The Special Events & Community Arts Grant Fund Program assists the City in supporting special events and artistic cultural experiences that promote an inclusive community valuing diversity for Naperville and its visitors.
Donor Name: City of Naperville
State: Illinois
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/03/2025
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Project Period
January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant/Organization Eligibility Requirements
- Unless otherwise stated in this Manual, in order to apply to the SECA Grant Fund Program the applicant must be recognized as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization in good standing according to Section 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code [26 U.S.C. § 501(c)]. A valid tax ID number is required.
- The applicant shall disclose whether any Director, Board Member, or employee of the applicant has a family interest, employment interest or ownership interest in the applicant’s use of the SECA Grant Fund Program funds being requested. Family interest, employment interest and ownership interest are defined in 1-13-1 of the Naperville Municipal Code.
- 501(c) status is not required if applying to the Community Arts/Public Art Program as an individual artist or group of artists.
- The applicant, or designee, must have attended one of two SECA Grant Fund Program workshops held prior to the availability of the grant application. At the workshops, staff will review the application, the Commission and Council review timeline, and highlight any changes for the funding year. Dates of the workshops will be posted on the SECA page of the City website. Applicants who did not attend a workshop will not be allowed to submit an application.
Event/Art Eligibility Requirements
- In certain instances, the applicant may be eligible to apply to the SECA Grant Fund Program, however the proposed event, art piece, project, or initiative does not qualify. In order for the request to be reviewed by the SECA Commission it must meet the following criteria:
- The event/art display must be located within incorporated Naperville.
- The event/art display must be held or completed between January 1 and December 31 of the current funding year. Anything outside of the funding year will not be reimbursed without SECA Commission approval.
- The request cannot be for a social services event, project, or initiative such as transitional housing, job placement, and crisis intervention initiatives.
- Requests for fundraising events are prohibited. In 2016, the City Council approved the definition of a fundraiser as an event with the primary purpose of generating revenue to support the organization’s own mission.
- Salary, payroll, and other compensation-related requests are ineligible and will be denied.
- The event/art display must comply with governmental regulations concerning nondiscrimination and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990.
- Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted. The following documentation must also be attached:
- Non-profit status document
- Most recent financials or annual financial statement; if one is not available, please submit a letter explaining the reason
- Most recent Federal Form 990
- Written endorsement by the organization’s governing body authorizing the application
- Disclosure of Interest if applicable
- Budget Worksheet.
For more information, visit City of Naperville.
