Applications are now being accepted for the 2027 Cultural Funding Operational Grant.
Donor Name: City of Wichita
State: Kansas
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 08/03/2026
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Operating grants offer support for operational needs and sustainability to nonprofit organizations serving Wichita residents and visitors with dynamic arts and cultural offerings.
The new structure divides the Operational Grants into three tiers:
- Cultural Institutions are organizations that have served the residents of Wichita for at least 20 years, have received Cultural Funding from the City of Wichita for at least 15 years, and have budgets of at least $500,000.
- Cultural Anchors are organizations that have served the residents of Wichita for at least 10 years and have received funding from the City of Wichita for at least 5 of the last 10 years (relative to the current date). Anchors will receive three-year funding contracts from the City, with consistent funding amounts for those three years, so long as annual performance measures are met. Anchors will reapply for funding after every three-year contract ends. After their third contract (9 years total), the Anchor will be evaluated for inclusion as a Cultural Institution. If accepted, the Anchor’s final contract will receive a 1-year extension, and they will move up to Institution status after that 10th year. Cultural Anchor funding is currently capped at $35,000 per year.
- Cultural Partners are organizations that have served the residents of Wichita for at least 2 years. This tier works in a similar way to the previous iteration of the Operational Grant Opportunity. Partners will apply for funding annually and meet annual performance measures. After reaching ten years of history serving the residents of Wichita and receiving funding for at least five of those ten years, Partners may apply for Anchor status. Cultural Partner funding is currently capped at $15,000 per year.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations must meet the following criteria to receive operational funding:
- This application for the City of Wichita’s Operational Grant Opportunity is open to all arts and cultural organizations that meet the eligibility criteria.
- The organization must be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
- The organization has as its primary purpose the production, presentation, advancement, or preservation of arts or culture in the City of Wichita.
- The organization must serve the residents of the City of Wichita.
- The organization, or any related support organization (“Friends of”, etc.), must receive less than 25% percent of its funding from the City of Wichita. Organizations that do not meet this requirement may still apply to a new grant program to be announced later this year.
- The organization has a minimum of two (2) years of operational history serving the residents of Wichita.
- The organization has full-time professional management and/or cultural/artistic staff. This service may be in-kind of volunteer in nature.
- The organization presents a full season of performances/exhibitions or other year-round programming (including general admission where applicable).
- The organization is ADA compliant. If the organization operates its own facility, that facility is ADA compliant. If the organization utilizes other venues/facilities, they only use ADA compliant facilities.
- The organization is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable requirements of the City of Wichita Revised Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment/Affirmative Action Program Requirements Statement for Contracts or Agreements.
Ineligibility
The following organizations are ineligible for the Operational Grant Opportunity due to their status as Legacy Cultural Institutions: Arts Council, Botanica, Century II, CityArts, Kansas Aviation Museum, Mid-America All-Indian Museum, Museum of World Treasures, Old Cow town Museum, Wichita Sedgwick County Historical Museum, Wichita Art Museum.
For more information, visit City of Wichita.
