Blanket Justification for Arts Endowment Funding Application Guidelines and Requirements for Nonprofit Organizations

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Grants for Arts Projects
[Discipline specific sections, to be merged with Universal Instructions, are below.]

Arts Education
The NEA envisions a nation where every student is engaged and inspired by high-quality arts
education, which is essential for developing America's next generation of creative and
innovative thinkers. We support projects for pre-K-12 students (Direct Learning), and the
educators and teaching artists who support them in schools and communities. (Professional
Development). Projects submitted to Arts Education may include activities in any artistic
discipline. Learning may take place in school, after school, and out of school in rural, urban,
suburban, and tribal communities.
Projects should engage participants over an extended period of time to deepen their learning in
the arts, and incorporate robust measures to assess student and/or teacher learning. Projects
for short-term arts exposure, arts appreciation, or intergenerational activity should not be
submitted under Arts Education; they should be submitted to one of the other program areas.
Direct Learning
Projects support arts instruction for students, generally pre-K through 12th grade, that result in
increased knowledge and skills in the arts. Activities may be offered during or outside the
regular school day schedule by school districts, arts organizations, or non-arts organizations or
agencies in partnership with artists and/or arts groups, and may take place in locations such as
schools, arts organizations, or other settings.
Direct Learning projects should address each of the following elements:
•

Experience: Participants experience exemplary works of art to increase knowledge and
skills in the art form;

•

Create: Informed by their experience in an art form, participants will create or perform
art; and

•

Assess: Student learning is assessed in alignment with specific national core arts
standards or state arts education standards. Describe how you plan to measure increased
knowledge and skills in the arts. Where appropriate, describe how you use the arts to
address other student outcomes, such as creative youth development, college and career
readiness, student health and well-being, or other outcomes that affect change in school
or community culture.

Professional Development
Projects equip classroom teachers, arts specialists, teaching artists, school/district
administrators, arts administrators, and community leaders with the knowledge and skills to
effectively engage students in high quality, curriculum-based arts learning. Professional

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

development projects improve instructional practice, foster pathways into the arts education
field, and/or support educator recruitment and retention strategies.
Professional Development projects should include each of the following elements:
•

Experience: Participants have an experience in or through the arts;

•

Study: Participants are engaged in a sustained, in-depth course of study; and

•

Evaluate: Participant learning is evaluated and the impact of the professional
development on practice is measured.

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
DISCIPLINE SUB-CATEGORY*
Select the artistic discipline that best fits this project:
• Dance
• Music
•
• Design & Our Town
• Opera
•
• Folk & Traditional Arts
• Presenting &
Multidisciplinary Works
• Literary Arts
• Theater & Musical Theater
• Museums

Visual & Media Arts
Not applicable

Subtab: Additional Project Details
PROJECT GOALS AND MONITORING*
• For Direct Learning Projects, also describe plans to assess student learning, in alignment
with specific national or state arts education standards.
• For Professional Development Projects, also describe how participant learning is
evaluated and the impact of the professional development on practice is measured.

Additional Items Tab
In the first text box, enter the Arts Education project type:
•
•

Direct Learning
Professional Development

Enter N/A in the remaining two fields on this page. Extraneous information may be removed.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Work Sample Types & Limits
Applicants should submit no more than four work samples total.
•
•
•

Samples should reflect the project type you have chosen: Direct Learning, or Professional
Development. They should concisely communicate the exemplary quality of your project.
We strongly encourage video work samples to effectively convey the artistic excellence
and merit of the project.
Samples should not be more than three years old.

Work samples may include:
• Student work. Where applicable, work samples should show student work and convey the
actions or reactions of the youth to the arts learning engagement. It is important to
demonstrate the process of learning as well as the finished product. Identify the age or
grade of the youth; whether they are beginning, intermediate, or advanced students, or a
combination thereof; and the context for the work including the chronological point in the
project that is represented (e.g., start-of-year class, mid-session workshop, year-end
program).
•

Artist/teaching artist work. Wherever possible, work samples should demonstrate the
experience and skills of the proposed artists/teachers who will be working with the
participants. Submit work samples that demonstrate the quality of instruction.

•

Curriculum units or lesson plans. Include an explanation of their relevance to the project
and to the other work samples submitted. Where possible, curriculum units or lessons
should demonstrate alignment to specific national or state arts education standards.

•

Assessment/evaluation documentation. Include any assessment tools you may use in the
project, e.g., rubrics, surveys, evaluation forms, student journal samples, final evaluation
reports, or other relevant documentation.

•

Other work that is relevant to the project.

Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 4 audio samples;
Up to 4 video samples.
Up to 6 minutes of
audio; Up to 6 minutes
of video.
WEBSITES
Up to 3 websites

•

Arts Education Work Samples
Submit one video sample, no longer than six minutes in
length, OR a collection of videos with a combined viewing
time of no more than six minutes.

•

Submit one audio sample, no longer than six minutes in
length, OR a collection of audio samples with a combined time
of no more than six minutes.

•

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.

•

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Type
DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 12 Images

Arts Education Work Samples
Each image counts toward the 12 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.

DOCUMENTS
Up to 4 documents
Up to 12 pages each

Examples of documents or excerpts of documents may include
sample lesson plans, teachers' guides, sample curricula, syllabi,
program evaluation or student assessment methods, or
documentation of past evaluation or assessment efforts, and
publications.

Local Education Agency Documentation
This applies solely to single schools that are operating as a Local Education Agency (school
district), as is the case with some charter schools.
Submit a PDF file with documentation that supports the legal status as a local education
agency. This will not count against document limits.
NOTE: We do not make awards directly to individual elementary or secondary schools -charter, private, or public. Local education agencies and school districts are eligible.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Challenge America
Challenge America supports arts projects from small organizations that extend the reach of the
arts to underserved groups/communities. The term “underserved,” as defined by the NEA’s
legislation and agency policy, refers to those whose opportunities to experience the arts are
limited relative to geography, ethnicity, economic status, or disability. Applicants must identify
one of these groups/communities as being served by the proposed project. Projects that serve
other groups such as veterans, or age-specific groups (e.g., youth, seniors) must also include
one of the four underserved categories listed above. Challenge America awards are limited to
$10,000 (applications submitted to Challenge America for an amount higher than $10,000 will
be marked ineligible).
Challenge America is restricted to applications that meet all three of the following criteria*:
• The applicant organization had an operating budget less than $250,000 in the most
recently completed fiscal year, and
•

The proposed project is specifically focused on activities for underserved
groups/communities, and

• The requested award amount is $10,000.
Organizations that meet the three criteria above are not required to choose Challenge America.
They may choose one of the other GAP disciplines if that is their preference. Organizations that
do not meet the criteria above should apply to one of the other GAP disciplines.
*Exceptions:
• Local arts agencies (units of city, county, or federally recognized tribal government; nonarts departments of local government; and designated special districts), should apply
through the Local Arts Agencies discipline, regardless of organization size or project focus.
• Arts learning projects that engage participants over an extended period of time, and
incorporate robust measures to assess student and/or teacher learning should be
submitted to the Arts Education discipline, regardless of organization size or project focus.
Project activities in Challenge America may include, but are not limited to:
• Arts programming, including commissioning, presentation, or exhibition of artists or
artwork;
• Audience and community engagement;
• Arts learning activities for short-term arts exposure, arts appreciation, or
intergenerational activity; and
• Organizational planning.
Projects may consist of one or more specific events or activities but cannot cover all of an
organization’s seasonal programming. The NEA does not fund general operating support or
support for an entire season of programming.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
DISCIPLINE SUB-CATEGORY*
Select the artistic discipline that best fits this project:
• Dance
• Museums
• Design & Our Town
• Music
• Folk & Traditional Arts
• Opera
• Literary Arts

