Grant opportunity available for NWA arts and culture nonprofits

The Northwest Arkansas Art and Culture Bridge Fund will award a second round of grants of up to $20,000 to support arts and culture organizations challenged by COVID-19.

The Northwest Arkansas Council, a regional nonprofit that addresses infrastructure, healthcare and quality-of-life improvements, created the bridge funding program in April with funding from the Walton Family Foundation. In the spring, 23 arts and cultural organizations cumulatively received $500,000. The second round will grant $250,000 in additional funds to nonprofits that support arts and cultural endeavors across the region.

Grant funds may be used to support transition planning. They may also be used for activities including but not limited to, the development of new sustainable business models, winding down operations where needed, generating new streams of revenue, developing new partnerships and building capacity and infrastructure to move programming online for the duration of the pandemic and beyond.

“The most competitive proposals will be part of long-term plans to strategically and organizationally shift in response to the ongoing and dramatic changes within the arts and culture sector due to COVID-19,” said Kelsey Howard, CACHE program director. CACHE (Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange) is the regional arts service organization launched in August 2019 as a pillar of the Northwest Arkansas Council, with funding from the Walton Family Foundation.

Organizations that receive the funding must have a primary mission or focus related to arts and culture and hold a 501(c)3 nonprofit status. Operating budgets must also be $3 million or less annually.

The deadline to apply is set for 5 p.m. on Dec. 17. Grants will be made by Jan. 29, 2021. Additional information can be found online.