Section III.A.: Eligible Applicants
The list below details the minimum eligibility requirements for PEF. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements upon submission of their application.
Individual applicants must:
- be a DC resident for at least one (1) year before the submission deadline.
- be a DC resident for the whole grant year. The year is October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025.
- be an artist, arts professional and/or humanities practitioner at least 18 years of age.
- be in good standing with CAH.
- ensure funded projects are not a part of the organization's season of work, if they have any affiliation with an arts organization (CEO, founder, employee, etc.).
- have a permanent District of Columbia address. This address must be on government issued ID or tax returns. You may not use post office boxes as a permanent address. If the applicant is homeless, they may contact the grant manager below. They can discuss eligibility.
- owe no taxes or liabilities to the District. Or, have an approved plan to resolve them. This must be shown by a "Citywide Clean Hands" (CCH) certification from the DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
- proposed planning and implementation fully carried out in the District of Columbia.
Organization applicants must:
- Be a nonprofit with a tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the US tax code. They need an IRS determination letter. It must be from at least one year before the application deadline.
- Be current on all taxes and liabilities owed to the District. Or, you must have an approved plan to resolve them. You can show this with a "Citywide Clean Hands" (CCH) certification. This is a certificate from the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue.
- Be in good standing with CAH.
- Be registered with and authorized to do business in the District. You can be a "Domestic" entity. This means you are incorporated in the District. Or you can be a "Foreign" entity. This means you are incorporated in another state.
- Have an active Board of Directors.
- Propose planning and implementation fully carried out in the District of Columbia.
- Register with government agencies and follow their rules. These include (but are not limited to): DC's Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Department of Employment Services (DOES); and the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Have an address for a principal business office in the District of Columbia. It must be available for on-site visits. CAH does not allow post office boxes. We also don't allow the addresses of board members or volunteers. These cannot serve as evidence for the principal business address.
Festival applicants must:
- Ensure all festival activities comply with District of Columbia permits, policies, and safety.
- Ensure expected festival numbers must meet District rules for public gatherings. Artistic programming must be at least six (6) hours of the festival.
- Publicly advertise events and programs at the festival. They must be open to the general public.
- Use funding for project expenses only. This includes support for salaries and operations. They must be related to the festival's events and programs. Funding may not be used for food, beverages, capital costs, building renovations/improvements, cash prizes, gifts, security, items for sale (for example, t-shirts and posters) or an organization’s operational costs associated with the administrative office (such as staff salaries, office rent and utilities, office equipment, office supplies, etc.).
- Verify the festival is not a block party, fundraiser, or charity benefit.
Section III.B: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (I.D.E.A.)
CAH embraces a commitment to the philosophy of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (I.D.E.A.) and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.) in its work. CAH encourages applicants and grantees to be as inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible in their work throughout the District of Columbia, beyond participants with disabilities. Successful applications will consider a broad definition of “accessibility” by addressing financial, geographic, demographic, cultural, and developmental access in their programming/projects. Please review Addressing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (I.D.E.A.) in Grant Applications in the Guide to Grants for full details.
Section III.C: Financial Misconduct or Fraud Disclosure
Applicants must disclose in a sworn, written statement whether the applicant has been indicted or convicted of any crime or offense involving financial misconduct or fraud within the last three (3) years of the date of submitting the application. If the response is in the affirmative, the applicant will be required to describe the circumstances.
Section III.D: Cost Sharing or Match
There is no matching requirement or cost sharing for PEF grants.
Section III.E: Other
Applicants may submit one (1) Projects, Events, Festivals Grant application per fiscal year cycle.
Those ineligible for PEF include:
- Those employed by CAH within the last three (3) years.
- Organizations awarded funds in the FY 2025 General Operating Support grant are prohibited from applying to PEF for FY 2025.
- Applicants are prohibited from submitting PEF applications for projects that feature temporary or permanent public art projects. For more information on public art projects, review the blic Art Building Communities (PABC) grant program.
- Applicants are prohibited from submitting PEF applications for projects that provide activities solely for children or youth.
- For more information on funding projects and activities for children or youth, review the Arts or Humanities Education Project (AHEP) or East Arts (EA) grant program guidelines.
- Eligible projects by individuals are projects that work independently of the applicant’s affiliated organization:
- Individuals who are staff of a non-profit organization may not apply for funding for projects that are part of that organization's programming.
- Individuals who are staff or proprietors of a for-profit company cannot apply for funding for projects that are a product or service of that company.
- Arts and humanities organizations with a majority of their constituents who reside outside of the District of Columbia.
- Tax-Exempt organizations other than 501(c)(3) designated entities.
- Private clubs and organizations that prohibit membership based upon race, gender, color, religion, or any other classes identified in the District of Columbia Human Rights Act.
- Organizations that require “fiscal agents”; for-profit organizations; private foundations, political organizations; colleges; universities; foreign governments; federal government entities; and other District of Columbia government agencies, including DC Public Schools.
- Organizations submitting an application whose content is combined with the application of another organization. Proposed projects must be “stand-alone” projects.
- Individuals applying with an EIN number.
- Individuals who reside outside of the District of Columbia.
- Individuals who use or require fiscal agents.
- Prospective applicants debarred from procurements by the federal government, the Government of the District of Columbia or any governmental entity.
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