A4 Arts Fund

The Asian American Arts Alliance (A4) is proud to announce the second and final cycle of the A4 Arts Fund, a national grantmaking initiative supported by The Wallace Foundation and in partnership with the National Arts Regranting Partners.

This program addresses the critical funding gaps that disproportionately affect Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) arts and culture organizations. A 2025 report by the Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy revealed that for every $100 awarded by US funders, only 34 cents goes to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. In response, these grants will support AAPI arts and culture organizations whose creative work uplifts and serves their communities, while expanding our collective understanding of the AAPI arts and culture landscape nationwide.

AWARD DETAILS

Type of Grant
This fund provides unrestricted general operating support to AAPI arts and cultural organizations with annual operating budgets under $500,000.

Grant Amounts

• A total of $500,000 will be distributed in this final cycle. Award amounts are determined by the applicant’s organizational budget size.
• $10,000 Grant: For organizations with annual budgets of $100,000 and under.
• We expect to award approximately 14–17 organizations in this category.
• $15,000 Grant: For organizations with annual budgets between $100,001 and $499,999.
• We expect to award approximately 22–24 organizations in this category.

Requirements

Please review the eligibility requirements for the A4 Arts Fund before applying.

Mandatory Requirements:

• We welcome applications from the following entities:
• 501c3 arts and culture organizations
• Fiscally sponsored arts and culture groups/organizations
• Have an operating budget of under $500,000 (based on your current fiscal year).
• Have a minimum of a three-year operating history. Note: We recognize that organizational structures may evolve. A group may have different incorporations over the course of their history (e.g. two years as a fiscally sponsored group followed by one year as an incorporated 501c3.

Geographic Scope:

• The program is open to organizations based in:
• The 50 US States and the District of Columbia
• US territories, including but not limited to, Guam and American Samoa.

We Do Not Fund:

• Previous A4 Arts Fund grantees
• For-profit organizations
• Individuals
• Federal agencies
• Municipal, county, or state government entities
• K-12 schools and preschools
• Colleges and universities
• 501c4 orgs

Timeline

• Application Opens: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
• Online Informational Session: Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET
• Application Closes: Monday, July 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET
• Application Review: Monday, July 20–Wednesday, September 9, 2026
• Notifications: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
• Grant Period: October 1, 2026–September 30, 2027
• Final Report Due: Monday, November 1, 2027

SELECTION CRITERIA

We strive for a balance of geography, populations served, and disciplines. These factors will also be taken into account when the applications are evaluated.

Applications will be reviewed and scored based on the following criteria:

• Organizational Mission + Impact
• Criteria: Clarity of the organization’s history, its core mission in arts and culture, and its documented commitment and impact on the AAPI community.

• Evidence: Brief timeline of milestones, founding stories, and community testimonials.

• Leadership + Community Context

• Criteria: Demonstrated understanding of the community served and leadership (ED and Board) that reflects the community’s lived experience.

• Evidence: Data on the community demographics; biographies of key leadership highlighting cultural competency and community roots.

• Programming to Advance Well-being

• Criteria: A proven three-year history of culturally relevant and accessible arts programming that advances community well-being (healing, belonging, joy, etc.).

• Evidence: Overview of program purpose, core activities, frequency and duration, number of participants served, and key partnerships.

• Values + Use of Funds

• Criteria: Alignment between organizational values and the proposed use of funds.

• Evidence: A compelling narrative and project plan including a timeline, anticipated outcomes, and engagement goals.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Please have the following documents ready before beginning your application. All materials must be submitted via Jotform (link below).

• Online Application: Complete all narrative and contact fields.
• 2026 Operating Budget with Revenue + Expenses: We understand that fiscal years vary; please submit a budget that closely aligns with your activities for 2026.
• For Calendar Year: Submit your 2026 Operating Budget.
• For Fiscal Year: Submit your FY25–26 or FY26–27 Budget, whichever is currently being used.
• Most Recent Form 990, 990-N, or 990-EZ: 501c3 organizations must submit their most recent IRS filing.
• Fiscally Sponsored Groups: Submit your fiscal sponsor’s most recent Form 990.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement (if applicable): A copy of your current letter of agreement or MOU with your fiscal sponsor.
• Supporting Materials: We accept a PDF with work samples, community testimonials, partner quotes, photos, and/or excerpts from annual reports. You may submit only one video link that is under 5 minutes. However, you are welcome to feature multiple projects within the single video.
  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can organizations outside of NYC apply?
Yes, organizations outside of NYC are highly encouraged to apply. We are seeking to support a broad range of organizations geographically, across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and/or U.S. territories and other U.S. jurisdictions.

Do I have to be an arts organization to be eligible?
Yes, you must be an arts or cultural organization to be eligible for this grant funding.

Is there a minimum budget requirement for eligibility to apply?
No, there is no minimum budget requirement to apply.

Do the three years of programming have to be continuous?
No, there can be a gap in the programming. As long as there is a documented history of three years of arts and cultural programming. Please explain this gap in your narrative.

Does this grant require matching funds?
No, matching funds are not a requirement to apply or get approved.

What can the funding be used for? What can it not be used for?
As general operating support, the grant can be used for any expenses to keep an organization afloat, whether it’s rent, utilities, salaries, etc. However, funding cannot be used for the sole benefit of any private shareholder or individual, capital improvements, lobbying, and political campaign activities.

Can we save our application on Jotform and come back to it another time?
Yes, your progress can be saved on Jotform. However, we encourage you to draft your narrative in a separate saved document before copying and pasting into Jotform.

What is your policy around the use of AI in completing the application?
We value authenticity and encourage applicants to complete their applications in their own voice. While we recognize that AI tools may be used to help distill ideas, organize thoughts, or edit for clarity, applications should reflect the applicant’s original thinking.

When will applicants be notified of their status?
All applicants will be notified of their award status by Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

Do you need the operating budget of both the fiscal sponsor and the sponsored organization?
No, just the 2026 operating budget of the fiscally sponsored group, not the main fiscal sponsor.

Would you speak to the scope of arts and cultural groups? Does it have to be performing arts groups?
No, this grant is not limited to performing arts groups. Arts and culture encompasses a wide range of disciplines, including but not limited to the visual arts, media, literature, music, theater, and multidisciplinary practices.

If our programming is not exclusively for the AAPI community are we still eligible?
We are prioritizing AAPI arts and culture organizations whose primary, core mission is explicitly centered on serving and uplifting the AAPI community. While we welcome applications from any eligible non profit organization or fiscally sponsored group, our review panel will heavily favor organizations that align directly with this primary focus.

Can an organization apply and also be a fiscal sponsor for another organization?
Yes, you can be both a fiscal sponsor for another organization and also apply for this grant funding.

Any specific format for the fiscal sponsorship agreement?
No, specific format but it must be signed by both the sponsor and the sponsee and dated.

I still have questions about the application process, who can I contact?
If you still have questions, you are welcome to contact our Grantmaking Manager, Michelle Bae, at mbae@aaartsalliance.org

Application Instructions

All applications must be submitted online via Jotform. To prepare, please download the Application Preview (Google Doc). We strongly recommend that you make a copy of this template to draft your proposal in full before copying and pasting your final responses into the online Jotform for submission.

The deadline to submit is Monday, July 13, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. Unfortunately, no exceptions will be made.

A4 will hold an informational webinar on Tuesday, June 2, 2025 from 12:00-1:00 PM ET.
You may register here.

Applicants unable to attend the live webinar will be able to watch the recording on A4’s YouTube channel.

If you still have questions after the webinar or need assistance applying online, please email Michelle Bae at mbae@aaartsalliance.org.