March 7, 2025 (Cape Cod, MA) – The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod has opened its next round of grants for both individual artists as well as organizations on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.
Applications, which can be found on the Arts Foundation’s website at https://artsfoundation.org/, will go to support arts projects and programs. This funding is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) along with a match from the Arts Foundation.
Applications will be due on Friday, May 2nd.
“We are excited to be leveraging federal funds, for the second year in a row, to have an impact locally on the arts sector here on Cape Cod and the Islands,” said Arts Foundation Executive Director Julie Wake. “We encourage both artists and organizations to think about ways they can increase access to the arts, especially for underserved populations, while using the arts to make a meaningful difference in addressing important issues in our community.”
Organizations interested in submitting a grant application must have a UEI (Unique Entity Identifier) and be either a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, a unit of state or local government, an institution of higher education, or a federally-recognized Indian tribal government.
With organizational grants, the Arts Foundation is seeking projects which create access to the arts for everyone in the community while removing financial, physical, or social barriers for individuals from participating in the arts. It is also prioritizing programs that engage seniors, individuals with disabilities, or intergenerational groups; bring fresh, innovative arts experiences to the community; foster connections through shared creative experiences; and prioritize hiring artists to lead and implement programs.
With artist grants, the Arts Foundation is seeking projects which create access to the arts for all and foster connection across Cape Cod. Projects should aim to engage audiences while addressing critical community challenges.
Project grants for both artists and organizations will range from $2,500 to $10,000.
The Arts Foundation will hold two virtual Info Sessions and encourages anyone interested in applying to attend. They will be held on Wednesday, March 19th, at 9 am for organizations, and at 10 am for artists. A second session will be held on Friday, April 4th, at 9 am for organizations, and at 10 am for artists.
In January, the NEA announced the Arts Foundation had been awarded a $40,000 grant to support arts projects for artists as well as organizations on Cape Cod and the Islands.
The Arts Foundation, which is now in its 38th year, has been giving out grants to support and strengthen the arts sector since 1989, serving as its longest running program. The nonprofit has now received three NEA grants since 2022, totaling $220,000, to support this program and to expand the impact of the arts across the entire region.
Last Wednesday, the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the Arts Foundation as the regional arts agency for Barnstable County. It’s the third straight year the Commissioners have approved the designation, which allows the Arts Foundation to apply for federal funding from the NEA and to subgrant it out at the local level.
The Arts Foundation’s match for the NEA award is being made possible through support from William Raveis Real Estate, Trish Kennedy, the Donald C. McGraw Foundation, Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, South Shore Playhouse Associates, Cape Cod Foundation, Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod, John K. & Thirza F. Davenport Foundation, the Arts Foundation’s generous Arts Gala gift-a-grant donors, and the Arts Foundation’s Patron Program.
About the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod
Founded in 1987, the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s mission is to support and strengthen a vibrant arts and cultural sector for everyone in the region. It fulfills its mission by funding grants; by increasing access to arts and culture in the region for all on Cape Cod; by advocating for more awareness on the impact the Cape’s creative economy has on our region and beyond; and by building a strong arts community network through membership as well as professional development opportunities that fall under its Creative Exchange program.