General Operating Support Grant

The FY27 General Operating Support Grant is administered by the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA), a state agency dedicated to strengthening Georgia communities through investment in the arts. GCA supports a diverse range of arts organizations throughout Georgia—from large and established institutions to small and emerging groups, across urban and rural areas. Through grants like this one, GCA aims to promote the arts as a vital component of community development, economic growth, and quality of life. This funding opportunity offers operating support to eligible nonprofit arts organizations that are physically located in Georgia and have an arts-based mission. All applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations registered with the Georgia Secretary of State and demonstrate a minimum annual operating budget of $100,000. The program does not fund individual artists, for-profit companies, educational institutions, or non-arts organizations. A key eligibility requirement is that at least 50% of an applicant’s programming must be arts-based. Examples of eligible programming include visual arts, performing arts, media arts, literary arts, and arts education. Certain disciplines such as culinary arts, fashion, and interior design are explicitly excluded. Applicants may only request a fixed grant amount of $10,000, regardless of their budget size. GCA grants are awarded as reimbursement grants, meaning that organizations must incur the approved expenses first, then seek reimbursement. These funds can be used for a wide range of general operating expenses such as salaries, rent, utilities, insurance, programming costs, and marketing. However, there is a detailed list of ineligible expenses, including capital expenditures over $10,000, fundraising, out-of-state programming, food, prizes, and lobbying. The grant period for allowable expenses is from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. The application process is administered entirely through GCA’s online grant portal at http://gaarts.org/apply. All components must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, February 6, 2026. Required materials include a narrative application, a detailed budget form, a list of proposed FY27 arts programs, IRS 990 documentation, support materials including a work sample, a board of directors list, and the IRS 501(c)(3) letter if applicable. The narrative section includes questions on mission fulfillment, community impact, accessibility, artistic programming quality, and organizational capacity. Panelists will evaluate applications based on a scoring rubric of up to 100 points divided among community impact (50), qualities of the arts experience (25), and organizational capacity and fiscal stability (25). Following submission, GCA staff will check for eligibility and completeness before forwarding qualified applications to review panels organized by applicant budget size. Panelists are selected to ensure diversity in artistic discipline, geography, and experience. Reviewers evaluate only the submitted application and do not consider prior funding history or external information. Funding decisions are made based solely on application scores, and GCA will notify all applicants of decisions via email in July 2026. Organizations not selected may still be eligible to apply for other GCA grants, including the Vibrant Communities Grant, later in the year. For assistance, applicants can contact Allen Bell, Director of Grants and Research, at [email protected] or 404-962-4839. Accessibility accommodations are available by contacting Pamela Ballard, GCA's Accessibility Coordinator, at [email protected] or 470-720-0663. A recorded training webinar is also available to guide applicants through the process. This grant does not recur automatically, but applicants may reapply in future cycles as eligible.

Submit early; ensure clarity for reviewers unfamiliar with the organization; avoid jargon; complete all required fields; use the official GCA budget form