New England Arts Resilience Fund

The New England Arts Resilience Fund, part of the nationwide United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, an initiative of the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and the Mellon Foundation, was created in response to the impact of COVID-19 on our region’s arts infrastructure. 

With the addition of American Rescue Plan funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, NEFA deepened investment in organizations that received New England Arts Resilience Fund grants in 2020. 

There are currently no further deadlines planned for the New England Arts Resilience Fund.

About

New England Arts Resilience grants will support New England nonprofit arts and cultural organizations that provide regional and/or national leadership in supporting artists and connecting with communities through engagement with artists. The Fund prioritizes organizations, communities, populations, and art forms that have historically had less access to major financial resources for sustainability. We particularly seek to support organizations that are led by and deeply engage communities of color.

Grants may support organizations’ day-to-day business expenses and operating costs. Eligible expenses include:

• Salary support, full or partial, for one or more staff positions.
• Fees/stipends for artists and/or contractual personnel for services they provide for specific activities in support of the organization’s general operations.
• Facilities and day-to-day operating costs such as rent and utilities (e.g., electric, phone, gas bills). Purchase of new buildings, upgrades to HVAC/ventilation systems, and costs related to home offices are unallowable.
• Costs associated with health and safety supplies for staff and/or visitors/audiences (e.g., personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, etc.).
• Marketing and promotion expenses related to promoting the organization and public activities.

Non-matching grants of $5,000 - $15,000 will be awarded to all NEAR grantees who choose to apply. There is the potential for a small number of grants at a higher grant amount. The majority of grants will be in the range of $10,000.

Grantees may also apply directly to the National Endowment for the Arts for American Rescue Plan funds, but there may be no comingling of federal funds and no overlapping of project costs, i.e., federal funds from different sources may not support the same expenses during the same period of time. Recipients will be required to keep documentation to show which costs are being supported by each funding source.

Eligibility

Application for FY22 grant support is by invitation only to existing grantees. Applications will open in mid-July.  

To be eligible for New England Arts Resilience funding in 2020, applicants must have been:

• A NEFA grantee in New England from FY17-FY20 funded through NEST, Expeditions, New England Presenter Travel, National Dance Project, National Theater Project, Creative City Community Partner grant, Fund for the Arts, or special projects to support Native American artists and organizations, or
• A Creative Communities Exchange (CCX) Workshop Presenter in 2017 or 2019, or
• Identified by NEFA’s network of regional advisors as potentially eligible. Nominated organizations expand reach of New England Arts Resilience grants beyond NEFA’s current constituents. 

Funding Criteria

Criteria for 2020 application review:

1. Organization demonstrates a history of significant support to artists and the creation of art in New England.
2. Commitment to meaningful and ongoing engagement with New England communities, connecting artists and communities.
3. Organization’s stated action steps toward advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility as part of internal and external practices toward creating new realities.
4. A plan to use funds that will have a positive impact on organization’s long-term resilience through immediate stabilization from COVID-19 impact and/or planning toward the future.

Priority was given to:

• Organizations that are leaders in the New England creative sector through participating in regional and/or national networks, sharing knowledge and opportunities. 
• Organizations, communities, populations, and art forms that have historically had less access to major financial resources for sustainability.  We particularly seek to support organizations that are led by and deeply engage communities of color. 
• Independent arts and cultural organizations

The following priorities, as well as geographic distribution, guided grant awards in 2020 and will be a consideration again when distributing funds in 2021.

• Organizations that have historically had less access to major financial resources for sustainability.  
• Organizations that are led by and/or deeply engage communities of color. 

Process & Deadlines

Deadline 

The New England Arts Resilience Fund is not currently accepting applications.

Process & Notification

The grant period for New England Arts Resilience grants is October 1, 2021–September 30, 2022.

Applicants can find their open NEAR applications in the online grants portal.

Requirements & Reports for Grant Recipients

Grants will be issued in multiple payments as funds are expended. Final payment will be made upon receipt of the Grantee Report.

The following report may be submitted once the grant funds have been fully spent. Grantees should refer to their New England Arts Resilience Fund Grant Agreement for the grant period dates and final report deadline.

• A completed online Grantee Report for each grant. Click "Return to your grant request" below to log-in to your portal account to find and submit your online report(s). If you need technical assistance, please contact Falyn Rose Elhard (they/them/theirs)

Return to Your Grant Application

• Copies of letters of appreciation sent to your federal legislators. This is to inform them about the purpose of this award, and the impact it will have on your organization’s activities and service to the community.
• Copies of program and publicity materials showing acknowledgement of NEFA’s funding. Visit NEFA logo and crediting page for details.