NEA National Heritage Fellowships Awards Program, FY 2027

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), an independent federal agency established to support artistic excellence and cultural heritage across the United States, is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity to select an organization to serve as a Cooperator for the National Heritage Fellowships Awards Program. This long-standing initiative recognizes master folk and traditional artists whose work reflects the diverse cultural traditions of the nation. The selected Cooperator will play a central role in organizing and executing the 2027 awards-related programming, working in close coordination with NEA staff. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the planning, coordination, and delivery of a comprehensive series of events honoring the 2027 National Heritage Fellows. These activities include a formal awards ceremony in Washington, DC, a Fellows Showcase event, the production of video vignettes highlighting each fellow, and a pilot series of Hometown Showcases held in selected fellows’ communities. The Cooperator will also manage logistics such as participant travel, communications, and promotional efforts, ensuring accessibility and compliance with federal requirements throughout. The scope of funding supports a wide range of allowable activities tied directly to event production and coordination. This includes venue coordination for showcase events, contracting performers and technical staff, producing live webcasts, developing printed and digital materials, and managing travel and accommodations for fellows and their guests. The NEA will retain responsibility for certain components such as the awards ceremony venue and catering, but the Cooperator will collaborate closely on execution. Costs must align with federal regulations, and unallowable activities are governed by the NEA’s General Terms and Conditions. Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations based in the United States, units of state or local government, and federally recognized tribal communities or tribes. Applicants must demonstrate at least five years of experience producing arts events and must maintain active registration in federal systems including SAM.gov and Grants.gov. Individuals, for-profit entities, fiscal sponsors, and certain arts agencies are explicitly excluded from eligibility. Only one application per organization is permitted. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and include a structured set of components. Required materials consist of a narrative addressing organizational capacity and proposed plans, bios of key personnel, a detailed project budget, and optional supporting materials. Applicants must complete federal forms and adhere to formatting and submission guidelines. The application process includes registration steps, workspace creation in Grants.gov, and final submission by an authorized organizational representative. Applications will be evaluated based on artistic excellence and artistic merit. Reviewers will assess the organization’s experience, the quality and feasibility of the proposed approach, alignment with program goals, and the ability to execute the project within budget and timeline constraints. The review process includes panel evaluation, National Council review, and final decision by the NEA Chair. Risk assessment of applicants’ past performance and compliance history is also conducted prior to award. The application deadline is August 7, 2026, with anticipated award notification in November 2026. The project period is expected to begin on or after March 1, 2027, and may extend up to 24 months. Program activities will primarily take place throughout 2027, including major events in the fall and follow-up activities into early 2028. This opportunity represents a recurring federal initiative tied to the NEA’s annual fellowship program, although this specific cooperative agreement is issued for a defined project cycle. For additional information, applicants may contact the NEA at heritage@arts.gov.

Emphasize demonstrated experience in producing large scale arts events clearly outline logistics and execution plans align proposal with artistic excellence and merit criteria and ensure budget clarity