Local Arts Program

The Atlantic County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs is a unit of Atlantic County government established to foster the growth and development of the local arts community. Through funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the office administers the Local Arts Program regrant opportunity for nonprofit organizations conducting arts activities in Atlantic County. The program is intended to promote artistic excellence, provide public benefit, increase arts exposure and participation, and support programming that is accessible to the public. The grant period runs from January 1 through December 31, 2027, and projects may not begin before January 1 or extend beyond December 31, 2027. The program provides four funding categories. Technical Assistance offers awards up to $2,000 for emerging, developing, minority arts, special constituency, and existing arts organizations addressing organizational development needs. Special Project Support provides up to $10,000 for a nonprofit organization to sponsor one special arts-related project. General Programming Support provides up to $10,000 to offset costs for major ongoing arts programming involving multiple events or activities. General Operating Support provides up to $20,000 and is restricted to organizations whose primary charter or mission is arts driven. The State Council awarded Atlantic County $217,500 for this annual regrant program, although funding is competitive and organizations are cautioned not to assume future award levels will remain the same. Grant funds may not be used for capital improvements or acquisitions, hospitality expenses such as food or beverages, travel outside New Jersey, foreign travel, deficit reduction, replacement of funds normally budgeted for organizational activities, fundraising events, student publications, scholarships, fellowships, or regranting to out-of-state organizations or projects. Educational or religious institution projects that are exclusive to students or members, take place during the school day without public involvement, or are part of religious observance are also ineligible. Projects and programming must occur within Atlantic County. Technical Assistance, Special Project Support, and General Programming Support applicants must provide at least a 1:1 match; colleges and universities must provide a 2:1 match. At least 75 percent of the required match must be cash and no more than 25 percent may be in-kind. General Operating Support applicants are not required to provide a match. General Operating Support applicants must be based in Atlantic County. Applicants for the other funding categories must be based in New Jersey, with all proposed events or projects taking place in Atlantic County. Applicants generally must be incorporated in New Jersey as nonprofit corporations, be current with New Jersey Charities registration, and hold IRS tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4). Eligible organizations include nonprofit arts and non-arts groups, libraries, civic organizations, Ys, educational institutions, museums, historical groups, festival programs, arts councils and commissions, municipalities, and creative groups. Non-arts groups may receive support only for arts-related projects. Colleges, universities, other educational institutions, and religious institutions may receive project support when the arts activity is marketed and open to the general public, supplemental to curriculum, separate from religious observance, and does not use grant or matching funds for faculty or clergy salaries. Individual artists are not eligible because individual awards are considered fellowships. Applicants must submit a signed application and supporting materials to the Atlantic County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs by Friday, October 9, 2026 at 4:00 pm. A grant workshop is offered during each cycle and is mandatory for prospective applicant organizations, preferably attended by the primary grant writer; current 2026 recipients are exempt from mandatory attendance, although attendance is encouraged in specified circumstances. Narratives must generally be three to five typed pages, 1.5 spaced, with one-inch margins and 12-point type. Applicants must address organizational history, the proposed project or programming, artists and presenters, location and dates, audiences and demographics, community and artistic significance, audience broadening, deepening and diversification, organizational goals, uniqueness of activities, detailed expenses, a contingency plan if funding is lower than expected, and a publicity and outreach plan. General Operating Support applicants must provide a detailed organizational history and separately describe how requested operating funds will advance organizational goals and objectives. After receipt, ACOCHA staff checks applications for required documentation and prepares eligible submissions for an independent Grants Review Panel of arts professionals. Review considers artistic merit, community need, legal compliance, administrative capability, prior programming and funding history, quality of art or creative experience, audience engagement, quantitative impact, governance, and budget quality. Completeness and correctness of the application are also considered, and inflated budgets may adversely affect funding decisions. Panel comments and scores are used to develop award recommendations for the Advisory Board. Applicants may appeal only when they believe the application was misinterpreted or misunderstood; appeals based solely on disagreement with the award amount are not accepted, no new information may be added, and appeals must be filed within two weeks of receiving the award letter. Awards are expected to be announced by letter in late December or early January. Organizations are advised not to begin projects that depend on grant funds until official notification has been received. Grant payments are made in two installments: 75 percent is expected during the first or second quarter of 2027 after required agreements and paperwork are completed, and the remaining 25 percent is expected during the first or second quarter of 2028 after an approved Final Report and satisfaction of grant conditions. Recipients must complete their programs as proposed, discuss changes with ACOCHA before implementation, submit the Final Report, properly credit ACOCHA and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and document required matching funds where applicable. Program questions may be directed to Kimberly Brown at 609-909-7309 or kbrown@aclsys.org.

Demonstrate strong artistic or creative quality and explain how quality will be maintained; show meaningful audience engagement and measurable community reach; describe inclusive marketing and efforts to broaden deepen and diversify participation; document capable and inclusive governance; submit a realistic budget with diversified funding sources and a contingency plan; avoid inflated budgets; provide complete and correct application materials because completeness affects award consideration