The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is soliciting applications from qualified arts, humanities, or arts education organizations for its Fiscal Year 2027 General Operating Support Grant Program (GOS). Award amounts vary. An award to an individual organization with an annual operating budget exceeding $115,000 may not exceed 50% of the organization's annual operating budget exclusive of funds granted by the Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
RFA Release: Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 4:00 PM
Submission Deadline: Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 5:00 PM
Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines may be deemed ineligible for review and funding. No applications will be accepted after the date and time specified above as the Submission Deadline. Prospective applicants should read through this Request for Applications (RFA) in its entirety before submitting an application. This RFA does not commit the agency to make an award.
Applicants may submit one (1) grant application to this program per fiscal year cycle.
SINGLE YEAR APPLICANTS
Applicant organizations must have received a competitive general operating support, project, or capacity building grant from CAH in any of the past three (3) annual grant cycles.
MULTI-YEAR APPLICANTS
Applicant organization must have received funding through CAH’s GOS Single Year grant program in FY26. Additionally, applicant organization must have received funding for two additional years in one of CAH’s GOS grant programs between FY22 and FY25.
CAPACITY BUILDING APPLICANTS
Applicant organizations must not have previously received a competitive grant award from CAH.
Staff Contact:
Terrell Johnson, Senior Grants Officer | [email protected]
Kaleba, Grant Manager | [email protected]
Kayla Williams, Grant Manager | [email protected]
CAH does not accept mailed, emailed or hand-delivered copies of grant applications and/or the required attachments. CAH will accept reasonable accommodation requests from applicants with disabilities in advance of the application due date to assist them in submitting grant applications via mail, email or hand-delivery. To request reasonable accommodations or more information about accessibility at DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at [email protected]. We recommend making requests at least 5 business days in advance.
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is an independent agency within the District of Columbia government that evaluates and initiates action on matters relating to the arts and humanities and encourages the development of programs that promote progress in the arts and humanities. As the official arts agency for Washington, DC, CAH is supported by District government funds and in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
To view the FY27 GOS RFA, you can download the PDF or explore the sections online using the Table of Contents below.
- FY27 GOS Request for Applications [PDF]
- Live Chats and Workshops on Eventbrite
- Submittable Grants Application Portal - Applicants for FY27 Public Art Building Communities must use this and not our former grants portall
Table of Contents
- Overview
- Grant Program Goals
- Successful Applications
- Eligibility Requirements
- Multi-Year Funding
- Allowable Costs
- Grant Restrictions
- Highlighting Culture and Community
- Technical Assistance and Workshops
- Grant Application Process
- Application Review Process
- Review Criteria
- Conditions of Funding, Reporting Requirements, and Grant Cancellations
- Risk Management and Performance Monitoring
- Contact Information
- Application Checklist
- Addendum A: Work Samples and Supplementary Materials
- Addendum B: Disciplines and Definitions