•
•
•

Presenting &
Multidisciplinary Works
Theater & Musical Theater
Visual & Media Arts

UNDERSERVED GROUPS/COMMUNITIES*
Identify the primary underserved group/community your project will reach. Choose only one,
even if your project may serve multiple groups/communities:
• Geography
• Ethnicity
• Economic Status
• Disability
ENGAGEMENT WITH INTENDED COMMUNITY, PARTICIPANTS & AUDIENCE *
2,000-character limit, including spaces
The Challenge America discipline’s focus is to support projects that extend the reach of the arts
to underserved populations. Describe how this project will engage with the underserved
group/community you identified in the Project Activity subtab, and how they will benefit.

Additional Items Tab
Challenge America does not accept additional items. Enter N/A in each field.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
At least one (1) work sample is required and no more than three (3) may be submitted. Items
such as promotional materials, letters of support (including letters from members of Congress)
or other documents that are not direct work samples of the artists or representative of the
applicant’s programming should not be submitted.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

We understand that a variety of reasons could prevent you from submitting work samples for
specific artists. We suggest:
•

•

If artists are yet to be selected for your project, include work samples for proposed artists,
or artists that your organization has worked with in the past as an example of the caliber
of excellence that you intend for your project. Clearly state the relevance of the selected
work sample.
If you are proposing a brand-new project, include samples from proposed artists that are
representative of their body of past work.

Select work samples in a format relevant to the artistic discipline of your project. For
example:
•
•
•
•
•

For performing arts projects, submit audio or video samples.
For media projects, submit audio or video samples.
For design/museum/visual arts projects, submit digital images.
For literary projects, submit documents.
For multidisciplinary projects, submit samples in at least two art forms.

Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 3 audio samples;
Up to 3 video samples.
Up to 3 minutes per
sample.
WEBSITES
Up to 3

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 10 Images
DOCUMENTS
Up to 3 documents, 12
pages each

•
•

Challenge America Work Samples
Avoid submitting work samples that are hard to hear or
see. Select work samples of the highest technical quality
available to you.
Select a video that identifies the artists and provides a sample
of their work. Promotional videos may not give a sense of the
artists involved.

Only submit a website that is an essential part of the project.
Do not submit your organization's general website unless the
link highlights key components of the proposed project.
• Do not use this section to submit additional audio clips, video
clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated limits.
Each image counts toward the 10 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.
•

•
•

Examples of documents or excerpts of documents may
include literary samples, publications, periodicals, catalogues,
architectural schematics, marketing materials.
Leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and
sides of all pages. Use only 8.5 x 11-inch size pages. Do not
reduce type below 12-point font size. Within each PDF,
number pages sequentially; place numbers on the bottom
right-hand corner of each page.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Dance
Our grants support a wide range of dance genres and organizations including companies,
presenters, service organizations, educators, festivals, and more. Dance companies may be
artist-led, collaborative, disability-led, physically-integrated, and/or repertory-based. We
encourage dance projects of all sizes that are working to cultivate dance in their communities
or throughout the country.
Support is available for:
• Creation and development of new dance works, through commissioning, collaborative
work, and artist residencies dedicated to providing support for artists to create and
develop their work
•

Restaging of existing dance works, including innovative reimagination of the original work;
and presentation and touring of dance

•

Disability-led projects or projects that engage disabled artists and/or students in pursuit
of artistic goals

•

Dance learning and exposure projects for people of all ages

Professional artist development and services to the field including convenings, arts
leadership training, and mentorship programs; digital capacity building for organizations
to increase accessibility; and preservation, documentation, and archiving of
choreography, performances, and other aspects of dance history.
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or
activities and should not cover an entire season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or
general operating support.
•

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Additional Items Tab
Enter N/A in each field. Dance does not accept additional items.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
Curate your work samples to reflect the project you are proposing (e.g. a dance company
applying for the creation of new work for the company should include recent samples of the
ensemble, as well as samples from the proposed choreographer.) For services to the field, the
work samples should demonstrate the quality of the services being provided. If your project
involves dance instruction, submit a sample curriculum.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Do NOT Include (unallowable items will be removed from your application).
• Statements/letters of support.
• Press materials or reviews.
• Support materials that do not relate to your proposed project.
Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 2 audio samples;
Up to 4 video samples.

Guidance
We recommend you submit no more than 4 high-quality video
samples.

Up to 5 minutes each

Do not submit:
• Dark work samples or samples with poor visibility.
• A promotional reel or trailer as your only video work sample.

WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 5 Images

Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio clips,
video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated limits.
Each image counts toward the 5 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.

DOCUMENTS
Up to 3 documents, 12
pages each

Documents you may want to upload include: curriculum, study
guides, feedback/surveys, class or festival schedule, etc. Only
upload documents that are relevant to your project.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Design & Our Town
The Design and Our Town disciplines have been combined under one umbrella. Applicants
should choose the sub-category that best suits their project activities. Applicants should be
aware that we do not fund capital campaigns, construction costs, renovation, or the purchase
or leasing of sites or structures.
Design
Grants support design projects that have a public benefit and advance the field of design.
Funding may support architecture, communications and graphic design, fashion design, historic
preservation, industrial and product design, interior design, landscape architecture, rural
design, social impact design, and urban design. Support is available for:
• Commissions and production of new work, including workshops or residencies for
designers;
•

Exhibitions, publications, or websites that provide insights about specific designed objects,
places, designers, or design history or movements;

•

Design learning, exposure, mentorship, and apprenticeship projects;

•

Historic and community preservation projects that promote awareness of cultural and
historic assets, or adaptive reuse of historic properties for cultural and arts uses; and

•

Projects that advance or sustain the creative work and/or careers of aspiring designers
through employment, industry training, technical assistance, organization capacity
building, conferences, symposia, workshops, residencies, and other professional
development.

Our Town
Our Town grants support creative placemaking projects that integrate arts, culture, and design
in efforts to advance local economic, physical, and other community-desired outcomes, such as
supporting local artistic and cultural resources, improving a neighborhood’s design, and/or
strengthening local economies to promote investment and job creation.
Projects must be place-specific (e.g., a community, a neighborhood, a cultural district, etc.)
and should focus on community priorities. Projects should demonstrate a specific role for arts,
culture, and design to strengthen the local community, support changes at the local level, and
lay the groundwork for long-term impact. Artistic work produced as part of an Our Town
project should help achieve a broader community-identified goal described in the application.
Our Town projects should engage with a variety of local cross-sector partners to undertake the
work. We strongly encourage – but do not require -- applications that establish new or deepen
existing cross-sector partnerships between nonprofit organizations, local governmental or
quasi-governmental entities, and the relevant arts, culture, and design expertise necessary to
carry out the project.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Applications must be for projects only. We support project activities such as:
•

Planning activities, including artist/designer-facilitated community planning, cultural
planning, cultural district planning, mapping creative assets, or public art planning, that
incorporate artists as key project leads.

