Blanket Justification for Arts Endowment Funding Application Guidelines and Requirements for Government Agencies

National Endowment for the Arts
Notice of Funding Opportunity: FY27 Partnership Agreement
Grants
Grant Program Guidelines: State Arts Agencies
Table of Contents

Click a heading below to jump directly to that section
Partnership Agreement Grants: State Arts Agencies (SAAs) .................................................... 2
Basic Information .............................................................................................................. 2
Executive Summary................................................................................................................. 2
State Arts Agencies Program Description ........................................................................... 4
Program Goals & Objectives ................................................................................................... 4
National Endowment for the Arts, Regional, and State Partnership...................................... 5
Authorizing Statute ................................................................................................................. 5
Eligibility Requirements for State Arts Agencies ................................................................. 6
Legal ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Organizational Entity and Capacity ......................................................................................... 6
Financial Support, Cost Share Funds, and Financial Reporting .............................................. 6
SAM Registration .................................................................................................................... 7
Planning Process ..................................................................................................................... 7
Subawards ............................................................................................................................... 7
Award Amounts & Cost Share ............................................................................................ 8
Partnership Award Amounts .................................................................................................. 8
Cost Share Funds..................................................................................................................... 8
Period of Performance ............................................................................................................ 8
Application Contents & Format .......................................................................................... 9
Application Instructions .......................................................................................................... 9
Applications Recommended for Funding ............................................................................... 9
Submission Requirements & Deadlines .............................................................................. 9
Pre-Application Required Registration ................................................................................... 9
Submission Methods............................................................................................................... 9
Contact Information................................................................................................................ 9

Application Submission Dates and Times ............................................................................. 10
Intergovernmental Review ................................................................................................... 10
Application Review .......................................................................................................... 11
Review Criteria ...................................................................................................................... 11
Review Process ..................................................................................................................... 11
Application Status Updates................................................................................................... 11
Award Notices ................................................................................................................. 12
Risk Review ........................................................................................................................... 12
Final Reporting on Previous Awards ..................................................................................... 12
Post-Award Requirements & Administration .................................................................... 13
Prohibition on Supplanting Non-Federal Funds ................................................................... 13
General Terms & Conditions ................................................................................................. 13
Project Reporting and Evaluation ......................................................................................... 13
Legal Requirements and Assurance of Compliance.............................................................. 14
Civil Rights ............................................................................................................................. 14
Laws Relating to Lobbying (31 U.S.C. 1352).......................................................................... 14
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement ................................................................................... 15
Access for individuals with disabilities:
Contact accessibility@arts.gov to request an accommodation or an alternate format of the
guidelines at least 2 weeks before the application deadline.

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Basic Information

Partnership Agreement Grants: State Arts Agencies
(SAAs)
Basic Information
Federal Agency Name
Funding Opportunity Title
Announcement Type
Funding Opportunity Number(s)
Assistance Listing Number(s)
Agency Contact Information

National Endowment for the Arts
Partnership Agreement Grants
Modification of previous announcement
2027NEA04PA
45.025
Contacts Page

FUNDING DETAILS
Total amount of funding
expected to award
Anticipated number of awards
Expected dollar value of awards
(range)

AMOUNT (Contingent on availability of funds)
$XX,XXX,XXX
56
$XXXXXXX-$XXXXXXX

Executive Summary
The National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) State & Regional Partnership Agreement grants
are awarded to the nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies (SAAs), and the six regional
arts organizations (RAOs) with geographically-defined SAA memberships.
Partnership Agreement grant support enables SAAs to respond to the needs identified through
public planning undertaken with their constituents, partners, and stakeholders. This investment
in locally-determined priorities extends federal reach and impact, translating national
leadership into local benefit.
Eligibility for the Partnership Agreement Grants: SAAs is limited to the fifty state and six
jurisdictional arts agencies. All SAAs must apply annually for this support.
COMPONENTS OF THIS NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO):
• GRANT PROGRAM Guidelines (this document): Information about the grant program,
including a grant program description, eligibility, review criteria, award amount and cost
sharing, and post-award requirements and administration, among others.
• APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS DOCUMENT: Navigate to the “Application Instructions”
section on the Partnership Agreements webpage for complete information on application
requirements and how to complete and submit your application.

