TN Arts Rolling Grants Are Open

From Hal Partlow, Associate Director of Grants –

Our Rolling Grants are currently open. Rolling Grants are project support grants that offer a variety of funding opportunities for nonprofit arts, non-arts organizations and governmental entities including units of government, schools, colleges and universities if the organization and/or the project meet the eligibility requirements. They have varying deadlines, typically 30 days in advance of the project activity start date. Be sure to read the guidelines prior to applying.

• Arts Access Mini-Grant (AA-MG)  This grants category is especially designed for new organizations that are not currently receiving TN Arts Commission funding. It offers direct support for arts projects which focus on increasing access to underserved and underrepresented people which may include ethnic groups, people with disabilities, people age 65 years and older, and active duty military, reservists, veterans and their families.
• Touring Grant (TOUR) This grant category supports Tennessee communities by offering support to nonprofit organizations and entities of government that present professional touring artists. Grant funds may be used to offset the costs of professional touring artist fees at a single event, for a single performing artist or group. The artist or group must offer a public performance and an educational component with their engagement in the community.
• Technical Assistance (TA) This grant is available to nonprofit arts organizations for capacity building projects. Outcomes could include short term consultations on leadership development, sound management practices, diverse financial resources, strategic planning, or partnership development; facilities or activities assessments, training opportunities for staff and or trustees, or improvements to technology (see guideline for specific technology restrictions/opportunities). Funds for this opportunity are not intended to support, supplant or substitute the work normally performed by staff or management.
• Arts Education Mini-Grant (AE-MG)  This grant supplies funds for arts education providers who have unanticipated short-term or one-day arts education projects. Projects should include hands-on learning experiences focused on performing, visual, traditional folk, and/or literary art for the participants. The program must be taught by a professional artist approved as a teaching artist by the Tennessee Arts Commission.
• Special Opportunities (SPECOPS)   This grant provides organizational and individual support for participation in activities or projects identified by the Commission. These opportunities provide professional development and skills-building activities which contribute to the arts sector. Currently, this grant provides assistance with costs associated with attending either South Art’s Performing Arts Exchange,  or Tennessee Presenter’s ArtsConversation 18 . Later this fiscaly year, Special Opportunities grants will support attendance to the Commission’s Artist Conference for TN Artists & Teaching Artists (details and guidelines coming soon).
• Professional Development Support (PDS)  This grant is to assist professional individual Tennessee artists and arts administrators from all disciplines take advantage of a unique opportunity that will significantly benefit their work or career development.

Additionally, our new initiative grant, TN, Military, Veterans & the Arts is open. The purpose of the initiative is to encourage organizations serving Tennessee’s military members, veterans and their families to use the arts as part of the many ways they achieve their goals and provide services to military audiences and to encourage arts organizations to engage military audiences in outcomes based activities that enhance Tennessee’s communities. The deadline for application is August 21.

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact me, 615.741.2093.