•

Community design processes, including design of artist spaces, design of cultural facilities,
charrettes, or public space design.

•

Strengthening the creative economy to include artists working in non-arts settings,
professional development for artists/designers, arts instruction, and other supports for
creative industries.

•

Opportunities to highlight a community’s artistic and cultural resources through artistic
excellence in arts festivals, performances, workshops, and public art.

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
DISCIPLINE SUB-CATEGORY*:
Select the sub-category that best fits your project activities:
• Design
•

Our Town

Additional Items Tab
Design Additional Items
Design does not request additional items. Enter N/A in the each field.
Our Town Additional Items
Project Goal Statement (up to 3,000 characters): Identify the community need, challenge, or
opportunity the project will address. Provide local context relevant to the project, including
broader information on the unique characteristics of the community where the project will
take place.
Partnership Statement (up to 1,500 characters): Describe the relationship between project
partners, and how the partnerships will strengthen the effectiveness and impact of the
project.

Items to Upload Tab
Upload your work samples and letters of commitment/support here. All applicants must have
at least one work sample to be considered complete.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

ALL PROJECTS: PDF Statements of Support (optional)
Applicants are invited to submit up to three optional one-page statements of support that
directly relate to the proposed project and demonstrate support from the community and
local leadership. Do not provide general statements of support for your organization.
• A statement of support should demonstrate commitment from any combination of key
designers, organizations, or community members that you wish to highlight. Statements
of support are used by reviewers to assess the level of commitment of project
participants and the anticipated impact of project activities.
•

Our Town applicants: Submit a letter of commitment from a project partner reflecting
the partner’s specific support for and role in the project.

•

Letters from local leaders, community-based organizations, and members of the
community that are involved in your project are encouraged

•

Each statement should be signed by its author. Include the name, affiliation, phone
number, and e-mail address of the individual who provided it.

•

Statements may be on letterhead, if applicable.

•

Submit all statements of support together as a single PDF file. This will not count against
the document limit listed below.

Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Samples Types & Limits
It is up to you to determine the work samples that are most relevant to and best support your
proposed project. The work can be from any individual or partner involved in the project. For
example, submit samples that show previous work from participating artists or designers',
proposed sites, existing conditions, past exhibitions by the organization, examples or case
studies of similar projects, a sampling of items to be included in the exhibition, or imagery that
otherwise demonstrate the artistic excellence and intentions of the project.
Select the format most appropriate to the artistic medium or discipline represented in your
project. Audio and video clips are intended to accommodate theater, dance, music, film,
performances, cultural heritage practices, and new media (not slide shows of still images). We
highly recommend limiting your selections to three to four substantive work samples relevant
to the project.
Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES

Guidance
Up to 3 audio and/or video samples, of up to 3 minutes per
sample.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Type
DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 20 Images

Guidance
Each image counts toward the 20 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.

WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

•

DOCUMENTS
Up to 2 documents, or
excerpts of documents,
not to exceed ten (10)
total pages of material.

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
• Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.
Types of documents may include: Planning documents,
Publications, Periodicals, Catalogues, Monographs,
Commissioned Essays.
Excess pages will be removed and not be reviewed.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Folk & Traditional Arts
Rooted in and reflective of the cultural life of a community, folk and traditional arts are
constantly evolving, shaped by values and standards of excellence passed from generation to
generation, most often within family and community, through demonstration, conversation,
and practice. Project activities are represented by a wide range of genres including music,
dance, crafts, foodways, regalia/adornment, occupation, ceremony, and oral expression, such
as stories, poetry, and language. We encourage projects focusing on cultural sustainability, as
well as the stewardship and awareness of living cultural traditions.
Support is available for:
• Exhibits, performances, festivals, powwows, hands-on artist demonstrations, media
projects, and other community programs that celebrate folklife and cultural heritage.
•

Training, mentorship, and apprenticeship programs for folk and traditional artists.

•

Artist residencies dedicated to providing support for artists to create and develop their
work.

•

Folk arts learning programs, workshops, and classes offering instruction in various folk and
traditional arts for people of all ages.

•

Ethnographic fieldwork and research to document, preserve, and/or revitalize folklife,
lifeways, and cultural heritage and to identify traditional artists.

•

Services to the field such as conferences, convenings, publications, archiving,
preservation, documentation projects, and professional development activities.

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Additional Items Tab
Statement of Support: Up to 1 statement
• A statement from an external individual who is a key project partner, artist, participant,
or member of a benefiting community specifically addressing their role in the project,
and/or the potential impact this project will have on their community, organizational
mission, or artistic practice.
•

If participants or partners are yet to be selected, a statement from previous beneficiaries
may be included.

•

Include the name and title of the person who authored each statement.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Work Sample Types & Limits
You may submit relevant samples of previous work completed if participating artists or other
key components of your project are not yet determined. Promotional materials should only be
submitted if they clearly demonstrate the artistic excellence and artistic merit of your project.
For example, if you are proposing:
• A festival, performance, or tour, submit representative samples of the proposed artists
and/or relevant samples of previous work completed by the applicant or partner
organization.
•

An exhibition, submit an exhibition plan and visual documentation that provides a
representative sampling of the works to be shown.

•

An educational or apprenticeship program, submit a sample that demonstrates the
experience and skills of the proposed artists/teachers who will be involved.

•

A media project, submit a sample of previous work by the individual(s) with primary
artistic control and a sample of the subject to be portrayed. If the request is to complete a
work, submit a sample of the work in progress.

•

Services for artists and/or arts organizations, submit brief selections from publications,
training material, or other documentation that demonstrates your organization's
expertise and ability to carry out the project.

Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 3 audio samples;
Up to 3 video samples
Up to 3 minutes per
sample
WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 10 Images

Guidance
If the sample exceeds three minutes, indicate which three-minute
segment you would like to be reviewed. If not indicated, panelists
will be directed to review the first three minutes of the selection.

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
• Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.
Each image counts toward the 10 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.
•

DOCUMENTS
•
Up to 3 documents, 5
pages each. Excess pages
will be removed and not
be reviewed.
•

Examples of documents may include exhibition plans, study
guides, professional development resources, event programs,
excerpts from apprentice/mentorship applications,
publications, journals, or catalogues, among others
Do not submit bios, resumes, or board lists.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Literary Arts
Literary Arts supports projects in two areas: Literary Publishing and Public Engagement/
Professional Development. In previous years, each project type was accepted at a specific
deadline – applicants can now choose either deadline, based on the timing of their project. This
opportunity is intended for organizations, not individuals.
Literary Publishing
This project type is specifically for literary journals and independent and university presses that
seek to publish, distribute, and/or promote literary content by contemporary writers and
translators in such genres as poetry, fiction, drama, and creative nonfiction. Content may be
published in print, digitally, and/or in audio formats, and should be in English, or English and
another language. In addition to one or all of the above activities, proposals may incorporate
any of the following:
• Efforts to advance the field of literary publishing, including fresh approaches to the
development of literary content;
•

Capacity-building activities, such as leadership and professional development, transition
planning, and emergency preparedness.

