Arts and Cultural Funding Program

The Erie County Arts and Cultural Funding Program is administered by the Erie County Department of Environment and Planning (ECDEP), in partnership with the Erie County Arts and Cultural Advisory Board (EACAB). This annual grant initiative aims to support nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts and cultural organizations operating within Erie County, New York. The program reflects the County's ongoing commitment to the enrichment and sustainability of local cultural institutions by providing general operating support funding on a yearly basis. Organizations are required to apply each year to be considered for funding for the following calendar year. The 2027 funding cycle officially launches with the opening of the online grant application on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The program features a tiered application system with three distinct levels of funding eligibility, each based on the organization's requested amount and recent fiscal operations. Level 1 applications are capped at $50,000, Level 2 ranges between $50,001 and $200,000, and Level 3 covers funding requests above $200,000. Importantly, applicants may not request more than 20% of their most recently completed fiscal year’s operating expenses. This stipulation ensures that funding requests remain proportional to each organization’s operational scale. To streamline the application process, Erie County has updated its cultural funding website (erie.gov/Cultural) to include easier navigation and a new application guidebook, available upon the application release. New applicants must first register for a grant account at www.erie.gov/Cultural/AccountRequest before submitting their application. Each organization is permitted only one account, which allows applicants to save progress and return to their application before the final submission. Organizations that have applied in previous years may use their existing account credentials. The County strongly encourages all applicants to attend an applicant briefing session, scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 5:30 PM at the Buffalo & Erie County Central Library. The session will also be broadcast via Webex and a recording will be made available on the County’s YouTube page. The briefing provides a detailed walkthrough of program eligibility, application components, and technical support. Live support is available from ECDEP staff on weekdays before 4:00 PM. Applications must be submitted online through the official portal at https://www3.erie.gov/Cultural/. Deadlines vary by application level: Level 1 applications are due by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, while Level 2 and Level 3 applications are due by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. All applicants must meet the eligibility requirement of holding nonprofit 501(c)(3) status for at least one year, and submitted materials must align with relevant federal and state nonprofit reporting requirements. All applications will be reviewed by DEP staff and the EACAB, and awards are subject to available funding as determined by the County Executive. Evaluation criteria include the applicant’s financial management, governance, and programmatic history. It is important to note that late or incomplete applications may negatively impact the applicant’s final evaluation score. For questions, special accommodations, or to be notified by email about application availability, applicants may contact Colette Balisteri at 716-858-1572 or [email protected].

Attend the applicant briefing; register early; submit complete application before deadline.