The General Operating Support Grant Program (GOS), authorized under DC Code § 39-205(c-1)(2A)-(B), offers general operating support to non-profit arts, humanities, and arts education organizations whose primary mission focus is in one or more arts or humanities disciplines. The mission, as submitted on the organization’s most-recent IRS Form 990, should include the word(s) arts, humanities, and/or arts or humanities discipline. More than 51% of both the organization’s previous year’s cash expenses and programming/services must be devoted to the arts and humanities and/or arts education. At least fifty-one percent (51%) of the organization’s activities must occur within the District of Columbia.
GOS applicants must demonstrate the ways in which their ongoing programming aligns with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) goal to encourage diverse artistic expressions and learning opportunities, so that all District of Columbia residents and visitors may experience the rich culture of the city. Successful GOS applications must clearly detail their organization’s outstanding leadership and vision, history of arts/humanities programming and strong track record of broad and inclusive community engagement.
GOS applications are reviewed in four (4) categories. Applicants have the opportunity to choose a category when they initiate an online application.
1. GOS: Generalists
This category consists of arts and humanities organizations whose primary purpose is to present and/or produce arts and humanities experiences for the residents of, and visitors to, the District of Columbia. It is also designed for organizations whose purpose is to provide arts and humanities programming to the children and youth of the District of Columbia.
2. GOS: Service Organizations
This category consists of arts and humanities organizations whose primary mission is to provide specialized services which can include professional development, technical assistance, networking opportunities, shared operational services, printed materials, and/or research to Washington, DC-based arts and humanities organizations.
3. GOS: Capacity Building
This category consists of arts and humanities organizations whose primary purpose is to present and/or produce arts and humanities experiences for the residents of, and visitors to, the District of Columbia. This cohort will support arts and humanities organizations that have not previously been awarded a competitive grant by CAH. Organizations must have been in operation for at least one year by the start of the fiscal year to which they are applying. Capacity Building needs can include but are not limited to staff training, longer organizational initiatives, and sector-strengthening that increases access and awareness of programs for the DC community.
4. GOS: Multi-Year
Organizations in receipt of funding through GOS in the FY26 cycle along with funding for two years of GOS grant cycles between FY22 and FY25 are eligible to apply to the multi-year cycle. All applicants to this cohort will undergo internal compliance review but will not be paneled by a peer review committee. Should applicant organizations be deemed eligible, CAH will endeavor to fund them as close to the funding level received in their FY26 award. Organizations must reapply to the GOS program as Single Year applicants following the second year of multi-year funding. There is no third year of multi-year funding.
For paneling purposes, organizations applying in the Generalist category of the Single Year program are further classified by budget size for the review process. Budget size is determined by an organization’s total cash expenses for the most recently completed fiscal year, as supported by the organization’s IRS Form 990. For organizations with an annual budget under $50,000, an e-postcard 990 and bank statements for the prior year must be submitted.
Award amounts are determined by an organization’s total cash expenses for its DC-based arts and humanities programming in the most recently completed fiscal year, as supported by the organization’s IRS Form 990. Award amounts are also subject to CAH’s availability of funds and are based upon the organization’s advisory review panel score. Due to the nature of CAH’s budget being sourced from dedicated tax revenue, any award determined at the beginning of FY 2027 may be further enhanced, by no more than 50% of the original award, at a later date during that same fiscal year.
Organizations with current or recent unusual budgetary circumstances, which may cause a marked increase/decrease to a fiscal year budget should contact a GOS grant program manager to discuss their circumstances. Similarly, applicants experiencing organizational leadership changes or significant organizational structural changes, should also reach out to a grant program manager to discuss.
Expenses associated with an FY 2027 award must be accrued in the same fiscal year and awarded funds must also be spent within the same fiscal year i.e., October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027.