Application Process
Race Forward and Americans for the Arts are seeking proposals from local organizations* for funding to participate in the first annual Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy (CWA) this September 27 to October 5, 2024. We anticipate funding 12 to 15 sites; participation in the CWA will also be encouraged and open to organizations not requesting funding. This is an opportunity to deepen commitments to racial justice and inclusive democracy through cultural activities.
We are excited to sponsor select projects to encourage deep, bold, and long-term change. Through a competitive process, 12-15 local communities that represent the diversity of our country will receive $25,000-$40,000 for cultural organizers and community partners to design and implement projects that align with the theme of Building the Bigger We.
Proposals are due on March 29, 2024. To prepare, here’s an overview of the application questions (PDF). We encourage active co-creation around these projects, so we don’t expect proposals to have every detail ironed out. However, we do hope applicants spend time planning within your communities to establish collaborative, mutually beneficial relationships and clear goals. A team from Race Forward (including Government Alliance on Race and Equity), Americans for the Arts, and external partners with content expertise will score the proposals based on set criteria. Applicants will receive an update in early May and a public announcement for the sponsored projects is planned for June.
If you have any questions or need support in developing your proposal, please reach out to us anytime at [email protected]!
* ^ Local organizations include local government, local arts agencies, community-based arts organizations, and/or racial justice non-profits. Collaborations across sectors and organizations are highly encouraged.
Process
- Engage collaborators in your local community to develop a proposal
- Review and begin to complete application questions (PDF)
- Submit the sponsorship application online through March 29, 2024
- Expect to hear back in May and prepare for a public announcement in June
- Proposals that do not receive sponsorship funds are still highly encouraged to participate in the Cultural Week of Action
Guidelines
- Applicants can include local government, 501c3 organizations, groups with a 501c3 fiscal sponsor, or other organizations with a history of community-based programming
- Multiple groups can apply from a local area; however, we strongly encourage collaboration because each local area can receive only one sponsorship
- Projects should be designed and executed in a manner that is non-partisan, both in concept and in the expected outcomes.
- Projects will be selected based on the below criteria
- There is no matching requirement to receive sponsorship funding; however, projects are encouraged to seek additional funding if needed
- Sponsored projects will recognize Race Forward and Americans for the Arts in promotional materials, participate in national marketing activities, survey their participants with a standard evaluation, and join a debrief call to share some of the lessons, highlights, and learning from the project