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Basic Information

KEY DATES:
Step

Date

Grant Program Details and Application
Instructions Published

July 2026

Application Package Available on Grants.gov

July 2026

Submit Application to Grants.gov

October 9, 2026 11:59 pm ET

Notification of recommended funding or
rejection

April 2027

Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project

July 1, 2027

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Program Description

State Arts Agencies Program Description
Partnership Agreement grants to State Arts Agencies (SAAs) enable the National Endowment
for the Arts (NEA) to make the arts available in more communities than it could through direct
grants alone. The SAAs greatly extend the federal reach and impact, translating national
leadership into local benefit.
With federal funds providing both a national example and financial incentive, NEA support for
SAAs has helped to attract state funding that on a nationwide basis far exceeds the federal
support. State government support is vital to the arts in America.
At the core of this federal-state partnership is the planning process that each SAA engages in to
identify and examine state priorities. Planning is responsive, reflecting the goals and activities
determined to be most important to that state.

Program Goals & Objectives
State Partnership Agreement grants support state-identified goals and activities consistent with
the SAA’s strategic plan. SAAs are encouraged to review NEA agency priorities as part of their
own strategic planning processes.
While providing leadership for their states, the SAAs may also receive funding to support shared
goals and objectives in the areas of arts education, folk & traditional arts, Poetry Out Loud, and
arts & health. Funding for these program components is included in the Partnership Agreement
award total, with a required cost share-match.
Arts Education
The NEA envisions a nation where every student is engaged and empowered through an
excellent arts education. Partnership Agreement grant support is intended to respond to the
objectives, strategies, and programs that each state arts agency develops based on national or
state arts education standards, as appropriate, and its state’s needs, opportunities, and
resources. Possible components of a state’s arts education program might include, but are not
limited to, curriculum-based learning; hands-on instruction; artist residencies; grants and/or
technical assistance; apprenticeship programs; job training for youth; training and/or
professional development; and planning or implementation of activities such as cross-sector
partnerships, convenings, arts education data initiatives, collective impact consultation, and/or
an arts education strategic plan. Project activities may be offered in a variety of settings during
and outside of the school day.
Folk and Traditional Arts Partnership
Folk and Traditional Arts Partnerships funding is intended to strengthen living cultural traditions
in every state, jurisdiction, or region and bolster the folk and traditional arts field. The NEA
envisions stable, outreach-driven programs that are responsive to a state’s folk and traditional
arts heritage. States are encouraged to support professional, paid positions in the folk and
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Program Description

traditional arts. Possible components might include, but are not limited to, fieldwork to identify
and document underserved folk & traditional artists; apprenticeships, mentorships, or folk arts
in education programs; and statewide activities that increase public awareness of living cultural
heritage.
Poetry Out Loud
Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry
by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school
students across the country. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build
self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Funding in support of
Poetry Out Loud programming is included in Partnership Agreement grants. This funding is
available in amounts of up to $25,000 per participating agency for FY27.
Arts & Health
Artists, cultural institutions, and arts and cultural participation strengthen our civic
infrastructure and contribute to health and wellbeing through a myriad of ways. In FY27, NEA is
continuing to offer optional funding for SAAs to support arts and cultural projects that
contribute to overall health and well-being for individuals and communities. Funding in support
of these activities is available in the amount of up to $50,000 per participating agency for FY27.

National Endowment for the Arts, Regional, and State Partnership
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the RAOs, and the SAAs comprise a national
network of arts funders, cultural program and service providers, and leaders in the arts and
culture sector. We invest in the network through State and Regional Partnership Agreement
grants in order to:
• Strengthen the cultural infrastructure of the United States,
•

Facilitate the creation and presentation of artistic works,

•

Provide the public with lifelong learning opportunities in the arts,

•

Enhance public engagement with, and access to, the arts,

•

Foster greater cultural understanding, and

• Contribute to the enrichment of lives and communities throughout the nation.
We acknowledge that SAAs may choose to participate in the work of an RAO of which it is not a
member. SAAs may choose to shift membership from one RAO to another, or may choose to
withhold membership in an RAO. Shifts in state membership in RAOs must be preceded by at
least one full year of planning by all of the agencies involved, including the NEA.

Authorizing Statute
The NEA offers this funding opportunity under the authority of 20 U.S.C. § 954.

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Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements for State Arts Agencies
SAA Partnership Agreement grants are limited to the fifty state and six jurisdictional arts
agencies. In order to enter into an SAA Partnership Agreement grant and receive federal
funding from the NEA, an SAA must comply with the following requirements:

Legal
The state arts agency must:
• Comply, at the time of application, with the legal requirements outlined in the NEA’s
authorizing legislation 20 U.S.C. § 954.

