• Your organization should reference the arts in your mission and/or vision statement, strategic planning documents and/or other foundational materials.
• If your organization utilizes both the arts and humanities to achieve your mission, you must have an emphasis on the arts and a majority of your programs address an arts discipline, in order to be eligible for funding.
• Please contact ArtsMemphis if you wish to discuss if the work of your organization meets the eligibility requirements.

• Offer programs that are accessible to all Shelby County citizens regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or any characteristic protected by law.
• Have proof of compliance with all local, state, and federal laws or requirements (i.e. IRS form 990, state auditor forms, TN solicitation license, etc.).
• Offer programs that are accessible to all Shelby County citizens regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or any characteristic protected by law.

• If an operating support grant was awarded in FY20, all reporting and other requirements must be submitted and the grant closed out by June 30, 2020. 

The following entities are not eligible for Operating Support Grants but may be eligible for other funding through ArtsMemphis.

• Organizations with a mission that is not arts-based.
• Institutions of higher education or individual departments of colleges and universities.
• Religious organizations, churches or church-affiliated programs, and programs that have implicit religious content, express a particular religious view, or advance a religious purpose.
• Governmental institutions, i.e., public libraries, park and recreational facilities, schools, etc.
• Arts-missioned programs or projects operating under a fiscal agent that does not have an arts-based mission. 

Guidelines for the FY21 Operating Support Grant are currently being updated and will be posted by December 1, 2019. 

The FY21 Operating Support Grant will open January 2020.

If you have not used our platform before, please visit our tutorial videos here.

Please note: The FY21 Operating Support LOI is not a traditional LOI format, but rather an organizational profile for your organization. 

You may submit questions about this grant in writing to Tracy Lauritzen Wright at [email protected]

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