FY26 CP Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants 

All recipients of a CAH FY 2026 General Operating Support grant may apply to only one “Project Grant” and one “Capacity Grant” as outlined below: 

Organizations not intending to accept (or ineligible to receive) a FY26 General Operating Support Grant are permitted to apply to FY26 CP and one other project-based grant opportunity for which they are eligible. 

There shall be no project scope overlap between an applicant’s FY26 grant applications.  

The list below details the minimum eligibility requirements for CP. All eligibility requirements shall be met upon application submission. Applicants shall: 

 

1. Be incorporated as a nonprofit with a federally-designated tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code, as evidenced by an IRS determination letter that is dated at least one year prior to the application deadline date. 

2. Be registered with, and authorized to do business in, the District. 

3. Ensure that at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the organization’s activities occur within the District of Columbia. 

4. Ensure that one hundred percent (100%) of the grant award dollars are used to support District of Columbia programming, inclusive of direct and indirect costs. 

5. Have an active Board of Directors. 

6. Register and comply with the regulatory requirements of pertinent government agencies including but not limited to: DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), DC Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), DC Department of Employment Services (DOES); and the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS). 

7. Obtain a certificate of “Certificate of Clean Hands” (CCH) from the District of Columbia Office of Taxation and Revenue. 

8. Be in good standing with CAH. 

9. Have its principal physical business office address located in the District of Columbia, subject to an on-site visit. Applicants shall use Post Office boxes or the addresses of board members or volunteers as evidence of the principal business address. 

10. Propose a project at a facility primarily used for the training, management, production, or presentation of performances, exhibitions, or other programs of the arts or humanities. 

11. Have at least one (1) year remaining on applicants co-signed lease or occupancy agreement for Short-Term Capital Projects or have at least seven (7) years remaining on their co-signed lease or occupancy agreement for Long-Term Capital Projects. 

2. 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 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.  

 

3. Financial Misconduct or Fraud Disclosure 

Applicants shall disclose in a sworn, written statement as to 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 shall describe the circumstances. 

 

4. Cost Sharing or Match 

For CP applications seeking grant awards of $100,000 or less, there is no matching requirement. CP applications and grants for awards exceeding $100,000 require a 1:1 cash match for every dollar over $100,000. Neither in-kind contributions nor other CAH funds may be used to satisfy the match requirement of this grant. Projects pursuing a facility or land purchase may use the related mortgage as a match. 

 

5. Other  

Applicants may submit one (1) CP Grant application per CAH fiscal year cycle. 

 

Those ineligible for CP includes: 

• Individuals. 

• Arts and humanities organizations with less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the organization’s activities occurring within the District of Columbia. 

• Organizations proposing projects with an overlapping scope from a prior CP or Facilities and Buildings grant program cycle. 

• Tax-Exempt organizations other than 501(c)(3) designated entities. 

• Organizations that require “fiscal agents”, for-profit organizations, private foundations, political organizations, colleges, universities, foreign governments, federal government entities, public charter schools, Parent Teacher Organizations/Associations, and other District of Columbia government agencies, including DC Public Schools. 

• 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 submitting an application whose content is combined with the application of another organization. Proposed projects shall be “stand-alone” projects. 

• Organizations headquartered outside of the District of Columbia. 

• Prospective applicants debarred from procurements by the federal government, the Government of the District of Columbia or any governmental entity. 

• Organizations which, at the time of application, do not possess the minimum lease obligation for the following CP project types: 

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