Funding Guidance for Creatives
Arts Alliance offers free 1:1 support to individuals, creative businesses, and organizations navigating various public funding opportunities.
Scroll down to check out our running list of public funding opportunities for creatives and to access our Help Desk for any questions!
Upcoming Public Funding Opportunities
Deadline: Ongoing
Is a loan right for your creative business or nonprofit? Check out a recording of our April webinar with lenders and creatives talking you through the process of thinking through and applying for a loan. Plus, join us on June 18 for a free panel on microloans for creatives!
Deadline: July 30
Small businesses in the following areas can apply for grants for up to 90% of building improvements costs, with a maximum grant of $150,000 for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties.Â
- 24th/Michigan
- 71st/Stony Island
- Austin Commercial
- Roosevelt/Cicero Industrial Corridor
- Woodlawn
Deadline: August 30
The Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists to create permanent original public art for the Nursing and CTE Building at Spoon River College in Macomb, Illinois. More details here.
Deadline: August 15
Through project-based funding, the program supports activities that integrate arts, culture, and design into local efforts that strengthen communities over the long term. Our Town projects engage a wide range of local stakeholders in efforts to advance local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes in communities. Competitive projects are responsive to unique local conditions, develop meaningful and substantive engagement in communities, center equity, advance artful lives, and lay the groundwork for long-term systems change. More details and how to apply here.
Deadline: January 16, 2025
Through fellowships to published translators, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) supports projects for the translation of specific works of prose, poetry, or drama from other languages into English. Translation projects should be of interest for their literary excellence and merit. We encourage projects that feature languages, perspectives, and writers that are not well represented in English, as well as work that has not previously been translated into English. More details here.
Help Desk
Our Help Desk supports creatives in finding, applying for, and accessing public funding! We know the world of government grants can be confusing – that’s why we’re here. Come chat with one of our knowledgable Help Desk staff for questions about grants, eligibility, and applications!
Support this work
If you’re a funder interested in helping the Alliance provide funding navigation services to the creative sector, we’d love to talk! Reach out to our Deputy Director of Development, Kaitlin Donnelly, at donnelly@artsalliance.org.
Past Assistance
Our team provided application assistance, technical support, and 1:1 guidance for the creative community during past funding programs.