If publishing is not your organization’s central function, do not apply for literary publishing.
Your proposal will not be competitive.
Public Engagement/Professional Development
This project type is for literary arts centers, festivals, presenters, and other organizations that
offer literary arts programming and services designed to promote and develop practitioners of,
and audiences for, poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and spoken word. Proposals may include
but are not limited to:
• Reading series, festivals, podcasts and other activities that engage the public with
contemporary writers and writing;
•

Conferences, residencies, workshops, and other professional development activities for
working creative writers, as well as literary arts learning and exposure projects for people
of all ages;

•

Services to the literary arts field, such as peer-to-peer learning, technical and business
assistance, field-wide information gathering; and capacity-building activities, such as
leadership and professional development, transition planning, and emergency
preparedness.

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
DISCIPLINE SUB-CATEGORY*

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Select the sub-category that best suits your project activities:
• Publishing
•

Public Engagement/Professional Development

Additional Items Tab
Literary Publishing Projects
Magazines and Journals:
• Describe your policy for paying writers and/or translators.
•

Print publication projects: provide your most recent print run information, as well as
circulation figures, detailing paid and unpaid subscriptions and single-copy sales.
Provide the name of your distributor or briefly describe your distribution plan.

•

Online publication projects: provide readership figures.

Presses:
• For each proposed work, list author and/or translator payments, print runs, and
expected sales (units sold).
•

If your project involves publishing an anthology, provide a sample table of contents.

•

Provide the name of your distributor or briefly describe your distribution plan.

Public Engagement/Professional Development
• Briefly outline your policy for compensating writers and artists who participate in your
program.
•

If your project includes a nationally-distributed publication with a field-wide focus (such
as from a service organization), follow the instructions for the Literary Publishing
deadline above.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
Work that exists in published form (e.g., an excerpt from a published journal or book) may be
provided in its published layout, provided that it is easily viewed on screen.
For work that has not been published, leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom,
and sides of all pages, and use double-spaced text. Use only 8.5 x 11-inch size pages. Do not
reduce type below 12-point font size. Within each PDF, number pages sequentially; place
numbers on the bottom right-hand corner of each page.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Literary Publishing Projects
For Presses: Required
•

A five(5) page excerpt in English from each book that will be part of the project. If a
proposed book will be selected through a contest and has not yet been chosen, provide a
five-page excerpt from a past book selected through that contest.
o Clearly label and combine excerpts into a single PDF file.
o Book descriptions and author bios should be provided in the application narrative, not
here.

A PDF of your most recent catalogue or a PDF with a link to a backlist of recently published
titles.
For Presses: Optional
•

•

A PDF with up to five images demonstrating design and/or formatting of past publications.

For Journals: Required
• A cover image (if applicable) and five (5) page excerpt in English from up to three issues
published within the last three years.
o If your publication is an online journal that does not bundle content into issues, you
may instead provide up to 15 pages of excerpts from pieces published in the last three
years.
• Combine samples into a single PDF file.
All Publishing Applicants: Optional
• One (1) PDF, up to ten pages, with any combination of promotional and outreach material
and press coverage. Do not include links.
•

One (1) PDF, up to five (5) pages, with project-related performance results/data not
provided elsewhere in the application. Do not include links.

•

For projects that include audio or video components: A total of up to three (3) links to
audio or video samples of no more than three (3) minutes each.

Public Engagement/Professional Development
We encourage you to provide only those items that enhance the information in your
application. Do not submit links, unless for Audio or Video samples. Submit one or more of
the following:
•

One (1) PDF, up to ten pages, with any combination of promotional and outreach
material and press coverage.

•

One (1) PDF, up to five (5) pages, with project-related performance results/data not
provided elsewhere in the application.

•

One (1) PDF, up to five (5) pages, with sample curricular material.

•

One (1) PDF, up to five (5) pages, with excerpts from a project-related publication

•

Up to three links to audio or video samples of no more than three (3) minutes each. We
do not recommend providing content that simply features speakers at a podium.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Local Arts Agencies
Local Arts Agencies (LAAs) provide a wide range of programs and services in nearly every county
across the United States. LAAs may be a department of local government, a nonprofit
organization, or a public-private partnership. They may present or produce arts programming,
commission and manage public art, administer grant programs, provide technical assistance to
artists and arts organizations, and guide cultural and disaster planning efforts. For the LAA
discipline, we welcome applications for arts projects developed and managed by:
• Arts agencies that are units of city, county, or federally recognized tribal government; or
nonprofits that operate as arts agencies on behalf of their local government
•

Non-arts departments of local government, including but not limited to economic
development, parks and recreation, or planning departments

•

Designated special districts, such as creative, arts and entertainment, or cultural districts

•

National or statewide service organizations that work primarily with a network of LAAs

For the purposes of these guidelines, local governments are defined as counties, parishes,
cities, towns, villages, or federally recognized tribal governments.
Project types are divided into two sub-categories eligible for support: Programming and
Subgranting. Applicants may propose a Programming project OR a Subgranting project, but
should not combine the two.
Programming Projects
Grants for Programming projects range from $10,000 to $100,000, and require a minimum cost
share equal to the grant amount. Programming Project applications support activities
undertaken by the applicant organization. Examples include:
• The presentation of artists, artworks, arts programming, and artist residency projects
•

The commissioning of artists for the creation of new work

•

Projects related to public art, such as creation, installation, and preservation

•

Coordinated arts services, such as the management of cultural facilities, community-wide
marketing campaigns, or cultural and/or disaster planning efforts

•

Services to advance the professional skills of artists and arts organizations, such as
convenings, technical assistance, and professional development opportunities

•

Arts learning and exposure projects for people of all ages

Subgranting Projects
Designated local arts agencies eligible to subgrant NEA funds (see “subgranting eligibility”
below) may request $30,000 to $150,000 for Subgranting projects, with a minimum cost share
equal to the grant amount. LAAs may apply to subgrant NEA funds in support of arts
programming of the type described under “Programming Projects” and undertaken by eligible
organizations other than the applicant. LAAs may not subgrant to individuals.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

An LAA that subgrants federal funds is considered a “pass-through” entity. A subgrant
relationship exists when NEA grant funds are regranted to subrecipients for activities conducted
independently of the LAA issuing the awards. An LAA may not subgrant NEA funds to ineligible
organizations or individuals through a fiscal sponsor.
Before applying, all applicants for Subgranting projects should thoroughly review the
Subgranting Terms and Conditions. This document includes:
• Additional information on the definition of subgranting
• Requirements for subrecipient eligibility
• Specific requirements related to subgranting federal funds, including guidance for
review criteria and other compliance issues
Subgranting Eligibility, Documentation & Reporting Requirements
The following additional eligibility, documentation, and reporting requirements apply to the
Subgranting project type ONLY.
Subgranting Eligibility
In addition to the GAP applicant eligibility requirements (GAP Grant Program Details, pg. XX), to
be eligible to subgrant NEA funds, a Local Arts Agency must:
1. Be an arts agency that is a unit of local government, or officially designated to operate as
an arts agency on behalf of its local government. For the purposes of these guidelines,
local governments are defined as counties, parishes, cities, towns, villages, or federally
recognized tribal governments . This designation must be demonstrated by uploading
appropriate documentation.
2. Have a history of grantmaking that occurred anytime within the ten-year period
immediately preceding this program’s application deadline (i.e., February XX, 2016 if you
are applying to the February 2026 deadline, or July XX, 2016 if you are applying to the July
2026 deadline).
Subgranting Documentation
Subgranting applicants must submit documentation demonstrating their eligibility to subgrant
NEA funds.
Subgranting Reporting
Subgranting projects have additional reporting requirements, including but not limited to, the
following:
•

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

•

Report individual subawards of $30,000 or more in federal funds to the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act Subaward Reporting System (FSRS).

