City of Alexandria Arts Grant Opportunities
City of Alexandria, VA – Arts 275th Commemorative Program Grant
In 2024, Alexandria is celebrating its 275th anniversary. The Arts 275th Commemorative Program Grant is funded through a National Endowment for the Arts and the City of Alexandria, VA. The Commemorative Program Grant is established and is available to eligible nonprofit organizations to create art programs and events that may honor the past through artistic historical reflections or commissions, embrace the now with thought-provoking art projects mirroring neighborhoods’ culture, and celebrate the city’s future with innovative art projects.
The art programs will be representational of the city’s demographics and neighborhoods who reflect low income, underserved, and immigrant populations. Nonprofit organizations will engage artists and arts organizations for a variety of projects such as neighborhood celebrations, ethnic and culturally centric creative expressions, youth or intergenerational arts programs, temporary artisans’ markets, concert series, theatre or dance performances, visual arts demonstrations, or storytelling.
The Arts 275th Commemorative Program Grant will fund programs and events offered throughout the city between July 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. Grants will range from $1,000 - $5,000 per award and WILL NOT have a cash match requirement.
Suggested Programming:
- Neighborhood celebrations
- Ethnic and culturally centric creative expressions
- Intergenerational art programs
- Temporary artisans’ markets
- Concert series
- Theatre
- Dance/Movement
- Visual arts demonstrations
- Storytelling
- Or other creative projects
The application will be submitted on the Foundant online grants portal. The grants portal will be live on Monday, June 3, 2024. Online applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Friday, June 21, 2024. Mailed or hand-delivered applications WILL NOT be accepted. It is anticipated that funding decisions will occur by Friday, June 28, 2024.
Questions: Review the list of application questions before going online.
The Arts 275th Commemorative Program Grant projects and activities will need to occur in any of the pre-approved locations:
- Charles Houston Recreation Center-901 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Durant Arts Center-1605 Cameron Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Lee Center, 1108 Jefferson Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Gadsby Tavern, Courtyard, 134 N Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Lloyd House Gardens, 220 N Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Oronoco Bay Park, 100 Madison Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Ramsay House/Visitors Center, Courtyard, 221 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
- Ben Brenman Park, 4800 Ben Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria, VA 22304
- Patrick Henry Recreation Center, 4653 Taney Avenue; Alexandria, VA 22304
- Mt. Vernon Recreation Center, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305
- Leonard Chick Armstrong Recreation Center, 25 W Reed Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305
- Casa Chirilauga/Four Mile Run Conservatory, 4109 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305
Applications MUST have a signed “Location Agreement” between the nonprofit organization, and the Location Director.
Sign-up for the grant webinar scheduled for June 4, 2024, 12 p.m. To request a webinar link, email: arts@alexandriava.gov with the name and email address of the person who will be attending.
Arts Enrichment Programs for Youth - Grant
The Alexandria Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities’ Office of the Arts is collaborating with the Recreation Services Division to create Arts Enrichment Program for Youth – Grant (AEPY) which is funded by the American Rescue Fund Program for Alexandria. The AEPY is a program to provide funding for nonprofit organizations and teaching artists to develop high quality out-of-school arts programs which could be Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math; art, musical performance, culture, both traditional and nontraditional arts; and other creative projects will be in the City’s Recreation Centers.
Arts Enrichment Programs for Youth should:
- Take place in one of the dedicated neighborhood recreation centers which are inspiring, welcoming spaces for all youth who want to participate and affirm the value of the arts and artists.
- Focus on hands-on skill building using art supplies.
- The culmination of the residency could result in a public event with audiences showcasing the work the youth have accomplished.
- To actively involve youth in the implementation of the program.
The AEPY programs will be offered throughout the city between September 2 - December 15, 2024. Grant awards will be for $5,000 per residency, per location. Applicants can submit up to two applications and will not have a cash match requirement.
