FY27 EA Grant Application Process

1. Read the Guide to Grants.
2. Read the RFA guidelines for the East Arts Award and determine eligibility.
3. Go to Apply for Grants and select Submittable Grant Application Portal, if necessary, register as a user.
4. Upon registration, applicants select the desired grant program(s).
5. Complete the application questions, budget, and budget narrative data.
6. Upload required documents, supplementary material, and work samples.
7. Double-check the application for thoroughness, clarity, and typographical errors.
8. Submit the application by 5:00 PM ET on Friday, May 22, 2026
9. Ensure receipt of grant submission confirmation email, auto generated by the online portal, by the application deadline.

CAH utilizes an online grant portal to receive grant applications. All applications must be submitted online by 5:00 PM ET on Friday, May 22, 2026. A confirmation email is automatically generated upon submission of the application. Technical issues or failure to receive a confirmation email should be immediately brought to the attention of CAH staff. Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines are deemed ineligible for review and funding.

CAH’s grant application process is competitive and subject to the availability of funds. The RFA does not commit the agency to make an award. CAH reserves the right to accept or deny any or all applications if the agency determines it is in the best interest of the agency to do so. The agency may suspend, terminate, or rescind the RFA if it determines it is in the agency or District’s interest or in accordance with any applicable federal regulation or requirement. The agency reserves the right to issue addenda and/or amendments to the RFA after the issuance of the RFA. The agency may conduct pre-award site visits to verify information submitted in the application and to determine if the applicant’s facilities are appropriate for the services intended. CAH may enter into negotiations with an applicant and adopt a modified funding amount or other revision of the applicant’s proposal that may result from negotiations. If there are any conflicts between the terms and conditions of the RFA and any applicable federal or District law or regulation, then the provisions of the applicable law or regulation will control, and it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure compliance.

Applicants may not request or receive funding for the same activities through more than one CAH program or grant category. Applicants may not apply with a co-applicant. An applicant’s compliance or financial paperwork must not be commingled with that of another organization. Multiple applicants may not apply for funding for the same scope of work, whether through the same or different grant programs.

Applicants are fully responsible for the content of their application materials. An automated confirmation of an applicant’s submission does not guarantee an applicant’s eligibility and therefore review by the advisory review panel (see below, “Review Process”). CAH staff are not permitted to make corrections to applications on behalf of applicants. CAH staff reviews applications for completeness and contacts applicants for any incomplete documents within ten (10) business days before the deadline. Applicants are then responsible for updating their application within five (5) business days of CAH’s notification. Failure to do so may disqualify the application.

The Agency shall not be liable for any costs incurred in the preparation of applications in response to the RFA. The applicant agrees that all costs incurred in developing the application are the applicant’s sole responsibility.

Access and Equal Opportunity

To request reasonable accommodations or more information about accessibility at CAH, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at [email protected] or call the main office at (202) 724-5613. We recommend making requests at least five (5) business days in advance. 

Limited English Proficiency

CAH is committed to ensuring that its programs and services are accessible to all people. Interpretation in the six languages largely served by District government is available upon request. (See list of languages here). This document and grant applications can be translated with a minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice. 

Application and Submission Information

CAH utilizes an online grant portal to receive grant applications. The East Arts application may be found online in the CAH Grant Application Portal, available at dccommissionontheartshumanities.submittable.com/submit  Incomplete, incorrect, or late applications may be deemed ineligible for review and funding.

Technical Assistance & Workshops

CAH staff members are available to assist grant applicants through group or individual technical assistance. CAH staff members will not write applications for applicants. CAH staff members are available to review draft applications for thirty (30) minute appointments, on government business days up to one (1) week prior to the grant application deadline. Applicants should contact CAH to schedule a meeting by calling 202-579-8504 or via email to the CAH Point of Contact listed in Section VII. CAH requests the applicant prepare and deliver (by e-mail or via the online grants portal) their full draft application proposal along with any questions in advance of scheduling a meeting for agency staff assistance.