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Ensure all subawards made with federal or cost share/matching funds are in compliance
with the General Terms and Conditions for an NEA award, including the requirements for
pass-through entities as provided for under 2 CFR 200.331 and the NHPA/NEPA and
ADA/Section 504 requirements described in the GAP Grant Program Guidelines (pg. XX).

•

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
DISCIPLINE SUB-CATEGORY*:
Select the sub-category that best suits your project activities:
• Programming
Subgranting

•

Additional Items Tab
Local Arts Agencies do not use these fields, enter N/A in each field. Do not use this section to
add more information for other areas of the application.

Items to Upload Tab
Upload subgranting documentation and work samples here. Local Arts Agencies does not
require statements of support.
Subgranting Documentation (Required for Subgranting Applicants Only)
Applicants to the Subgranting project type are required to submit two (2) separate PDFs (do
not combine the PDFs):
1. PDF One: Designation documentation demonstrating an existing relationship between the
LAA and local government. Applicants with questions about designation documentation
should contact Locals@arts.gov for more information.
Submit a copy of the city/county ordinance, resolution, charter, or contract that
assigns your organization the authority to operate on your local government's behalf.
This document should demonstrate your eligibility to subgrant as a designated local arts
agency. For organizations with a multi-city or multi-county service area, designation
documentation does not need to be provided for every governmental entity in your
service area.
We recognize that local governments may formalize this designation through a variety of
formats and with various timelines. We reserve the right to request additional information
to verify eligibility. While we strongly encourage you to include this documentation with
your application, requests for documentation to be submitted after the application deadline
may be made to Locals@arts.gov:

•

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

•

February 2026 applicants may submit designation documentation by July 31, 2026.

•

July 2026 applicants may submit designation documentation by December 31, 2026.

2. PDF Two: A one-page History of Grantmaking
To be eligible, applicants must have a history of grantmaking that took place anytime over
the course of the past ten years preceding the application deadlines (February or July 2016
to present). The grantmaking history is not required to have been supported by the NEA.
Submit a one-page PDF file with the following:
• Paragraph 1: Describe your organization’s grantmaking history, including dates for the
grantmaking activities. This information should demonstrate the history of grantmaking
eligibility requirement.
•

Paragraph 2: Describe the selection process for your most recent grantmaking activities,
including review criteria definitions, review process and panelist selection, and grant
program priorities.

•

Paragraph 3: Describe the applicant pool for your most recent grantmaking activities,
including number of applicants, the artistic disciplines and/or communities represented,
and the range of organizational budget sizes.

•

Paragraph 4: Describe the grantees awarded during your most recent grantmaking
activities, including number of grantees, the artistic disciplines and/or communities
represented, the range of organizational budget sizes, and award amounts.

Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
Work samples are required for all project types. For example, if you are proposing:
• Services for artists and/or arts organizations, submit brief selections from publications,
training material, or other documentation that demonstrates your organization's
expertise.
•

To create a work, submit an example of work by the proposed artist(s).

•

To complete a work, submit a sample of the work in progress.

•

To perform or present a work, submit a sampling of performances that are typical of your
organization's recent work and relevant to the project. Do not submit promotional
material.

•

To tour a work, submit a sample of touring activities.

•

A residency project, submit a sample of selected artists' recent work and documentation
of the facilities they will use. If the artists are not yet selected, submit samples of work by
artists who recently have been in residence.

•

An educational or outreach activity, submit a sample that demonstrates the experience
and skills of the proposed artists/teachers who will be working with the participants.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

•

An exhibition, submit images that provide a sampling of the works to be shown.

•

To preserve or conserve an object, site, or structure, submit appropriate visual
documentation, including a condition report and a treatment proposal.
A catalogue or other publication, submit sample text as well as brief selections from
examples of similar publications recently issued by your organization. (Do not submit
entire publications.)

•

Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES

Guidance
You may submit links to up to 5 audio samples and up to 5 video
samples. Each sample may be up to 3 minutes in length.

WEBSITES
Up to 5 links

•

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 15 Images
DOCUMENTS
Up to 3 documents, up
to 12 pages each.
Excess pages will be
removed and not be
reviewed.

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project; do not
submit your organization’s general website.
• Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.
Each image counts toward the 15 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.
•
•
•
•

Leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and
sides of all pages.
Use only 8.5 x 11-inch size pages.
Do not reduce type below 12-point font size.
Within each PDF, number pages sequentially; place numbers
on the bottom right-hand corner of each page.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Museums
The nation’s museums are generally nonprofit organizations that collect, steward, interpret,
and exhibit art, artifacts, and cultural heritage with and for the public. We support museum
projects featuring work by artists in all mediums, representing contemporary and historic
genres, styles, eras, and cultures.
Support is available for:
• Special exhibitions, collection exhibitions or reinstallations, presentation of new
acquisitions, and related activities
•

Arts learning and exposure projects for people of all ages

•

Commissions and public art

•

Artist residencies dedicated to providing support for artists to create and develop their
work

•

Collections management projects, provenance research, conservation, preservation, and
restoration of artwork and objects

•

Periodicals, publications, catalogues, and scholarly initiatives

•

Activities that strengthen the museum field, such as professional development,
mentorships, conferences, and cross-sector partnerships that integrate museums into the
realm of other fields (e.g. healthcare, technology)

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Additional Items Tab
Additional Items
• Publications: as applicable, information regarding sales figures, print runs and circulation;
a description of proposed content; and a list of committed writers.
•

Commissions and public art: a statement regarding permission to use the site.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
Work samples are a required part of all Museums applications. For your application to be
considered complete, you must submit digital images (up to 20) in one PDF. Competitive
projects will include work samples by selected artists. Do not submit letters/statements of
support. They will not be reviewed. If recommended for funding, images and bios of selected
artists may be required.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

•

Exhibitions: submit work samples by selected or proposed artists and a working checklist
with an indication of lenders’ commitment if possible.

•

Residencies: submit work samples by the proposed artist(s). If the artist(s) is not yet
selected, submit representative samples of work by previous participants.

•

Publications: submit short writing samples by prospective contributors and sample
images of works to be included.

•

Commissions and public art: submit work samples by artist(s) under consideration and
images of the proposed site.

•

Conservation: submit image, condition report, and treatment proposal for each work to
be conserved. If applicable, submit images of previously conserved work by project
personnel.

•

Collection care: submit images that support the project.

•

Public programs: submit images of project participants' work.

Type
DIGITAL IMAGES
Required
Up to 20 Images
VIDEO SAMPLES
Up to 2 video samples;
Up to 2 minutes each

Guidance
Submit a single image on each page of your PDF; do not submit
20 separate PDFs.

