“The Arts . . . belong to all the people of the United States.”

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is the only arts funder in the United States—public or private—that provides access to the arts in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. jurisditions. Each year, we award thousands of grants to provide everyone in the United States with diverse opportunities for arts participation.

We award cost/share matching grants to nonprofit organizations for a wide variety of arts projects, literature fellowships for published creative writers and translators, and partnership agreements with the 62 state/jurisdictional arts agencies and regional arts organizations.

Through our programs, we encourage activities that rebuild the creative economy and educate the next generation; unite and heal the nation through the arts; and serve the nation’s arts field. We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and fostering mutual respect for the diverse beliefs and values of all individuals and groups.

Whether you are a first-time or returning applicant, we welcome the opportunity to connect with you. We understand that applying for federal funding and managing a grant can be a significant undertaking. Our staff strives to ensure that all applicants receive the support they need to understand every step of the process. Contact us with your questions.

• Applying for a federal grant for the first time? See here
• How are applications reviewed? Grant Review Process
• Want to get involved? Volunteer to be a Panelist
• See the wide variety of projects and grant recipients we have funded.
• Find out more about funding opportunities available through your state arts agency and regional arts organization here.
• Notice about NEA staff working remotely.