An organization is eligible to apply for funding support of its arts activities if the organization meets one of the following qualifications:

• The organization is a nonprofit organization legally chartered in Tennessee and in possession of a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service declaring the organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Private educational institutions must be a nonprofit and meet these tax-exempt requirements.

-OR-

• The organization is an entity of government (such as city/county government departments, public libraries, public schools, etc.)

Colleges and universities are eligible only for activities that clearly serve the needs of surrounding communities or the State and are designed to involve a broad audience. Activities that are credit-producing or are oriented primarily to collegiate students and the academic community are not eligible.

For complete eligibility please visit the Tennessee Arts Commission website here. 

The proposed project must take place and grants funds must be used between August 16, 2020 and June 15, 2021.

ABC funds may NOT be used:

• To support a project already funded by the Commission
• For capital improvements (buildings or construction), for permanent equipment purchases or for the elimination of an accumulated deficit. Such expenditures that relate to the proposed project may be used as matching expenses up to $2,500
• As “seed money” for starting new organizations
• For in-school, curriculum-based projects. Projects may target youth as participants and can occur within school facilities outside of regular school hours
• To begin, match, add to or complete any type of endowment campaign or program
• For out-of-state travel expenses

Please note:

• All projects sponsored in part or entirely with ABC funds must be accessible to the general public
• Applications from colleges or universities or other institutions of higher education, whether public or private, must emphasize non-academic community involvement in the planning and implementation of the project

ABC requires at least a one-to-one (1:1) dollar match. “One-to-one dollar match” means the applicant must cover at least half the cost of a project or program through other income sources. Matching funds may be listed in multiple expense categories.

For complete list of grant guidelines, please visit the Tennessee Arts Commission website here.

The FY21 Arts Builds Communities Grant will open Spring 2020.

The FY21 Arts Build Communities application is available on the Tennessee Arts Commission Grant Platform.

If you have not used the TAC platform before, please visit their tutorial pages here.

You may submit questions about this grant in writing to Colleen McCartney at [email protected]

A link to the FAQ document will be provided after the grant application opens.