Portland Arts Project Grant - Regional Arts and Culture Council

Portland Arts Project Grant PAPG 2025 Grantee Homo Superior, X-Men themed drag show and queer dance party. Performance by Tunde Olaniran. Photo by Ricky Zuniga Interpretation services available, email [email protected] Servicio de interpretación disponible | Предоставляются услуги переводчика | Có dịch vụ thông dịch | 通訳サービスあり RACC is delighted to launch this year’s Portland Arts Project Grant program (PAPG). This opportunity is designed by RACC in partnership with the City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture, who has contracted with RACC to administer a longstanding program for artists and organizations as part of its Small Grants initiatives. For a complete list of the City of Portland’s grant funding opportunities please visit this page. The PAPG program funds projects spanning all creative disciplines made by Portland-residing artists and organizations. Proposals may be submitted for a variety of endeavors–including programming, presentations, events, artistic development, and the creation of artworks–that include opportunities for the public to engage with their activities. In total, RACC will distribute $1.2M from City-sourced funding to the dynamic community members that comprise our local creative ecosystem. The City of Portland is committed to supporting and investing in the vibrancy of the arts in our community. Recent changes to City Code regarding the Arts Access Fund impact eligibility requirements for a variety of grant programs. As such, RACC will accept applications in two separate categories this year to align with distinct funding sources made available by the City. One category is open to a wide range of applicant types, while the other is available to schools and nonprofit organizations specifically seeking funding for projects that serve K-12 students and/or underserved communities as defined by Portland City Council. Further details are available in the guidelines. PAPG applications will be accepted online via RACC’s Opportunity Portal from September 1 to October 28, 2026 with award announcements made no later than March 31, 2027. An info session with additional information and advice from our grants team is available here Comprehensive information about all aspects of the program can be found in the guidelines and other materials accessible on this page. We look forward to continuing our work with the City to make impactful investments in the arts that uplift both creators and the community at large. Applicants may contact [email protected] for assistance. As mentioned above, the Portland Arts Project Grant is one program with two categories. Applicants may only apply for one category. Please review the table below and guidelines for each category and to understand the best fit for your application. General Fund for Artistic Creation & Presentation Arts Access Fund for Arts Education & Engagement by organizations & schools Individual artists, arts businesses, organizations & eligible applicants with fiscal sponsors Nonprofit organizations & schools with projects serving K-12 students and/or underserved communities Applicants must legally reside or be headquartered within the City of Portland service area. Check your address at https://portlandmaps.com. Applicants must be headquartered within the City of Portland service area and provide documentation of serving K-12 students and/or underserved communities defined by City Code. Check your address at https://portlandmaps.com. Awards from $1,000 to $5,000 Awards from $1,000 to $10,000 Complete eligibility and requirements outlined in this category’s specific guidelines. Complete eligibility and requirements outlined in this category’s specific guidelines. Key Dates Applications will be accepted from September 1 until October 28, 2026 at 11:59pm. Late applications cannot be accepted. Notifications to all applicants and the public regarding funding decisions will be made in early spring, no later than March 31, 2027. Grantees must claim their funds by June 30, 2027 or their awards will be forfeited. We recommend thoroughly reviewing both the guidelines documents linked above and the answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) below. Reach out to [email protected] with your questions. Click on the Portland Arts Project Grant Program Frequently Asked Questions below: What does the Portland Arts Project grant support? This grant program supports projects by artists and organizations across all creative disciplines–including programming, presentations, events, artistic development, and the creation of artworks–that include one or more planned activities to share the project with the public. Applicants will be asked to clearly explain what they need grant funding to support, and then make the case for how the public investment of the grant will impact both themselves and the community. Comprehensive information about all aspects of the program can be found in the guidelines documents accessible from this webpage. Who can apply? RACC will accept applications in two separate categories this year aligned with distinct funding sources made available for distribution by the City of Portland. Applicants will self-select from which opportunity they will seek funding based on the eligibility requirements for each option and the nature of the project for which the application is being submitted.The General Fund Project Grants category offers a maximum of $5,000 in funding. Eligible applicants may include individual artists, artist teams, arts organizations or other nonprofit organizations with an arts project focus, and arts or other businesses with an arts project focus. The Arts Access Fund Project Grants category offers a maximum of $10,000 in funding and is available only to schools and nonprofit organizations seeking funding for projects that specifically serve K-12 students and/or underserved communities as defined by Portland City Council.Currently enrolled students and arts organizations receiving Operating Support from the City