Organizational Entity and Capacity
The state arts agency must:
• Be domiciled within the State.
•

Be designated by its State government as programmatically and administratively
responsible for developing a statewide arts plan and establishing arts and cultural policy
having a statewide impact.

•

Be designated as officially responsible for coordinating and administering all financial
support received from the NEA and the State in conjunction with the state arts agency
Partnership Agreement grant.

•

Have designated staff with relevant experience; a designated budget; and an independent
board, council, or commission whose members serve in an advisory or policy-making
capacity.

•

Base program funding decisions on criteria that includes artistic excellence and artistic
merit.

Financial Support, Cost Share Funds, and Financial Reporting
The state arts agency must:
• Be financially supported by its State government.
•

Provide a cost share to the NEA Partnership Agreement grant funds of at least 1 to 1.
o The 1 to 1 cost share must come from state government funds that are directly
controlled and appropriated by the state and directly managed by the state agency.

•

Use Partnership Agreement grant funds to supplement and not supplant non-federal
funds. (Non-federal funds cannot be replaced with federal funds with the intention or
effect of reducing State financial support for the state arts agency.)

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Eligibility

SAM Registration
All applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), be registered with the System for
Award Management (SAM) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application
process is complete, and throughout the life of the award.

Planning Process
The state arts agency must have developed a state arts plan that:
•

Results from a responsive, public process that solicited and represented the perspectives
of arts constituencies throughout the State, and

Reflects recommendations from the public process, as well as programmatic and/or policy
responses to the recommendations.
The state arts agency submits this plan with its Partnership Agreement grant application.
•

Subawards
State arts agencies that subaward must:
•

Require their recipients to provide a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number before an
award can be made.

•

Report awards of $30,000 or more in federal funds and, if required, information about the
compensation of executives related to those grants to the Federal Funding Accountability
and Transparency Act Subaward Reporting System (FSRS).

•

Base subaward program funding decisions on criteria that includes artistic excellence and
artistic merit.

Ensure that all subawards made with federal or cost share funds are, per 2 CFR 200.331, in
compliance with the General Terms and Conditions for the NEA award, including
requirements for pass-through entities (including specific requirements related to
504/ADA and Civil Rights).
Subgranting to individuals is not allowed, with the exception of support for folk arts and
professional development activities.
•

For full requirements for subawards, see the Partnership Agreements General Terms and
Conditions.

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Award Amounts & Cost Share

Award Amounts & Cost Share
Partnership Award Amounts
Funds to support state-identified goals and activities will be awarded in accordance with the
NEA’s statutory requirements. Additionally, awards may include funds for shared programmatic
goals and objectives, to support Arts Education, Folk and Traditional Arts, Arts & Health, and
Poetry Out Loud activities.
Partnership award amounts are determined through a formulaic process that includes
consideration of NEA allocations and available funds, previous award levels, current SAA
program offerings, and population figures.

Cost Share Funds
All awards require a cost share of at least 1 to 1.
The 1 to 1 cost share must come from state government funds that are directly controlled and
appropriated by the state and directly managed by the state agency.
For those agencies covered by the Economic Development of the Territories Act (American
Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands), the cost share requirement does not apply to the first
$200,000 of NEA funds (48 U.S.C. 1469a(d), as amended). Agencies must request a waiver from
the cost share requirement for amounts above the first $200,000 of NEA funds.

Period of Performance
Awards will support activities that are scheduled to begin on July 1, 2027, or any time
thereafter.
All costs included in your Project Budget, whether supported by NEA funds or cost share funds,
must be expended during your period of performance, including all costs associated with
subaward activity. Subawards must take place and be closed out during your period of
performance.

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Application Contents & Submission Req

Application Contents & Format
Application Instructions
A document containing detailed instructions on how to prepare and submit your application
can be found on the Partnership Agreement Grants page, under “Grant Program Guidelines and
Instructions”.

Applications Recommended for Funding
Following the notification of funding offers (anticipated to be April 2026), all applicants must
complete and submit a Partnership Agreement grant budget for NEA review. Instructions and
deadlines will be provided with the notification of funding offers.

Submission Requirements & Deadlines
Pre-Application Required Registration
Before applying, all applicants must register with Login.gov, Grants.gov, and the System for
Award Management (SAM) at SAM.gov. Applicants must provide a valid unique entity
identifier (UEI) in their application; and continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration
with current entity information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an
application or plan under consideration by a Federal agency. All three required registrations
must be active to submit the application through Grants.gov. Returning applicants must
renew or verify that their registrations are up to date prior to the application deadline.
Registering and maintaining accounts with Login.gov, SAM, and Grants.gov is always FREE.
The Registration Guidance document available on the Partnership Agreements webpage
provides information about registration, including links to each registration site, and support
resources.

