East Arts Grant Program

The East Arts grant program offered by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is designed to support nonprofit organizations rooted in the northeast (NE) and southeast (SE) quadrants of the District of Columbia. CAH is an independent District agency that evaluates and initiates arts and humanities initiatives, funded in part by the District and the National Endowment for the Arts. The East Arts program aligns with CAH’s mission to foster vibrant community identity and cultural access, prioritizing support for BIPOC-centered organizations that provide exemplary arts and humanities experiences in historically underserved areas of DC. This grant supports projects across diverse disciplines, including dance, folk art, design, literature, media arts, music, theater, visual arts, and broader humanities-based work. Funded projects must emphasize local community engagement and creative excellence that benefit residents in NE and SE DC. There is no minimum or maximum project size requirement; however, proposed activities must reflect cultural relevance and demonstrate measurable District impact. Community-based projects targeting shared geographic areas, interests, or needs are particularly encouraged. Funded expenses may include salaries for artists and administrators, materials, transportation, and overhead directly related to the project. Ineligible costs include food, scholarships, and fundraising expenses. Eligibility is restricted to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations incorporated and authorized to operate in DC. Applicants must have their principal business address in NE or SE DC (not a P.O. box), a board of directors, and at least 51% of operations based in the District. The applicant organization must identify as BIPOC-centered, as demonstrated by leadership and staff composition. Organizations with annual operating budgets exceeding $500,000 or those not identifying as BIPOC-centered are ineligible unless grandfathered due to prior East of the River (EOR) funding. Individuals, fiscal agents, for-profits, and most educational institutions are not eligible to apply. The application must be submitted online, accompanied by documents such as IRS Form 990, a budget, work samples, and organizational demographics. New and previously unsuccessful applicants must attend a mandatory virtual workshop. CAH staff provide technical assistance but do not write applications. Required uploads include a certificate of Clean Hands, liability insurance, resumes of key personnel, and proof of tax-exempt status. Submissions must be received by the stated deadline, with applicants receiving confirmation via email. Applications are reviewed by independent advisory panelists using a four-part scoring rubric: artistic content (40%), NE/SE community impact (20%), Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (I.D.E.A.) implementation (20%), and financial/operational capacity (20%). Final funding decisions are based on panel scores, CAH funds availability, and adherence to guidelines. Applicants are notified of awards, denials, or ineligibility by October 1 of the funding year. Grantees must comply with reporting requirements and acknowledge CAH and NEA support in all public materials. The program operates annually, with all grant funds expended by the end of CAH’s fiscal year.

Attend required workshop; emphasize NE/SE community alignment and I.D.E.A. practices; strong work samples are critical