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Challenge America offers support primarily to small organizations for projects in all artistic disciplines that extend the reach of the arts to populations that are underserved. The program is rooted in principles that include, but are not limited to, our recognition that:
Challenge America seeks to address these potential barriers for organizations seeking funding. The program features an abbreviated application, a standardized $10,000 grant amount, and a robust structure of technical assistance to facilitate entry to NEA funding opportunities.
This category is an entry point for organizations seeking NEA funding. First-time applicants to the NEA, as well as previous NEA applicants who have not been recommended for funding in any of the three most recent Fiscal Years (FYs 2020, 2021, or 2022) in any of the following grant programs, are eligible to apply:
Previous NEA applicants recommended for FY 2020, FY 2021, or FY 2022 funding in Grants for Arts Projects (formerly known as Art Works), Research Grants in the Arts, or Our Town are not eligible to apply.
Previous Challenge America applicants and grantees are eligible to apply, as long as they were not recommended for FY 2020, FY 2021, or FY 2022 funding in Grants for Arts Projects (formerly known as Art Works), Research Grants in the Arts, or Our Town. See Applicant Eligibility for more information.
Eligible organizations that received American Rescue Plan (ARP) or CARES Act funding are eligible apply to this program as long as they were not recommended for FY 2020, FY 2021, or FY 2022 funding in Grants for Arts Projects (formerly known as Art Works), Research Grants in the Arts, or Our Town.
Our expectation is that organizations will eventually transition from Challenge America to Grants for Arts Projects, the NEA’s principal funding opportunity.
For more information visit: https://www.arts.gov/grants/challenge-america/program-description