Submission Methods
SUBMIT APPLICATION VIA GRANTS.GOV
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. To begin the submission
process, access the Grant Opportunity Package on the Partnership Agreements Grants page,
under the “How to Apply” heading.

Contact Information
The Contacts page has contact information for NEA staff, Login.gov, SAM, and Grants.gov.

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Application Contents & Submission Req

Application Submission Dates and Times
Step

Date

Grant Program Details and Application
Instructions Published

July 2026

Application Package Available on Grants.gov

July 2026

Submit Application to Grants.gov

October 9, 2026 11:59 pm ET

Notification of recommended funding or
rejection

April 2027

Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project

July 1, 2027

The Grants.gov system must receive your validated application no later than 11:59 p.m.,
Eastern Time, on October 8, 2026.
We suggest that you submit your application at least 10 days prior to the deadline to give
yourself ample time to resolve any problems that you might encounter. You take significant risk
by waiting until the day of the deadline to submit your application. Late applications will not be
accepted.
In the event of an emergency (e.g., a hurricane, a SAM.gov or Grants.gov technological failure),
the NEA Chair may adjust application deadlines for affected applicants. If a deadline is extended
for any reason, an announcement will be posted on our website.

Intergovernmental Review
Applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact for Executive Order 12372 to
determine whether their application is subject to their state’s intergovernmental review
process. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) maintains a list of official State
Single Points of Contact designated by the States to review and coordinate proposed federal
financial assistance and direct federal development.

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Application Review & Award Notices

Application Review
Review Criteria
NEA staff review applications to confirm that eligibility requirements are met. In addition,
external reader reviewers will provide comments related to application narrative and state arts
plan documents addressing:
• The SAA’s operating environment, mission, and goals.
•

The SAA’s planning process, including:
o the timeline and methodology for constituent engagement through a wide variety of
means (such as public meetings, surveys, interviews, virtual engagement, and digital
communications, as relevant to various constituent groups); and
o opportunities for a wide range of constituents to participate in the planning process,
including those in underserved groups/communities. For the purposes of these
guidelines, an underserved group/community includes populations whose
opportunities to experience the arts have been limited relative to factors such as
geography, economic status, ethnicity, or disability. Within this broad definition, SAAs
are asked to specify their own underserved groups/communities.

•

The SAA’s responses to the planning process, including:
o responses to recommendations and priorities identified through the planning process
and/or changing circumstances in the state; and
o processes and metrics used to monitor progress in relation to the state plan.

•

•

The SAA’s programming, including programs and activities reflected in the plan and
o as relevant, programs and activities with shared state and federal goals and objectives
(Arts Education, Arts & Health, Folk and Traditional Arts, and Poetry Out Loud).
Discussion of programming should include details related to:
 implementation of the arts-related programs and services, and
 related planning, accomplishments, challenges, and/or opportunities.
The SAA’s commitment and capacity to implement the arts-related programs and services
reflected in the plan.

Review Process
Applications are evaluated according to the Review Criteria for their category. Funding
recommendations are considered by the National Council on the Arts, and are voted on in open
session. The Council makes recommendations to the Chair of the NEA. The Chair reviews the
Council’s recommendations and makes the final decision on all grant awards.

Application Status Updates
Applicants will receive a tentative funding offer or a notice of rejection via email. Refer to the
Application Calendar for expected notification dates. Do not request the status of your
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Application Review & Award Notices

application before the listed notification date. Applicants tentatively recommended for funding
will receive a preliminary congratulatory message, with a request for required project and
budget updates.

Award Notices
Official grant award notification (i.e., a notice of action authorized by the NE A’ Grants
Management Office) is the only legal and valid confirmation of award. This can take several
months to issue depending on factors such as the number of awards to be processed,
Congressional appropriations level, etc.
All NEA awards are contingent on active SAM registration and compliance with 2 CFR 200,
NEA’s legislation 20 U.S.C. § 954 and 955, along with other federal statutes, regulations, and
executive orders that apply to federal financial assistance awards and established NEA
policies. The NEA will not be able to issue an award if you have an expired SAM.gov
registration on September 1 of the fiscal year listed on this funding opportunity, or if the
project is not compliant with applicable statutes, regulations, or executive orders.

Risk Review
All recommended applications undergo a review to evaluate risk posed by the applicant prior to
making a federal award. This may include past performance on grants, ability to meet reporting
deadlines, compliance with terms and conditions, audit findings, etc.

