Register

CNY Arts Grant Information Drop-In Session

Artists are invited to drop in and meet with CNY Arts staff for an overview of what grants are available and the application process. No registration necessary.

CNY Arts is excited to announce the opening of the GRACE (Grants for Regional Arts & Culture Engagement) Program for 2025!
 
The CNY Arts Grants for Regional Arts and Culture Engagement Program is designed to support the capacity of individual artists and small nonprofit organizations to develop quality arts projects and programming.
 
A Letter From Our Executive Director
Dear Arts and Culture Makers, 

We'd like to share an update about changes to our 2025 Grants for Regional Arts and Culture Engagement (GRACE) funding. 

The 2025 State budget process was difficult – there were shortfalls, and many programs and agencies took cuts, including the arts. This year, we were given $251,000 in New York State funds to award through GRACE, down from $510,000 in the last two cycles.  

We know that requests always exceed available funds, and this year will be even more competitive. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage you to apply. The application has been streamlined so you can spend less time on grant-writing and more time on your cultural work. Having a large applicant pool and ample data from our applicants helps us demonstrate to funders what our creative community needs. We can use this information to ask for more support in the future. 

Based on the funding changes, and feedback from applicants and our Advisory Committee (made up of representatives from across our six-county service area), we have made some changes to GRACE: 

Removed the $10,000 special project grant 
Added a new $5,000 grant for capacity-building programs 
Started a peer-to-peer support program 
 

Our 2025 GRACE guidelines have more details on these changes. 

CNY Arts will continue to work on raising funds for 2025. Stand by for further updates. In the meanwhile, our team is here to help. Please keep telling others about your work and what you need to keep doing it. Our mission is to support and celebrate our arts community, and we thank you for making our region more vibrant.

Sincerely, Stephen Butler

Executive Director

CNY Arts

 
Project Period
All projects must occur between January 1 and December 31 2025.
 
Funding Levels
Organizations

Organizations are eligible to apply for:

One (1) Micro Grant of $1,000 or less, OR

up to three (3) requests in any combination of the following, totaling no more than $5,000:

Community Arts Projects of up to $5,000
Arts Education Projects of up to $5,000 with a School or Partnering Organization
Capacity-Building Projects of up to $5,000

Individual Artists

Individual Artists are eligible to apply for:

One (1) Micro Grant of $1,000 or less, OR

up to three (3) requests in any combination of the following, totaling no more than $5,000*:

Artist Commission or Community Arts Projects  of up to $2,500
Artist Commission or Community Arts Projects  of $2,501-$5,000*
Arts Education Projects of up to $5,000* with a School or Partnering Organization

* Individual Artists applying for more than $2,500 in GRACE 2025 funding must use a fiscal sponsor.

READ THE GUIDELINES

MEET WITH US:
LISTENING TOUR & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Listening sessions: opportunities to share your thoughts and insights with CNY Arts board and executive leadership

Technical assistance: an in-depth overview of grant guidelines and tips, with Q+A

Sept. 9        

Arts at the Palace (Hamilton)  

10:00 AM technical assistance

11:00 AM listening session

Cazenovia Public Library            

1:30 PM technical assistance

3:00 PM listening session

Sept. 12        

online webinar                            

3:30 PM technical assistance

Sept. 19        

Center for the Arts of Homer      

TIME TBD

Sept. 30          

Interfaith Works (Syracuse)        

2:30 PM technical assistance

4:00 PM listening tour

Oct. 8            

SUNY Oswego                            

Times TBD

RSVP HERE

Attendance at a technical assistance session is required for new applicants, and recommended for all applicants.

Sessions are free and open to the public; RSVPs strongly encouraged. In-person sessions subject to cancellation or rescheduling if we receive 5 or fewer reservations.
 
How to apply: All applications must be submitted online through Submittable
Applications are Due

Friday, October 25 at 12:00 PM (noon)

START YOUR APPLICATION HERE!

Upcoming Events