The age groups per location are:
- Group 1 = K – 1st grade (5 – 6-year-olds)
- Group 2 = 2nd – 3rd grade (7 – 8-year-olds)
- Group 3 = 4th – 5th grade (9 – 11-year-olds)
The preapproved locations are:
- Charles Barrett, 1115 Martha Custis Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302
- Douglas MacArthur, 1101 Janneys Lane, Alexandria, VA 22302
- John Adams 5651 Rayburn Ave, Alexandria, VA 22311
- Mount Vernon, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305
- William Ramsay Recreation Center-5750 Sanger Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311
- Charles Houston-901 Wythe St, Alexandria, VA 22314
The application will be submitted on the SurveyMonkey online grant portal. The grant portal will be live on July 15, 2024. Online applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 16, 2024. Mailed or hand-delivered applications will not be accepted. It is anticipated that funding decisions will occur by Friday, August 23, 2024.
Sign-up for the grant webinar scheduled for July 16, 2024, 12 p.m. To request a webinar link, email: arts@alexandriava.gov with the name and email address of the person who will be attending.
Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program Grants
For over 40 years, the City of Alexandria has provided arts grants to numerous arts organizations, artists, and service providers to ensure that all residents of Alexandria have access to quality arts experiences in their community. The Office of the Arts staff are stewards of the Arts Grant program. Annually, a Grant Task Force is established, comprised of Arts Commissioners, arts administrators, and grant professionals. The Task Force reviews and scores the eligible grant applications.
The amount of grant funding is based on the annual budget. Please be sure to review the Grant Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions carefully before applying.
Annual Arts Program Grants Goals:
- To strengthen Alexandria's creative capacity by providing its residents with diverse opportunities to meaningfully engage with the arts.
- To improve the capacity and stability of Alexandria-based organizations to create, perform, and present works of artistic excellence and innovation through organizational support and program funding; and
- To create a vibrant urban environment by supporting diverse individual artists, organizations, and other entities in the creation, performance, and presentation of high-quality works of art across the City of Alexandria.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Before You Begin the Application, review the Grant Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions .
- City agencies, employees, or volunteers (defined as any agency under the direct control of an elected official, or which reports directly to the City Manager), may not apply for an Arts Grant; they may only play a supportive role in a program proposed by an organization or group.
Grant Webinar Opportunities:
The Office of the Arts conducted a series of grant webinars to assist interested applicants in preparing their grant applications. These webinars were held: Thursday, February 8, 7 p.m.; Tuesday, February 13, 5 p.m.; Thursday, February 15, 2 p.m.; Tuesday, February 20, 4 p.m., and Wednesday, February 21, 1 p.m.
Grant webinars are NO LONGER AVAILABLE.
Key Dates for the Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program Grant Cycle:
January 29 : Online Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program Grant Opens
March 29, 5 p.m.: Online Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program grant Deadline
April 1-April 4: Staff Review
April 5-May 6: Grant Task Force Meeting Review of Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program Grants
May 6: Task Force Public Meeting re: Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program Grants, held virtually
May 21: Arts Commissioners review of staff recommendations Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program
No in-kind donations of volunteer time, goods, or services can be applied towards the match. The cash match must be met prior to submitting a Final Report, but no later than June 15, 2025. Other funding from the City of Alexandria such as, but not limited to, the Alexandria City Public Schools, Department of Community and Human Services and other City Departments, cannot be used for the cash match.
Responsibilities All Grantees:
- THE GRANT CONTRACT: The approved application form represents an agreement between the City of Alexandria and the applicant. The applicant will comply with all conditions set forth in the application form and any other documents furnished to the applicant related to the grant. Every recipient of a grant is required to respond in a timely manner to all requests for information required by the Office.
- ACKNOWLEDGMENT: All grant recipients are required to credit the City of Alexandria in all appropriate printed public relations materials relating to activities supported by the Arts Program Grant.
- PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL ARTS STUDIES: During the grant period, the Office of the Arts may request grantees to participate in local, regional, or national arts studies. The studies may be related to, but are not limited to audience spending, organization management, or facility usage. Grantees are required to assist the Office of the Arts by completing these studies.
- FINAL REPORTS: At the completion of the project a Final Report is required. Grant recipients must submit a final report 30 days after the completion of the project/activities, but no later than June 15 of each year.
- ARTS AND CULTURE PLAN. All grantees must submit program performance information as part of their request for funding in Fiscal Year 2025, and an articulation of how they advance the goals of the Arts and Culture Plan for the City of Alexandria.
The Grant Process:
- Application Submission: The grant application is the document upon which recommendations and decisions to award financial support will be made. The application consists of:
- a completed application form, with appropriate attachments, signed by a representative of the organization/individual authorized to act on behalf of the applicant.
- work samples and documentation of previous arts activities.
- The completed application must be completed online grants portal by the stated due date above. NO EXCEPTIONS.
- Staff Review: Office of the Arts staff reviews each application for completeness and eligibility. The Office of the Arts staff then prepares all eligible applications for review by the Grant Taskforce.
- Grants Task Force: A Grants Taskforce—comprised of Arts Commissioners, artists, community members, and patrons—review all relevant applications submitted for review by the Office of the Arts and completes a standardized scoring sheet for each application. The Grants Taskforce will meet to discuss and finalize their recommendation for funding consideration. This meeting will be held virtually and is open to the public. Applicants are invited but are not required to attend the Grants Taskforce meeting. The Office of the Arts staff facilitates the Grants Taskforce meeting.
- Funding Guidance: The Grants Taskforce does not provide a funding allocation, but rather scores each application utilizing the criteria rubrics. Scores received by Grants Taskforce are considered final. Funds are awarded to applicants are based on the percentage of scores as the formula. Applications scoring below 75% will not be recommended for funding.
- Changes to Programs/Activities: Applicants are required to notify the Office of the Arts of any additional substantial changes in its program(s) and other activities in writing prior to such a change that represents a reduction or reductions in the organization's program(s), project(s), and other activities. The requested changes must be approved in advance by the Office of the Arts.
Evaluation Criteria:
Applications are reviewed by a Grants Task Force comprised of Arts Commissioners and arts professional from throughout the region. The Task Force evaluates each application based on the following criteria:
- Artistic excellence and quality of the proposed program or project (45% of overall score).
- Impact & Engagement of the residents of the City of Alexandria (35% of overall score).
- Management and Budget which considers the feasibility of applicant to successfully implement the annual program or project and overall fiscal responsibility of the applicant with realistic financial goals and strategic planning in support of the project (20% of overall score).
The Grants Taskforce evaluates each application based on the guidelines and criteria specific outlined in the score sheet for the Arts Program Grant. Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Arts Program Grant Score sheet
Information or Assistance:
If you have questions about the City's Arts Program Grant review the Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions . If applicants have additional questions, need assistance, or wish to inquire about available webinars, please email arts@alexandriava.gov. If reasonable accommodations are needed, please call Cheryl Anne Colton, Regional Program Director, 703.746.5565; TTY 703.838.4902.
Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Arts Program Awardees
The City of Alexandria’s Annual Arts Program is designed to support artistic excellence in the city by assisting arts and nonprofit organizations to provide affordable local artists with opportunities to create, perform, and present their works. Each year, approximately $170,000 in City funds are awarded on the basis of a competitive grant evaluation process and require a 1:1 cash match from the applicant.
The Alexandria Commission for the Arts and the Office of the Arts joins everyone in Alexandria in congratulating the Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Arts Program grantees. Throughout the year, Alexandrians are enriched by the works of these groups and many other arts groups in the city.
Armed Services Arts Partnership
Ethiopian Community Support and Advocacy Center
Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Orchestra