Final Reporting on Previous Awards
Before the NEA issues any award, organizations must have submitted acceptable Final Report
packages by the due date(s) for all NEA grant(s) previously received, and report on funded
activities in accordance with the National Standard for Arts Information Exchange.

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Post-Award Req & Administration

Post-Award Requirements & Administration
Prohibition on Supplanting Non-Federal Funds
Partnership Agreement grants must be used to supplement and not supplant non-federal
funds. For the purposes of these guidelines, the term "supplant non-federal funds" is defined as
using federal dollars to replace non-federal dollars, with the intention or effect of reducing
financial support for an SAA or RAO from non-federal funds.

General Terms & Conditions
Federal government-wide and agency-specific requirements that relate to NEA awards are
highlighted in our General Terms & Conditions (GTC). The GTCs incorporate the adoption of 2
CFR Part 200 by reference. The document also explicitly identifies where the NEA has selected
options offered in the regulation, such as budget waivers and requirements for use of program
income. It also includes requirements for cost share funds, reporting requirements,
amendment processes, and termination actions. Recipients must review, understand, and
comply with these requirements. Failure to comply with the GTCs for an award may result in
termination of an award, and/or returning funds to the NEA, among other consequences.
Implementation of Title 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
This guidance from the federal government's Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
establishes clarity and consistency of the pre- and post-award requirements applicable to
federal financial assistance recipients. Under the authority listed above, the NEA adopts the
OMB Guidance in 2 CFR part 200 under §3255.1 Adoption of 2 CFR Part 200. This part gives
regulatory effect to the OMB guidance , including any updates to it.
Crediting Requirement
Recipients must clearly acknowledge NEA support in their programs and related promotional
material including publications and websites.
Acknowledgments should include the NEA logo wherever possible. In addition, we will provide
detailed crediting language for SAAs and RAOs to use with their own subrecipients.

Project Reporting and Evaluation
When a grant is completed, you must submit a final report and answer questions detailing
all activities conducted under the State Arts Plan or Regional Arts Plan (SAA / RAO Arts Plan)
that was approved as part of your NEA Partnership Agreement grant application and that took
place within the approved period of performance for the award. Before applying, review the
reporting requirements.

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Legal Requirements and Assurance of Compliance
The Legal Requirements section on our website provides information about key legal
requirements that may apply to an applicant or recipient. It is not an exhaustive list; more
details may be found in Appendix A of the General Terms & Conditions.
By signing and submitting the application form on Grants.gov, the Applicant certifies that it is in
compliance with the statutes outlined in the Assurance of Compliance and all related National
Endowment for the Arts regulations as well as all applicable executive orders, and that it will
maintain records and submit the reports that are necessary to determine its compliance.
It is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that you are compliant with all legal, regulatory,
and policy requirements applicable to your award.
For more information, review the Assurance of Compliance FAQ.

Civil Rights
The Office of Civil Rights investigates complaints about compliance with accessibility standards
as well as other federal civil rights statutes. For further information and copies of the
nondiscrimination regulations identified above, contact the Office of Civil Rights at 202-6825454 or civilrights@arts.gov.

Laws Relating to Lobbying (31 U.S.C. 1352)
For organizations applying for more than $100,000 (31 U.S.C. 1352).
The applicant certifies that:
a) It has not and will not use federal appropriated funds or cost share/matching funds to pay
any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any
agency, a member of a National Endowment for the Arts advisory panel or the National
Council on the Arts, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an
employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of or modification to
any federal grant or contract.
b) If it has used or will use any funds other than federal appropriated funds to pay any
person for influencing or attempting to influence any of the individuals specified above,
the applicant:
i) Is not required to disclose that activity if that person is regularly employed by the
applicant. (Regularly employed means working for at least 130 days within the year
immediately preceding the submission of this application.)
ii) Will complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," if
that person is not regularly employed by the applicant.

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Post-Award Req & Administration

iii) Will require that the language of this certification be included in the award
documents for all subawards of more than $100,000 and that all subrecipients shall
certify and disclose accordingly.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated at an average of 28
hours per response. This includes the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. We welcome any suggestions that you might have on improving the
Guidelines and making them as easy to use as possible. Send comments regarding this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for
reducing this burden, to: webmgr@arts.gov, attention: Reporting Burden. Note: Applicants are
not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a currently valid U.S.
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.
ALN No. 45.025
OMB No. 3135-0112 Expires TBD

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