Creative Communities Partnership Grants

The Creative Communities Partnership Grant (CCPG), administered by the Virginia Commission for the Arts, aims to incentivize local and tribal governments in Virginia to actively support the arts. This grant program is part of a broader commitment by the Commonwealth of Virginia to foster local cultural development by partnering with municipal and tribal entities. The Commission is an official state agency that plays a central role in distributing public funds to support the arts sector across Virginia. The purpose of the CCPG is to encourage municipal and tribal governments to invest in independent arts organizations operating within their jurisdictions. By offering a matching grant of up to $4,500—subject to available funds—the program helps ensure that local tax dollars allocated to arts organizations are reinforced by state support. This match, however, is strictly limited to funding directed toward independent arts organizations and does not cover arts programs delivered by schools, departments of government (such as Parks and Recreation), or government-run committees or councils. Eligible applicants are limited to independent cities, towns, counties, and tribal governments located in Virginia. Funds must be allocated to independent arts organizations that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These sub-grants must support arts activities that take place within the local jurisdiction and may include projects serving underserved, under-resourced, and underrepresented populations. The program explicitly excludes using CCPG funds to pay individual artists, performers, or arts educators directly; for such purposes, applicants are directed to apply to the Virginia Touring or Arts in Practice Grant programs. The grant application process is conducted online and requires the submission of a complete application by April 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Local or tribal governments that have not finalized their budgets by this date may apply conditionally, with confirmation expected as soon as possible thereafter. Applications are reviewed by Commission staff for completeness and eligibility. Ineligible or incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The Commission Board then reviews the staff recommendations and makes final funding decisions. Applicants are notified via email following the board meeting and contingent on the enactment of the state’s fiscal year budget. Upon grant approval, recipients must submit a Final Report/confirmation form no later than February 1, 2027. This report must demonstrate that both the local/tribal match and the Commission’s grant funds have been fully distributed to the designated subgrantees. This includes submitting relevant portions of the approved local budget and copies of issued checks. Localities are encouraged to use a single-payment method, in which both the local and Commission funds are combined into one payment to streamline processing. Failure to submit this final documentation by the deadline will result in forfeiture of the awarded funds. This grant is structured as a recurring, annual opportunity, with application deadlines typically falling on April 1 each year. The next cycle following the current deadline is anticipated in April 2027. Governments that receive over $750,000 in federal funds annually are also required to submit a Single Audit Report. All related guidelines, including forms and instructions, are available through the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ official website, and questions may be directed to their main office in Richmond, Virginia, via phone or their online contact options.