To improve the strength of applications, CAH strongly recommends participating in one of the following virtual workshops listed below. All workshops are virtual, free, and open to the public. More information about workshops may be found at dcarts.dc.gov under Grant Writing Assistance, or by calling the CAH Point of Contact listed in Section VII.  Workshops and Live Chats may be accessed by visiting dcarts.dc.gov/page/live-chat-dccah-grants-specialist. Interested artists and humanities practitioners may register for workshops via Eventbrite.

Workshops are recorded and posted to the CAH YouTube channel typically within 24 hours of the event. youtube.com/TheDCArts202. Live Chats are not recorded.

Applicants are fully responsible for the content of their application materials. An automated confirmation of an applicant’s submission does not guarantee an applicant’s eligibility and therefore review by the advisory review panel (see below, “Review Process”). CAH staff is not permitted to make corrections to applications on behalf of applicants. CAH staff will review applications for completeness and will contact applicants for any incomplete documents within five (5) business days of the deadline. Applicants are then responsible for updating their application within five (5) business days of CAH’s notification. Failure to do so will disqualify the application.

Successful Application:

1. Clearly articulates the design, deliverables, and schedule of the project, including the impact of the project on the community and on the artists and/or organization involved in the execution.
2. Demonstrates knowledge of the community and community members where the project is implemented and reflects this understanding of its location and participants through the design of its proposed project.
3. Employs methods and technology, where appropriate, to ensure project accessibility and engagement for all project participants.
4. Presents one distinct project with a clear plan for project budgeting, marketing, and a timeline for implementation. It is not recommended that applicants include multiple projects in their applications.
5. Includes a certificate of general liability insurance or a price quote from an insurance provider detailing coverage for the entire period of the proposed grant award.

In addition to the required narrative questions within the online application, applicants must submit additional documents with the East Arts application. Documents must be uploaded in PDF form through CAH Grants Application Portal prior to the application deadline. Templates and instructions for compliance documents are available in Resources for Grant Applicants.

 

Highlighting Culture and Community

CAH encourages all applicants to demonstrate their commitment to our community-centered framework of equality, cultural awareness, universal access, and community engagement throughout the application process. This may include highlighting the following:

• Addressing how the project factors in the varying access, engagement, and economic needs of the DC residents expected to interact with the work.
• Including plans that address fiscal, audio, visual, physical, geographical, educational, and language-based barriers.
• Supplying evidence of community benefit like letters from community-centered stakeholders and work samples that highlight the community’s response to the work.
• Providing examples of how the work highlights DC's distinct historical, linguistic, and cultural makeup.
• Describing ways DC’s unique communities will be authentically represented, positively impacted, and thoroughly celebrated through the project implementation, along with other relevant considerations.

Funding Restrictions

As a District of Columbia agency, CAH must ensure that all award funds are expended in a fiscally responsible manner; all awarded funds are subject to audit and Performance Monitoring. Allowable costs are those that the District government and CAH have determined as valid expenditures. Grantees will be responsible for demonstrating expenses in Final Reports. Grantees with questions regarding allowable costs may contact EA grant program managers.

Allowable Costs

• Salaries for arts and humanities professionals for nonprofit organizations.
• Artists/humanities practitioners, or consultants.
• Space rental and fees directly related to project implementation.
• Travel and transportation directly related to project implementation.
• Material, supply, and equipment purchases, directly related to project execution, up to 25% of the award amount.
• Administrative personnel costs, up to 25% of the grant award.

Unallowable Costs

• Food and beverages.
• Tuition and scholarships.
• Expenses associated with an organization assuming the role of a fiscal agent for another organization.
• Costs related to fundraisers and special events.
• Debt reduction.
• Expenses unrelated to the execution of the scope of work.
• Operational reserve.
• Temporary or permanent public art projects.
• Activities for youth.
• Re-granting (also known as “sub-granting”).
• Funding to universities, foreign governments or DC government agencies.

View Eligibility Information <— | —> View Application Review Process

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