6. Submission Process
CAH utilizes an online grant portal to receive grant applications. A confirmation email generates automatically upon submission of the application. Technical issues or failure to receive a confirmation email should be immediately brought to the attention of CAH staff. An automated email confirming receipt of an applicant’s submission does not guarantee an applicant’s eligibility, review by the advisory review panel (see section 10, “Review Process”), or funding.
CAH does not accept mailed, emailed, or hand-delivered copies of grant applications and/or the required attachments. Applicants are fully responsible for the content of their application materials.
CAH will accept reasonable accommodation requests from applicants with disabilities to submit grant applications via mail, email, or hand-delivery. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact CAH’s Accessibility Coordinator at [email protected] or 202-724-5613 and await request approval.
Steps to submit include:
- Read the RFA guidelines (this document) and determine eligibility.
- Go to CAH Grants and select the Submittable Grant Application Portal to register as user. Upon registration, applicants select the desired grant program(s).
- Complete the application questions, budget, and budget narrative data. Note: a competitive application requires substantial responses to these questions and budget info. Section 7 details allowable costs.
- Upload required documents, supplementary material, and work samples.
- Double-check the application for thoroughness, clarity, and typographical errors.
- Submit the application by Monday, July 27, 2026, 5:00 PM ET.
- Ensure receipt of grant submission confirmation email (auto generated by the online portal) by the application deadline.
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. Multiple applicants may not apply for funding for the same scope of work, whether through the same or different grant programs.
CAH staff are not permitted to make corrections to applications on behalf of applicants. CAH staff review applications for completeness and contact 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.
7. Successful Applications
Successful PABC applicants shall:
- Present a visionary idea that represents a strategic approach to create a transformative impact on the current public art and cultural landscape of DC.
- Address each aspect of the project’s design specifications, material selection, fabrication, installation, and maintenance processes (and, when appropriate, de-installation).
- Detail the proposed project’s budget (indicating all revenue and expense categories). Demonstrate effective fiscal management through narrative or support materials.
- Describe the project’s implementation schedule and detail the specific logistics necessary to support a successful, complete project, including fabrication and installation plans.
- If the proposal includes separate project sites and artists, the application should contain budgets and implementation schedules associated with each unique site as noted above.
- Articulate the project’s community engagement methods and efforts. (See Addendum B Community Engagement Guide)
- Provide complete and detailed responses to application questions, mandatory documents submitted, and materials included (uploaded).
8. Allowable Costs and Funding Restrictions
As an agency of the Government of the District of Columbia, CAH must ensure that all grant funds are expended in a fiscally responsible manner. CAH grant-related “allowable costs” are costs that the District government has determined, in its sole discretion, to be valid expenditures.
Examples of Allowable Costs (valid expenditures) include, but are not necessarily limited to:
- Artist fees, no more than 20% of the project budget
- Fabrication (if done by the artist(s), separate from Artist fee)
- Installation (if done by the artist(s), separate from Artist fee)
- Fabrication and installation services
- Materials and supplies
- General Liability Insurance
- Grantee shall procure and maintain insurances including, but not limited to, the following: commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence. Grantee shall also procure property insurance, with limits equal to the estimated completed value of the piece. (Subject to change)
- Engineering costs related to the project
- Note: some projects will be required to go through engineer review for permits and/or project safety.
- Space rental and/or storage
- Shipping
- Permits
- Travel and transportation directly related to project implementation
- Copyright registration
- Plaque and dedication costs
- De-installation costs for temporary projects
- Photographic documentation
- Project implementation equipment purchases of $500.00 or less
- Contingency funds
Examples of Unallowable Costs:
- Performance art projects
- Virtual installations that require user-owned devices
- Symposia or public education lectures
- Prefabricated or pre-existing artworks
- Project sustaining and /or maintaining equipment purchases (projects must be self-sustaining)
- Food and beverages expenses
- Equipment purchases over five hundred dollars ($500.00)
- Capital expenditures
- Sub-granting or re-granting
- Debt reduction
- Scholarships or award ceremonies
- Fundraising activities or projects
- Tuition and scholarships
- College/University tuition or to fund universities, service organizations, foreign governments, or DC government agencies, including DC Public Schools or DC Public Charter Schools
If the total project budget is higher than the maximum grant amount allowed for artists, organizations, or BIDs, the applicant is required to show their financial commitment to fund the difference to complete the project. In-kind contributions of goods and services and other CAH or DC government funds may not be used to satisfy the project funding discrepancy for the project.
9. Mandatory Approvals
A. ANC Approval
Prior to application submission, all applicants must submit a letter of support from the local Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) in which the proposed project will be installed. Specifically, applicants are required to:
- Request a hearing before the ANC to present and discuss the final designs of the proposed project to neighborhood stakeholders. Please check if the meeting will be virtual or in-person.
