The Community Arts Partnership’s Strategic Opportunity Stipend helps Tompkins County individual artists obtain funding for specific and strategic career opportunities.
Donor Name: New York State Council on the Arts
State: New York
County: Tompkins County (NY)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/19/2026
Size of the Grant: Less than $1000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
An SOS request must have as its core activity an art form that includes theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film, prose, poetry or creative non-fiction. Although funded projects can also have rehabilitative, educational, therapeutic, spiritual, or recreational aspects, the primary funded activity and intended outcome must be one of the art forms listed above.
Funding Information
- The Strategic Opportunity Stipend have at least $23,000 to distribute.
- Requests can range from $100 to $1,000.
Grant Period
January 2026 through January 2027.
Eligible Expenses
Expenses related directly to the strategic opportunity that will act as a stepping stone, such as:
- Artist fees for applicant, and/or participating artists for a planned opportunity.
- New opportunities: For example, if a visual artist has done group shows in Tompkins County, being invited to their first solo show is a good SOS request. If that artist has done multiple solo shows but never outside of Tompkins County, an invitation to do an exhibit in another city is a good SOS request. Having said that, there are opportunities that are not new (i.e. a musician production their third album) that can be considered! Feel free to email Robin.
- Taking workshops or classes to develop new skills without the inclusion of a very specific, detailed, and dated strategic opportunity.
- Technical support; rental of equipment, or materials for that opportunity.
- Purchase of equipment if the artist demonstrates the direct impact it will have on their career.
- Promotional expenses for opportunity.
- Filming, recording of work (if used for opportunity, not for personal archives only).
- Entry, exhibition, registration, or tuition fees.
- Professional assistance, or mentorships related to career.
- Travel costs.
Eligibility Criteria
Individual artists who are residents of Tompkins County and live in Tompkins County for at least 9 months each year (from January 2025 through January 2027) can apply. Priority is given to long term residents who have lived in Tompkins County since January 2023 and plan on living in Tompkins County through at least 2027.
For more information, visit NYSCA.