WEBSITES
Up to 2 links

•

You may submit video samples if your proposed project would be
best represented by a video work sample (as opposed to or in
addition to still images). Do not submit images of video stills,
videos should be submitted as links.

•
DOCUMENTS
Up to 3 documents, 12
pages each.

•

Excess pages will be
removed and not be
reviewed.

•

•

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
Do not use this section to submit additional audio clips, video
clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated limits.
Types of documents may include: exhibition checklists,
publications, periodicals, and catalogues.
Use only 8.5 x 11-inch size pages. Do not reduce type below
12-point font size.
Applicants submitting publications should provide descriptive
information that provides an overview of the exhibition
covered by the publication excerpt.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Music
We support a wide range of music genres, from classical and contemporary to jazz. Applicant
organizations include chamber music ensembles, choruses, early music programs, jazz
ensembles, music festivals, symphony orchestras, music presenting organizations and service
organizations, as well as professional artist development programs, music education
organizations, and artist residencies. We are particularly interested in collaborations, innovative
presentation strategies, and initiatives that help organizations engage audiences in new ways.
Support is available for:
• Commissions, co-commissions, or development of new musical compositions and
innovative works, including artist residencies dedicated to providing support for artists to
create and develop their work
•

Public presentations of new and existing musical works, including festivals and domestic
touring;

•

Performances and educational engagements by or about NEA Jazz Masters that honor
their work, history, style, and/or significance to jazz.

•

Recordings of works by American or International composers.

•

Music learning and exposure projects for people of all ages.

Services to the field including conferences, publications, or archival, documentation, and
preservation projects; professional leadership or artistic development training programs
for musicians and arts administrators; and technology projects, such as broadcasts or
webcasts, online resources, and libraries that provide public access to musical works.
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or
activities and should not cover an entire season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or
general operating support.
•

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Additional Items Tab
This section offers an opportunity to submit more information only if your particular project fits
the types listed below. This section is not required, even if your project includes these types of
project activities. If necessary, combine items in a single field and label the items clearly.
Additional Items
• For recording projects: Distribution plans
• For professional artistic development projects: A representative list of the names and
current professional affiliations of participants from the past two years.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
Work samples are a required part of all Music applications and are considered carefully during
application review.
•

All performing ensembles, including music festivals with resident ensembles, must submit
three to five samples of live performances recently recorded (no commercial studio
recordings) of at least three contrasting works that are typical of the repertoire performed
by your organization. Include, as applicable, recordings of works by proposed artist(s) or
work(s) to be performed as part of your project.

•

All presenting organizations must submit three to five samples of performances
(commercial recordings are acceptable) that are typical of the artists and works presented
by your organization. Recordings should be within the past five years. Include, as
applicable, recordings of works by proposed artist(s) or work(s) to be presented as part of
your project.

•

Both performing and presenting organizations should also include the following as
relevant to the proposed project:
o Commissioning projects: one sample of recent work (within the last five years) by
each proposed composer is required. If your project involves both music and text, also
provide a PDF example of recent work by the librettist or other creator of the text.
o Recording projects: samples of the work(s) to be recorded or, if not available,
representative work(s) by the proposed composer(s).
o Completion of a work: submit a sample of the work in progress.
o Collaborations: submit samples that feature the various artists and/or organizations
involved.

•

Commissioning projects: submit a one-page letter of commitment from each composer
that outlines the vision for the new work, providing length and instrumentation if known
and text, if any.

•

Services to the field: samples should demonstrate the quality of the services being
provided.

Educational and outreach activities: sample(s) should demonstrate both the skills of the
artists who will be working with the participants as well as the artists/teachers working
with students or others. The performance and the audio or video recording itself should
both be of the highest quality.
Do not submit:
•

•

Promotional material.

•

General statements of support.

FY27 GAP
Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 5 audio samples;
Up to 5 video samples.
Up to 4 minutes per
sample.
WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 12 Images
DOCUMENTS
Up to 4 documents, up
to 12 pages each
Excess pages will be
removed and not be
reviewed.

Combined Discipline Specific

•
•
•

Part 2 Instructions

Guidance
You may submit any combination of up to five audio and/or
video work samples total.
For commissions or recordings projects, you may submit
additional work samples, if needed.
For projects that do not involve commissions or recordings,
submit no more than five samples overall that total no more
than 20 minutes.

Only submit websites that are essential to your project; do
not submit your organization’s general website.
• Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.
Each image counts toward the 12 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per PDF page.
•

•
•
•
•

Do not submit season brochures and programs.
Leave a margin of at least one inch at the top, bottom, and
sides of all pages. Use only 8.5 x 11-inch size pages.
Do not reduce type below 12-point font size.
Within each PDF, number pages sequentially; place numbers
on the bottom righthand corner of each page.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Opera
Applicants typically include professional opera companies, opera festivals, music festivals,
presenting organizations, and other organizations that commission, develop, or produce fullystaged operatic works and/or concert opera. Applications for collaborations and innovative
projects that engage audiences in new ways are encouraged.
Support is available for:
• Commissioning, development, and premiere of new operatic works
•

Productions and presentations of traditional and contemporary opera, as well as domestic
touring, festivals, performances and activities in public spaces, and semi-staged or concert
opera.

•

Recordings of opera works by International or American composers

•

Residencies and workshops that focus on the creation of opera works, or training in the
opera artform

•

Post-conservatory professional artist development and training programs, and/or
residencies for musicians, composers, librettists, conductors, directors, designers, and
singers

•

Opera learning and exposure projects for people of all ages

•

Services to the opera field including conferences, publications, and archival,
documentation, and preservation projects;

•

Technology projects, such as broadcasts or webcasts, including simulcast performances
and online resources that provide public access to opera.

Tech-centered creative practices and artist-driven explorations of digital or emergent
technology
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or
activities and should not cover an entire season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or
general operating support.
•

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Additional Items Tab
Additional Items
All applications: an Artistic Statement is strongly encouraged. This statement should be
written by the Artistic Director or other person who has responsibility for the project. Discuss
the reasons for the project's selection, the project’s relationship to the artistic vision of the
organization, and the project’s relevance to the community.
Creation, development, or premiere of a new opera projects: creative vision statement(s)
from the composer and librettist (one each) are strongly encouraged. Each statement should
address the composer’s/librettist’s role in the project, the potential impact of the project,

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Additional Items
their vision for the new work including information about length, instrumentation, and/or
text, as well as any details regarding their creative process and/or themes of the work.
Recording projects: A distribution plan.
Professional artist development programs:
•

A curriculum plan that outlines the training activities and performance opportunities
offered. Outline specifics about the training provided such as vocal coaching, diction,
language, acting, movement, and theatrical training.

•

A representative list of the names and current professional affiliations of participants
from the past two years.

Educational and outreach programs: A plan that outlines both the training activities and the
performance opportunities offered.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
Work samples are required for all Opera applications.
• All performing and presenting organizations are strongly recommended to submit at
least two video samples of contrasting works (performed live within the past few years)
that demonstrate a range of styles, and are relevant to the project for which you are
requesting support. Select and identify specific arias, duets, ensembles, etc.
o Include at least one example of your organization's mainstage work, even if you are
not requesting support for a mainstage production;
o Include at least one ensemble selection (e.g., chorus, quartet, quintet).
•

Creation of new work. Samples of creative artists' work are critical components of your
application and will be considered carefully during the review process:
o Submit the score and libretto of the proposed project, in progress.
o Submit examples (video/audio) of the proposed work. If not yet available, submit
recent work by the composer and the librettist .