- Promote public awareness to community members with the goal of inviting members of the public to attend the ANC meeting and soliciting input on the applicant’s project. Applicants must distribute (electronic) flyers announcing the ANC meeting presentation date. Applicants are advised to communicate that funding for the proposed project is subject to a CAH grant award. Applicants can use their existing communication networks to inform the community about the project on the ANC agenda.
- Obtain a letter of support from the ANC following the ANC presentation. Applicants are required to obtain a letter of support from the ANC and submit a copy of that approval letter with their PABC grant application by the deadline. Applicants are advised to plan early and contact the ANC for their meeting schedule and procedures.
B. Community Support
All applicants must obtain and submit a list of signatures from residents and business owners in the community in which the proposed project will be installed, attesting to their support of the project. CAH will accept signatures received via online polling and petition platforms. A minimum of twenty-five (25) community support signatures, with a maximum of seventy-five (75), must be submitted with the application.
Community engagement is a cornerstone for public art projects. It is an ongoing process of collaboration and co-learning. Community engagement can help strengthen an application by facilitating more active collaboration with the residents, businesses, visitors, and other stakeholders in the community. See Addendum B for additional information.
10. District of Columbia Public Space and Permit Verification
Public Space is defined as publicly owned property between the property lines on a street and includes, but is not limited to, the roadway, tree spaces, sidewalks, and alleys.
Agency Project Review and Permit Verification
Applicants must obtain three (3) or four (4) if the project is on property owned by DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), i.e. a DC Park) written permit letters that specify whether the project can be installed in public space, whether permits are required, and if other District agency approvals are needed for the proposed project. Letters are required from these DC agencies and offices:
- DC Department of Buildings (DOB) regarding construction or building permits. This includes any project that will require digging or ground disturbance of the construction footprint, which means the area of all impervious surfaces, including but not limited to buildings, roads and drives, parking areas, sidewalks, and the area necessary for construction. [Required]
- DC Department of Transportation (DDOT), Public Space Committee regarding public space and occupancy permits. [Required]
- DC Office of Planning (OP) Historical Preservation Office (HPO) to assess whether the project might impact historic property or designated areas. [Required]
- DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), required ONLY for projects contemplating the use of property owned by DPR.
All written permit verification and agency project reviews must be provided directly from the agencies above on agency letterhead and addressed to CAH. If a permit is not required by the agencies above, a letter from the agency is still required and should indicate that no permits or approvals are needed from that agency. (Three letters total unless an additional fourth letter is needed from DPR.) Each agency letter must be submitted with an application. Applications without the three (3) or four (4) letters (if the project is in a DC Park) will be deemed incomplete and considered ineligible.
When emailing these entities, provide the:
- Project address;
- Plans, illustrations/images, and narrative description that explain what is proposed;
- A timeline for installation and whether the artwork is permanent or temporary; and
- Detailed information about any ground disturbance that may be necessary (e.g., digging foundations, paving, resurfacing treatments, etc.) or scaffolding and any work done in public space to install the project.
Applicants are encouraged to plan early and contact the agencies in Addendum D regarding their process and to obtain written verification.
Agency contacts and more information are listed in Addendum D of this document.
11. Technical Assistance and Workshops
CAH public art staff are available to assist grant applicants through group or individual technical assistance. CAH staff will not write grants for applicants. CAH public art staff 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. Please note that CAH requests the applicant prepare and deliver (by email 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.
To schedule an individual technical assistance meeting, please contact Kerry Kennedy, Public Art Program Coordinator at CAH at [email protected].
CAH conducts free workshops for participants to learn about the agency’s funding opportunities and how to submit a grant application. All workshops are delivered virtually. Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend. Dates for the PABC Live Chat/Workshops are below and on the CAH website.
RSVP HERE: PABC Workshops by CAH | Eventbrite
Virtual Workshops
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 10:00 AM ET – 11:30 AM ET
Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 12:00 PM ET – 1:30 PM ET
Final Questions Review
Tuesday, June 16, 2026, 10:00 AM ET– 11:30 AM ET
12. Application Checklist
To apply:
- Ensure that all eligibility requirements listed in this RFA are met.
- Complete all required questions in the online application.
- Attach the mandatory documents to the online application: forms available at this link/webpage: Resources for Grant Applicants.
- See Addendum C. Mandatory Document Checklist for more information on required information.
Documents must be uploaded as PDFs through CAH’s online grant portal prior to the application deadline. Incomplete or late applications or applications that do not follow the instructions/guidelines may be deemed ineligible for review and funding.
View Eligibilty Information <— | —> View Application and Review Information