The NEA is committed to supporting excellent arts projects for the benefit of all Americans. Activities funded through Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) enable Americans throughout the nation to experience the arts, foster and celebrate America’s artistic heritage and cultural legacy, and benefit from arts education at all stages of life.

The NEA welcomes applications from first-time and returning applicants; from organizations serving rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities of all sizes; and from organizations with small, medium, or large operating budgets.

Please note that applications are accepted during two funding cycles each year, from December-February and May-July. This listing describes only the deadlines for the December-February cycle, and a complete list of dates can be found on the GAP website under "Important Dates."

Eligibility

Review the GAP Program Guidelines document for full details. Organizations eligible to apply include:

• Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), U.S. organizations;
• Units of state or local government; or
• Federally recognized tribal communities or tribes.

Applicant organizations must have completed at least 5 years of arts programming prior to the application deadline. Applicant organizations must have had an operating budget of at least $20,000 in the previous fiscal year.

Generally, an applicant may submit one application per calendar year.

Funding Levels & Match Requirement

• Challenge America applicants may only request $10,000. Applications submitted to Challenge America for an amount higher than $10,000 will be marked ineligible.
• Other GAP applicants may request from $10,000 to $100,000.
• Eligible applicants for Local Arts Agencies subgranting projects may request from $30,000 to $150,000.

1:1 Cost share required. Sources may include both cash and in-kind.

Review the GAP Program Guidelines document for full details.

How to Apply

There are two parts to this grant application. Both parts of this grant application must be submitted by their deadlines for an application to be considered.

• Part 1: The Grants.gov application package must be submitted via the Grants.gov grant listing by February 12, 2026.
• Part 2: The NEA Applicant portal will open on February 18. 2026, at 9am Eastern Time. The submission deadline is 11:59pm on February 25, 2026.

Contact

Please see the GAP Contacts page for a complete list of contacts based on the field/discipline that is most appropriate for your project.

Deadline

There are two deadlines for this grant application. Each part must be submitted by its deadline for an application to be considered.

• Part 1: The Grants.gov application deadline is February 12, 2026.
• Part 2: The NEA Applicant portal will open on February 18. 2026, at 9am Eastern Time. The submission deadline is 11:59pm on February 25, 2026.