The purpose of the Grants for Regional Arts and Culture Engagement Program is to create access and support of the arts to the geographically, economically, and ethnically diverse segments across CNY Arts’ six-county service area. In 2025, a total of $251,000 will be distributed in arts, culture, history, and heritage grants to individual artists and nonprofit organizations.

CNY Arts is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote, support, and celebrate the arts and culture in Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego counties.

The CNY Arts Grants for Regional Arts and Culture Engagement Program supports the capacity of individual artists and small nonprofit organizations to develop quality arts and culture projects and programming. By providing project-specific and capacity–building funds, we aim to contribute to the cultural development of our region and to provide opportunities for the Central New York and Mohawk Valley communities to experience and engage with the arts.

Individual Artists are eligible to apply for:

• One (1) Micro Grant of $1,000 or less, OR
  
• up to three (3) requests in any combination of the following, totaling no more than $5,000:
• Artist Commission or Community Arts Projects of up to $5,000*
• Arts Education Projects of up to $5,000 with a School or Partnering Organization
  * Individual Artists applying for more than $2,500 in GRACE 2025 funding must use a fiscal sponsor.
  

Eligible Applicants

• Must be a resident of or have your organization’s address in Cortland, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, or Oswego counties;
• Must provide access to the public (excluding Arts Education Projects);
• Must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit, local government agency, or Tribal Nation; OR an individual artist, collective, or other unincorporated entity 

Ineligible Applicants

• New York State agencies and departments (including BOCES and SUNY);
• For profit organizations;
• Public, private, or parochial elementary and secondary schools;
• Students enrolled in a full-time degree program;
• Limited liability companies (LLC), business corporations, or limited liability partnerships (LLP);
• Applicants who have been awarded direct funding from the New York State Council on the Arts for the 2025 grant cycle;
• Applicants whose 2024 GRACE contracts were granted extensions into 2025, or who have outstanding final reports from previous grant cycles with CNY Arts

DEADLINE: Monday, October 28