Creative Forces: Community Engagement Program

Engaging in the arts can help military-connected people, including their families and caregivers, enhance creative expression, build relationships, become more resilient, and adapt to civilian life.

Since 2017, Creative Forces has invested in community-based arts engagement activities that take place in healthcare, community, or virtual settings.

The Community Engagement Program expands the reach of Creative Forces to more military-connected people nationwide. It also provides continued, community-based opportunities for supporting health and well-being for people who have received or are currently participating in creative arts therapies through the Clinical Program.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM IMPACT

Learning and evaluation are core components of the Community Engagement Program. We use qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the effectiveness of community arts programs in promoting creative expression, social connectedness, resilience, independence, and a successful transition to civilian life.

In 2020, Creative Forces completed the program evaluation of ten pilot Community Connections projects, which informed the development of the Community Engagement Program.

Evaluation of the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 grants made through the Community Engagement Program is ongoing, as many of the grants support two years of programming.

Community Engagement Program reach

• 200+ arts experiences for 1,055 participants between 2018 and 2020 at 10 Community Connections projects.
• $2.2M+ in funding to 101 projects awarded through the Community Engagement grant program since 2022.

Benefits of community arts engagement

A study of the pilot Community Connections projects found benefits to participants, organizations, and communities.

Military-connected people experienced a range of benefits, including:

• Improved mental health and/or quality of life
• Increased sense of community
• Improved artistic skills
• Increased empowerment

Organizations that implemented the Community Connections projects experienced:

• Increased capacity and commitment to serve military-connected communities
• Improved communication with clinical providers
• Improved collaboration among arts organizations
• Increased community awareness of the benefits of the arts

EXPANDING SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAMMING

Creative Forces began its community arts engagement efforts in 2017 by convening military and arts communities in areas near Creative Forces Clinical Program sites. From 2018 to 2020, the program funded ten pilot Community Connections projects near Clinical Program sites.

In 2022, in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance(M-AAA), Creative Forces officially launched a grant program to support community-based arts programs and activities and expand the reach of Creative Forces nationwide. Since then, more than 100 Creative Forces Community Engagement grants, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, have been awarded to eligible organizations nationwide.

Community Engagement Grants support organizations that offer diverse arts engagement opportunities, including writing workshops, visual arts projects, music-making, dance classes, and more.

Community Engagement Grants also support these programs to increase their capacity to serve military-connected people, including improving their military cultural competency.

Community Engagement grant projects

The Creative Forces Community Engagement grant program has supported 101 projects in 33 states and the District of Columbia in the first three years of grantmaking.

Measuring our impact

Research and evaluation is a core component of the Community Engagement Program. Through a rigorous approach to both qualitative and quantitative research, we are dedicated to demonstrating the power of art in addressing trauma. Our monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) activities, tools, and best practices specifically benefit our grantees. We measure local impact with participants and community partners, and national impact across the fields of military arts and health.

How to apply for a grant

Matching grants are awarded in two tiers, “emerging” and “advanced,” which reflect the capacity of the project at the time of the application. Grant recipients can work in healthcare, community, or virtual settings.

Creative Forces works in partnership with the Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) to provide:

• Matching grants of up to $10,000 for one-year emerging projects
• Matching grants of up to $25,000 for one-year advanced projects
• Matching grants of up to $50,000 for two-year advanced projects

The deadline to apply was January 15, 2025. Awards will be announced in summer 2025.

View the 2025 applicant eligibility requirements on the M-AAA website.