The City of Savannah is seeking applications for its Arts & Cultural Enrichment Program to increase exposure to art and culture and enrich the lives of Savannah residents and guests.
Donor Name: City of Savannah
State: Georgia
City: Savannah
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/28/2025
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The City of Savannah awards contracts through the Arts & Cultural Enrichment (ACE) program to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher learning to provide high quality, innovative, and creative art and cultural programs.
These projects improve the quality of life by expanding access to new and diverse audiences, increasing appreciation and exposure to art and multiculturalism, inspiring and engaging youth, growing and nurturing local talent, and improving the vitality of Savannah in a measurable and sustained way.
Funding Priorities
The City and Cultural Affairs Commission is seeking proposals that strategically position the disciplines of the creative sector to address the following City priorities in a measurable way. The level of funding and contract awards is contingent on the annual availability of funds, and applying for funds does not guarantee a proposal will be recommended or a contract will be awarded.
- Increase economic growth through skill-building, employment, and entrepreneurship.
- Improving the aesthetics of built environments through creative programs.
- Expand art and cultural experiences to new and diverse audiences and participants.
- Build and reinforce a strong sense of community throughout Savannah.
- Engage, develop, and inspire young people through imaginative and innovative approaches.
- Reestablish, enrich, and/or preserve vibrant neighborhoods and the quality of life in Savannah.
- Increase access to art and culture in close proximity to where residents live.
Funding Information
- The cost for each proposed program up to a maximum of $100,000 per application.
- Applicants are required to match requested funding on a one-to-one (1:1) basis from non-City funding sources. A minimum of 50% of the organization’s match must be cash, and 50% may be in-kind contributions.
Grant Period
January – December 2026.
Uses of Fund
- To support direct project costs associated with the provision of contracted programs, such as artistic/technical/production fees, marketing costs, program/project supplies and materials, equipment rental, etc.
- To support indirect program costs, such as administrative office supplies or internal/external personnel costs associated with the program, up to a maximum of 15% of program expenses.
Eligible Programs
All programs must take place in Savannah, Georgia, and must be publicly accessible. Programs can encompass a variety of artistic disciplines and a range of formats, including visual arts, performing arts, literary, culturally based, and arts-integrated technology projects. Priority is given to programs that:
- Actively engage the community.
- Promote communication, skill development, entrepreneurship, and education.
- Have a realistic implementation plan.
- Are open and accessible to the public.
- Demonstrate a broad range of community support, whether financial or volunteer/in-kind.
- Collaborate and partner with non-art organizations as a strategy to broaden access, increase the impact of programs, and expand the pool of available resources.
- Provide multiple levels of community engagement (planning, performing opportunities, technical/arts administration training, audience/participant, etc.).
- Are designed specifically for youth and provide opportunities for youth to participate as stewards, creators, and spectators.
- Directly provide access to art, cultural, and educational programming to underserved communities and populations.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applying organizations must meet ONE of the following:
- Be a cultural/art-focused organization that provides arts/cultural programming for community benefit as part of the organization’s primary mission, OR
- Be a college, university, or other non-profit that is seeking to provide arts/cultural programming as part of its overall services to the community (50% or more of the audience/participants may not be students/faculty), OR
- Be a new or emerging organization with a documented history of previous community programs/events (reviews, articles, photos, videos, etc.), articles of incorporation, and proof of determination of tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Applying organizations must meet ALL of the following:
- Be a legally formed non-profit (not-for-profit) entity registered in the state of Georgia.
- Organizations must have obtained their IRS non-profit status prior to application submission.
- Have an independent functioning board of directors, reflective of the community it serves.
- Be located within the corporate city limits of Savannah and/or provide the majority of the nonprofit programs in Savannah.
- Project/program manager must permanently reside within the greater Savannah metropolitan area.
- Provide financial information demonstrating ongoing fiscal responsibility and stability (e.g., income/expense statements, completed IRS Form 990/990EZ, financial audit).
- Be able to meet all insurance coverage requirements, including coverage that includes the City and its agents as co-insured parties for the duration of funded activities.
- Have successfully completed the requirements of past contracts with the City and/or be in good standing and compliant with the terms of existing City contracts (if applicable).
For more information, visit City of Savannah.