•

Completion of a work: submit (video/audio) samples of the work in progress.

•

Mounting a new production: submit examples of recent work by the artistic team (e.g.,
images or artists' renderings of sets, costumes).

•

Collaborative projects: submit samples (video/audio) that feature the various artists
and/or organizations involved.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

•

Recording projects: include samples (video/audio) of the work(s) to be recorded or, if not
available, representative work(s) by the proposed composer(s) or artist(s).

•

Professional development and training of artists: submit samples (video/audio) that
demonstrate the training activities and performance opportunities provided to young
artists.

•

Educational and outreach activities: submit samples (video/audio) that demonstrate the
skills of the artists and teachers working with students and other participants. Also,
submit sample curriculum material such as a teacher’s guide. Label this "Teacher Guide"
and limit it to 10 pages.

•

Convening activities: submit video samples of speakers or presenters from previous
convenings. Also submit sample agendas, program offerings, convening website, lists of
attendees and their roles and affiliations, and/or reports from previous convenings.

•

Service organizations: submit brief selections from publications or other documents that
demonstrate the quality of the services being provided, as well as their ability to carry out
the proposed project.

Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 3 audio samples,
up to 7 minutes each
Up to 3 video samples,
up to 10 minutes each

•
•
•
•

WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

Guidance
For projects that involve commissioning or recordings, you
may submit additional video and audio samples, if needed.
The performance and the recording should both be of the
highest quality.
Submit continuous production footage. Do not submit
trailers or montages set to music, spliced segments of
productions, or marketing materials.
Only submit podcasts or interviews if directly relevant to your
proposed project.

Only submit websites that are essential to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio clips,
video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated limits.

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 12 Images on one
PDF
DOCUMENTS
Up to 6 documents, up
to 12 pages each

Each image counts toward the 12 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per PDF page.
Documents may include: scores, librettos, teachers guides,
performance reviews (limit of two reviews), publications,
periodicals, professional development resources, and conference
programs.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works
Projects in this area should be multidisciplinary (presenting works from across multiple arts
disciplines, standalone work that is multidisciplinary, and/or work by interdisciplinary artists)
and may include performing, visual, media, design, and literary arts. Projects that present a
single artistic discipline should apply through that discipline. For example, a project that
primarily features dance should apply through the Dance program, and a project that primarily
features music should apply though the Music program. Applicants in Presenting &
Multidisciplinary Works often include presenters, festivals, artist collectives, arts centers,
community-based or arts education organizations, and service organizations.
Support is available for:
• Presentation and/or touring of new or existing works, including performances,
exhibitions, festivals, site-specific or outdoor work, and guest artist residencies.
•

Commissioning, development, and creation of new works, including artist residency
programs dedicated to providing support for artists to create and develop their work.

•

Storytelling and spoken word activities, and multidisciplinary hip hop programs;

•

Arts learning and exposure projects for people of all ages;

Services to the field such as conferences and convenings; publications; archiving,
preservation, and documentation projects; leadership training, mentorships, and
professional development activities; and volunteer legal services and business councils.
A project may consist of one or more specific events or activities and should not cover an entire
season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or general operating support.
•

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Additional Items Tab
Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works does not accept additional items. Enter N/A in each field.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
Work sample videos that give an overview of the organization or project are accepted and
encouraged. Highlight reels and compilation audio or video samples featuring more than one
artist or performance are permitted.

FY27 GAP
Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 2 audio samples;
Up to 3 video samples

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Guidance
If the audio or video selection exceeds three minutes, indicate
which three-minute segment you would like to be reviewed. If
not indicated, panelists will be directed to review the first three
minutes of the selection.

Up to 3 minutes per
sample
WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

•
•

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
Do not use this section to submit additional audio clips, video
clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated limits.

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 10 Images

Each image counts toward the 10 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.

DOCUMENTS
Up to 3 documents, of
up to 5 pages each.

•
•
•

Examples of documents may include scripts, study guides,
professional development resources, program brochures, and
literary excerpts, among others.
Do not submit bios, resumes, or board lists.
Excess pages will be removed and not be reviewed.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Theater & Musical Theater
We support the non-profit theater and musical theater fields through project-based funding to
organizations that produce or present theater and musical theater, including companies known
primarily for work in other artistic disciplines. Projects may provide support for organizations in
the creation and refinement of new plays, musicals, or theater and musical theater-focused
works, the public production or presentation of plays and musicals from all cultures and
periods, theater and musical theater-based engagement and learning activities for
communities, and opportunities for professional development.
Support is available for:
• Commissioning, development, and production of new plays, musicals and adaptations,
including devised, experimental, and community-engaged projects;
•

Development programs and laboratories for new plays and musicals, which may include
showcase productions, development workshops, and curated festivals of new works or
works in progress;

•

Artist residencies dedicated to providing support for theater and musical theater artists to
create and develop their work;

•

Production, presentation, or domestic touring of existing plays and musicals, including
traditional repertoire;

•

Theater and musical theater for young audiences;

•

Theater and musical theater learning and exposure, projects for people of all ages;

•

Projects that involve collaborations among theaters, new models for co-production, and
other innovative and new ideas for rethinking the business model of non-profit theater
and musical theater;

Services to the field such as: preservation, conservation, archiving, dissemination, and
documentation, including capturing live performance; professional training and workforce
development for theater and musical theater artists, technicians, and administrators; and
digital capacity-building efforts to create virtual programming, increase audience
accessibility, and/or collaborate with other organizations.
Applications must be for projects only. A project may consist of one or more specific events or
activities and should not cover an entire season of programming. We do not fund seasonal or
general operating support.
•

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
DISCIPLINE SUB-CATEGORY*
Select the sub-category that best suits your project activities:
• Theater

FY27 GAP
•

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Musical Theater

Additional Items Tab
Leadership Statements, Primary Artist Statements, and Letters of Commitment are no longer
requested. Do not include any of these items, they will not be reviewed. Enter N/A in each
field.

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Work Sample Types & Limits
At least one work sample is required. NOTE: Several union (e.g., Actors Equity Association)
contracts allow for producers and presenters to submit work samples for the purpose of fund
raising. Some contracts require that permission be obtained prior to producing and submitting
samples of work (video, audio, digital images, etc.). This information does not constitute or
substitute for legal advice. Organizations should contact their union representatives with
questions and to request permission for the production of work samples.
Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 2 audio samples;
Up to 2 video samples.
Up to 3 minutes per
sample.

Guidance
Audio: Audio tracks from the proposed work or proposed artists
may be submitted. Unless relevant to your proposed project, do
not send podcasts, interviews, or promotional tracks.
Video:
• Video work samples are recommended for applications from
producing and presenting organizations.
• Submit video samples of recent work that demonstrates the
quality of the organization and/or proposed artists, and when
possible, is relevant to the project for which you are
requesting support.
• Submit continuous production footage rather than
promotional trailers or montages set to music.
• Select specific excerpts that convey your organization’s
highest artistic quality.
• When possible, submit two video samples that provide a
sense of the range of your organization’s work.

