FY26 GOS Support and Application Process

All applications must be submitted online by 10 PM ET on Tuesday, April 22, 2025

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND WORKSHOPS

CAH staff members are available to assist grant applicants through group or individual technical assistance. CAH staff members will not write applications for applicants. CAH staff members are available to review draft applications for thirty (30) minute appointments, on government business days up to one (1) week prior to the grant application deadline. Applicants should contact CAH to schedule a meeting by calling 202-724-5613 or via email to the grant managers. Please note that CAH requests the applicant prepare and deliver (by e-mail or via the online grants portal) their full draft application proposal along with any questions in advance of scheduling a meeting for agency staff assistance.

Livechats may be accessed by visiting dcarts.dc.gov/page/grant-application-live-chats or by registering via:

eventbrite.com/o/dc-commission-on-the-arts-and-humanities-cah-1252966799

GRANT APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Read the Guide to Grants.
2. Read the RFA guidelines (for the desired grant program) and determine eligibility.
3. Go to Apply for Grants and select Grant Application Portal to register as a user.
   (Note: To reset a user password either select “Forgot your password?” or click here)
4. Upon registration, applicants select the desired grant program(s).
5. Complete the application questions, budget, and budget narrative data.
6. Upload required documents, supplementary material, and work samples.
7. Double-check the application for thoroughness, clarity, and typographical errors.
8. Submit the application by 10:00 PM ET on the grant program’s deadline date.
9. Ensure receipt of grant submission confirmation email (auto-generated by the online portal) by the application deadline.

CAH utilizes an online grant portal to receive grant applications. All applications must be submitted online by 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. A confirmation email is automatically generated upon submission of the application. Technical issues or failure to receive a confirmation email should be immediately brought to the attention of CAH staff. Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions and guidelines are deemed ineligible for review and funding. 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 a reasonable accommodation, contact Jenna Kriegel at 202-227-1267 or [email protected] and await request approval.

CAH’s grant application process is competitive and subject to the availability of funds. Applicants may not request or receive funding for the same activities through more than one CAH program or grant category. Applicants may not submit an application with a co-applicant. An applicant’s compliance or financial paperwork must not be commingled with that of another organization. Multiple applicants may not apply for funding for the same scope of work, whether through the same or different grant programs.

Applicants are fully responsible for the content of their application materials. An automated confirmation of an applicant’s submission does not guarantee an applicant’s eligibility, and therefore review by the advisory review panel (see below, “Review Process”). CAH staff is not permitted to make corrections to applications on behalf of applicants. CAH staff reviews applications for completeness and contacts applicants for any incomplete documents within five (5) business days of the deadline. Applicants are then responsible for updating their application within five (5) business days of CAH’s notification. Failure to do so will disqualify the application.

APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS

CAH selects individuals who are arts, humanities and/or business professionals, independent of CAH, to serve as advisory review panelists for each grant program. The role of a panelist is to review and score an eligible application’s content to the established grant program review criteria. Panelists participate in a group review of CAH grant applications, according to their cohort, to discuss and comment on the merits and deficiencies of applications and finalize their application-related scores in the presence of CAH staff and Commissioner Conveners.

CAH staff, Commissioner Conveners and panelists are to remain impartial in their review of CAH grant applications. CAH ensures that all involved recuse themselves from review of any application that presents a personal or professional conflict of interest (or the appearance of a conflict of interest).

CAH’s grant application evaluation process takes into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public consistent with The National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act, as amended in 1990. For more information regarding the grant review process please visit the Guide to Grants. To volunteer or nominate a person to serve as an advisory review panelist for a grant program, see CAH’s Call for Panelists.