The General Operating Support Grant Program (GOS) 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 referenced in Guide to Grants. 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.
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.
- applications are reviewed in three (3) categories. Applicants have the opportunity to choose a category when they initiate an online application.
1. GOS: Generalists
This category consists of 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 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 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 small arts and humanities organizations that have not previously been awarded a grant by CAH. Capacity Building needs can include but are not limited to staff training, longer organizational initiatives, and sector-strengthening that increase access and awareness of programs for the DC community. The cohort will not require a previous CAH award.
For paneling purposes, organizations are further classified by budget size within each of the above categories during the application 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.
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 2024 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 particular circumstances.
CAH grant funds must be spent within CAH’s Fiscal Year 2025 (FY 2025) (October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025).