Cultural Economy Grant

The City of New Orleans, under Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy, has opened applications for the FY25 Cultural Economy Funding Program. This initiative aims to enhance the local cultural economy through strategic financial support to individuals and organizations actively promoting cultural education, training, networking, and event development. This program aligns with the mission of the Office of Cultural Economy, which is focused on empowering the city's creative sectors and preserving its diverse cultural heritage. The program will provide twenty-five grants, each valued at $2,000, to eligible applicants. Projects that are eligible for funding include those that build capacity within cultural nonprofits and businesses through workshops, training, or conferences. Additionally, cultural events that involve art and performance and contribute to local tourism and vendor sales are supported. Segments covered include entertainment, design, preservation, culinary arts, literary arts and humanities, and visual arts and crafts. Recipients are required to publicly acknowledge the Office of Cultural Economy’s support through logo display and verbal or written acknowledgment in project materials. Applicants can include state and federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, for-profit businesses licensed and in good standing with the City and State of Louisiana (though funding must support community or cultural activities only), and individual artists working with a fiscal agent. Only one application per applicant is allowed per cycle, and applications must be complete with all required reports from prior cycles to be eligible for review. All proposals must take place within the 2025 calendar year. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis starting May 1, 2025, until the final deadline of June 1, 2025. A five-member committee from the Office of Cultural Economy evaluates submissions based on community impact, economic contribution, cultural alignment, and adherence to the missions of the Cultural Economy and Economic Development Offices. Awards are processed via BRASS, the City's Procurement and Finance System, and payment typically takes 30–60 days. All grant recipients must register as vendors in BRASS to receive funds. For support with BRASS, applicants can email procurement.brass@nola.gov or call (504) 658-1550. Questions about the grant program should be directed to culturaleconomygrants@nola.gov. Supporting documents such as the Grant Application, Grant Terms and Conditions, and Performance/Evaluation Report are available for download from the program’s webpage. FY24 grantees must submit their final performance report to be eligible for FY25 consideration.