Community Arts Access Tier 1 & 2

Community Arts Access Tier 1 is a grant program that provides up to $3,000 in funds for groups that would like to offer quality arts activities in any discipline to North Dakota communities with a population of 6,000 or less. It also supports groups whose arts programming makes a deliberate and focused effort to serve an underserved community.

Community Arts Access Tier 2 is a grant program that provides up to $3,000 in funds for groups that would like to offer quality arts activities in any discipline to North Dakota communities with a population of 6,000 or more. It also supports groups whose arts programming makes a deliberate and focused effort to serve an underserved community.

One component of the Community Arts Access grant program is to encourage strategic, long-term engagement between arts organizations and traditionally underserved communities. A community may be a geographic entity, or it may be a community of shared interest or identity.

First time applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Program Overview and Application Guidelines, then call the program officer with questions or to discuss the proposal prior to beginning an application.

Program Overview and Application Guidelines
All applicants should read these documents thoroughly before beginning the application form.

• FY21 Program Overview
• FY21 Application Guidelines

Downloads Required for Application

• Accessibility Check List

Deadlines - FY21

• Application Deadline: Before 11:59 pm (CST) on Friday, May 1, 2020 (updated deadline as of 3/18/2020)
• Draft Review Deadline: Before 11:59 pm (CST) on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 (updated deadline as of 3/18/2020)

Project Dates

• July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021

Who Can Apply
Applicants must be one of the following: 

• North Dakota State tax-exempt nonprofit arts organization.
• Federally tax-exempt nonprofit arts organization.
• Federally tax-exempt non-arts organizations and community education units. Arts budgets must be isolated from the larger entity’s budget and have an advisory committee for the proposed project.
• Public Entity such as a unit of state, local, or tribal government. Arts budgets must be isolated from the larger entity’s budget and have an advisory committee for the proposed project.
• Informal and/or unincorporated arts-focused groups. The applicant group must have its own board of directors or advisory committee that provides input on the project and oversight of the grant funds and a fiscal sponsor. Fiscal sponsors must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 nonprofit.

And All Applicants Must:

• Be physically located in North Dakota, Moorhead, MN, or East Grand Forks, MN;
• Have majority of arts programming, services, or activities take place in North Dakota;
• Primarily serve and engage North Dakota audiences and participants.

Grant Award Range

• $3,000 maximum request
• A 1:1 match is required

Grants Awarded

• Previously funded applications

For Questions or Assistance

Contact Program Officer Amy Schmidt | amschmid@nd.gov | (701) 328-7594

How to Apply
Application Method

All applicants are required to use the Go Smart system to apply. Registration is required of all applicants before beginning an application to any program. It is only necessary to register once.

Go Smart Tutorial

How to Register and Use Go Smart: PDF download

Latitude and Longitude instructions