FY27 GAP
Type
WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

DIGITAL IMAGES
Up to 12 Images
DOCUMENTS
Up to 2 documents, up
to 15 pages each.
Excess pages will be
removed and not be
reviewed.

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Guidance
• Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
• Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.
Each image counts toward the 12 image maximum, regardless of
how many images are included per page.
For projects that involve the creation or development of new
work, or world premiere, second, or third productions:
•

Script and/or score samples are recommended. Submit a 1215-page sample of the script and/or score for the proposed
project, or a recent sample of similar work by the primary
creative artist(s).

For projects that involve publications or periodicals: Brief
selections from up to two sample works published by your
organization are recommended. The selections should be similar
to the publication for which support is requested.
For learning and exposure projects: A syllabus demonstrating a
clear evidence-based and outcome-driven plan is recommended.

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Visual & Media Arts
Visual Arts Projects
Visual arts activity, undertaken by a wide range of organizations, creates opportunities for
communities and artists to engage through contemporary arts mediums such as painting,
photography, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, fiber, textiles, and glass. Projects often
include individual artistic development, experimentation, and dialogue between artists and the
public.
Support is available for:
• Exhibitions and related activities
•

Commissions and public art

•

Artist residencies in the U.S. dedicated to providing support for artists to create and
develop their work

•

Visual arts learning and exposure projects for people of all ages

•

Periodicals, publications, and catalogues

•

Activities that strengthen the visual arts field such as professional development,
mentorships, training, convenings, and conservation, preservation, and restoration
projects

Media Arts Projects
The media arts sector includes community film and media arts centers, presenting
organizations, independent cinemas, non-commercial distributors, public broadcast stations,
and colleges and universities. Projects include the creation, presentation, and engagement with
media art, as well as emergent practices at the intersection of arts and digital technology.
Support is available for:
• Film/audio/new media festivals; curated series, screenings, installations, and/or touring
programs
•

Production of all genres and forms of media art that use electronic media, film, and
creative technology

•

Artist residencies dedicated to providing support for artists to create and develop their
work

•

Regional, national, or international broadcast or online distribution of electronic media,
film, and technology as art

•

Media arts learning and exposure projects for people of all ages

•

Activities that strengthen the media arts field such as professional development,
mentorships, training, convenings, access to equipment and technical facilities, field
studies and reports, and preservation services

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Part 2 Grant Application Form
Project Details Tab
Subtab: Project Activity
DISCIPLINE SUB-CATEGORY*
Select the sub-category that best suits your project activities:
• Visual Arts
•

Media Arts

Additional Items Tab
If your proposal includes a blend of project types and activities, you may include a selection of
suggested items across project types within the three available text fields.
Visual Arts Additional Items
• Residencies: a description of the equipment or materials accessible to artists for their
technical training and practice
•

Publications: information regarding sales figures, print runs and circulation; a list of
proposed articles and committed writers/artists; and a description of your current
payment to writers policy

•

Commissions and public art: a statement regarding permission to use the site.

Media Arts Additional Items
Exhibition-based projects:
• A representative list of screenings and exhibitions from the previous two years.
Include: Date, Event Title/Artist or Presenter Names(s), Country of Origin(s), film titles,
# of attendees/venue capacity
Production or distribution activities:
• Details on the number, length, and content of broadcast or streaming series to be
produced
• Technical, or conceptual treatment of the proposed work(s) or project
• Details about the involvement and relationship between the key artistic personnel
for the proposed project and the applicant organization. Reminder: the NEA does
not fund fiscally sponsored projects.
Educational or professional development activities
• A sample agenda
• Description of the facility, available equipment, and fee structures as applicable

FY27 GAP

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Items to Upload Tab
Work Samples
[PLACEHOLDER, SEE UNIVERSAL INSTRUCTIONS]
Visual Arts Projects
For your Visual Arts application to be considered complete, you must submit digital images (up
to 20). Include the following only if applicable to your project:
• Video Work Samples (Up to 2 links)
• Websites (Up to 2 links)
• Document Work Samples (Up to 8 pages)
Types of work samples vary by project type, for example:
• Exhibitions: submit images by selected or proposed artists
•

Residencies: submit images by selected or proposed artists; if not yet selected, submit
representative samples of work by previous participants. Images of residency facilities and
campus amenities are also acceptable

•

Commissions: submit work samples by artist(s) under consideration, mock-ups, and
images of the proposed site

•

Conservation projects: submit images, a condition report, and a treatment proposal for
each work to be conserved.

•

Publications: submit brief excerpts from a recent publication, and as applicable, short
writing samples by contributors.

Type
DIGITAL IMAGES
Required
Up to 20 images

Visual Arts
For your Visual Arts application to be considered complete, you
must submit digital images.

VIDEO SAMPLES
Up to 2 video samples;
Up to 2 minutes each

Do not include general promotional videos, highlight reels or
general marketing productions. Do not submit images of video
stills.

WEBSITES
Up to 2 links

•

DOCUMENTS
Up to 8 pages total

Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
• Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.
Sample spreads for publications, such as magazines, catalogues,
writing samples of work by curators or invited essayists, may be
submitted. Only include this material if there is a line item in your
project budget for the creation of these items.

FY27 GAP
Type

Combined Discipline Specific

Part 2 Instructions

Visual Arts
Work that exists in published form (e.g., a sample spread from a
published journal or catalogue) may be provided in its published
layout, provided that it is easily viewed on screen.

Film & Media Arts Projects:
Select work samples that align with your project type:
• All projects:
o Submit samples featuring proposed artists or participants. If participating artists are
unknown, include link to works from previous programs to demonstrate the quality of
artists typically involved.
o Submit an audio or video compilation that best represents the range of project
activities outlined in your application.
•

Screenings, festivals, series, or distribution services: Submit recent program calendars or
publications, an excerpt trailer or compilation of recently exhibited or screened works

•

Commissions or productions of new work: Submit mock-ups, demonstrations, trailers, or
works in progress by key artists or individuals involved

•

Professional development, convenings, or trainings: Submit materials demonstrating the
quality of the artistic or professional development activities, such as documentation of
previous programming, works created through the program, works by teaching artist or
mentors

•

Convenings, studies, or publications: Submit the most recent program, agenda, or
published work that best illustrates your proposed project.

Type
AUDIO & VIDEO
SAMPLES
Up to 3 audio samples;
Up to 3 video samples.
WEBSITES
Up to 3 links

DOCUMENTS
Up to 3 documents, up
to 12 pages each.

Media Arts
Each work sample may contain a variety of content, but must
not exceed 5 minutes. If the audio or video selection exceeds 5
minutes, indicate which 5-minute segment you would like to be
reviewed. If not indicated, panelists will be directed to review the
first 5 minutes of the selection
• Only submit websites that are relevant to your project, do not
submit your organization’s general website.
• Do not use this work sample type to submit additional audio
clips, video clips, images, or documents in excess of the stated
limits.
Examples of documents may include sample curriculum,
professional development resources, conference programs, and
publication excerpts, among others. Excess pages will be removed
and not be reviewed.