Professional Development

Professional Development (PD) is a reimbursement grant program that provides up to $1,000 for North Dakota individual professional artists, individual arts educators, nonprofit arts organizations, and educational institutions to partake in arts-related professional development activities. Proposed activities can be within the United States or International.

Note: There is limited funding available for this program. Early submission of applications is highly recommended. Applications are reviewed and grants awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and it is not guaranteed that funds will be available for each panel review date.

This is a reimbursement program. Grantees are reimbursed after the training is completed and the receipt of a final report. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the Program Overview and Application Guidelines 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

• Online grant applications for FY21 PD grants will be open and available on April 15, 2020
• Application Deadline: Before 11:59 pm (CST) 6-weeks before activity start date
• Draft Review Deadline: Before 11:59 pm (CST) 1-week before application deadline

Project Dates

• July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021

Who Can Apply

Applicants must be one of the following: 

• An individual professional artist
• An individual arts educator
• A North Dakota state tax-exempt nonprofit arts organization
• A Federally tax-exempt nonprofit arts organization
• A North Dakota public education institution - Arts budgets must be isolated from the larger entity’s budget and have an advisory committee for the proposed project.

Additional Eligibility Guidelines for Individual Applicants

• Be a United States citizen or have attained permanent resident status;
• Be at least 21 years of age;
• Be a North Dakota resident for at least one year prior to the application date and continue to reside in North Dakota throughout the contract period;
• Cannot be enrolled as a full-time student in any high school, college, or university at the time of application.

Additional Eligibility Guidelines for Nonprofit Arts Organization Applicants

• Arts organizations must be physically located in North Dakota, Moorhead, MN, or East Grand Forks, MN. Majority of arts programming, services, or activities take place in North Dakota, and primarily serve and engage North Dakota audiences and participants.
• Staff members, board members, and/or volunteers of an organization who use Professional Development funds to attend an outside event must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application. This does not apply in circumstances in which an outside consultant or adviser assists in the development of two or more members of the organization.
• Staff members, board members, and/or volunteers of an organization who use Professional Development funds cannot be enrolled as a full-time student in any high school, college, or university at the time of application

Grant Award Range

• May not exceed $1,000 or 80% of the total project cash expenses, whichever is less
• A 20% match is required

Grants Awarded

• Previously funded applications

For Questions or Assistance

• Contact Program Officer Vanessa Voskuil | vvoskuil@nd.gov | (701) 328-7591

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