly excludes equipment purchases, capital improvements, and fundraising expenses. Applicants must submit all materials via email to ECAC by midnight on March 15, 2026. The submission must be made as a PDF attachment with a file name reflecting the organization’s name. Application tips, including technical support, are provided by ECAC staff up to March 1, 2026. Applicants are instructed to duplicate and rename the provided application template and follow precise formatting steps to complete and submit it. The organization is clear that additional narrative or attachments beyond the specified requirements will not be reviewed. The review process is handled by a panel of four or more Essex County residents. Applications will be evaluated based on artistic merit, public benefit, community impact, and the quality and completeness of the application and budget. ECAC has stated that all applicants will be considered on the merit of the current application, regardless of prior funding history. However, failure to submit required reports from previous grants will affect eligibility. CAP grants are non-recurring on a fixed annual schedule, and there is no indication of rolling applications. This program represents an accessible entry point for small organizations and municipalities seeking to enrich cultural life in Essex County through public arts and cultural programming.

Align budget with application total; ensure project is open to public and benefits Essex County residents.