RELIEF FUNDS

For Individuals

Greater Houston Area Arts Relief Fund

The Greater Houston Area Arts Relief Fund for Artists and Arts Workers offers grants to artists and arts managers to supplement lost wages because of COVID-19. Most recently, in response to the February 2021 Winter Storm, the fund will be flexible to take applications to support both COVID-19 and help in areas related to individuals affected by the March winter storm. These emergency grants will cover basic needs expenses such as food, rent, medical needs, and related damages and losses.

Funding for the grant opportunity is provided through individual donors and private foundations.

For Individuals or Organizations

CARES Act Relief Program for Arts and Culture

ROUND 1 CLOSED ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

ROUND 2 CLOSED ON OCTOBER 19, 2020

The CARES Act Program for Arts and Culture provides $2 million in critical financial relief to the creative community that has been deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The application was designed to be as short and quick to complete as possible, while still adhering to federal legal restrictions and requirements written into the CARES Act and while assessing applicants’ need. Legal restrictions include not replacing government revenue, including Hotel Occupancy Tax that funds City arts grants, and demonstrated need, which is asked for in uploaded documentation that applicants can design to suit their situation. Due to these legal restrictions, the program must be administered separately from all HOT-funded grants and processes. 

It is expected that applications to this program will far exceed available funds. Decisions will be made objectively, without panel processes, based on eligibility first, and then need.   

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

BY INVITATION ONLY

Visit My Neighborhood

Visit My Neighborhood is a pilot collaborative grant program that allows Houston Arts Alliance and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs to partner with community-based organizations to expand arts and cultural experiences for residents and visitors based on the knowledge and expertise of the community-based organizations. A Storyteller will document the program to showcase the arts, cultural and heritage resources, and activities in each community.

The first round of grants awarded align with the Mayor of Houston’s Complete Communities initiative in five pilot neighborhoods.

The Storytellers Program

The Storytellers Program’s goal is to expand the conversation about arts and culture in Houston’s communities. It is a creative and community exchange program developed in partnership with Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) and Houston Arts Alliance (HAA). The program utilizes storytellers to engage with the Visit My Neighborhood (VMN) partner organizations and the communities to translate the community’s creative practices, arts and cultural projects and history into story-telling and marketing opportunities. Storytellers will work with a community brain trust of HAA staff, MOCA staff, partner organizations and media.

FOR FISCALLY SPONSORED GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS

Arts Project Grant

The Arts Project Grant supports organizations and groups of individuals (through fiscal sponsorship) in the production of arts and cultural programming that serves to establish a cultural environment that attracts visitors and tourists to the City of Houston. Funding for this grant program is provided from the City of Houston Hotel Occupancy Tax, the funded projects should impact tourism and the hotel and convention industry. The maximum request for a project or event is $10,000.

Outreach Districts

The Arts Project Grant: Outreach Districts category provides financial support to aid arts and cultural organizations, as well as individual artists to present or produce arts and cultural programs that serve to:  (1) establish a nationally recognized cultural environment that attracts visitors and tourists to the City of Houston; and (2) meet the needs of the culturally diverse residents and visitors of Houston, exclusively in Council Districts; A – Stardig,  B – Davis E – Martin and  F – Nguyen.

FOR ORGANIZATIONS

Touring & Neighborhood Arts Program

The Touring & Neighborhood Arts Program (TNAP) is designed to provide broad access to arts projects in neighborhoods and communities. PRIORITY will be given to organizations outside of Houston within Harris County, with budgets under $300,000 that are not currently receiving funding from HAA. The objective of the grant category is to increase the number of quality arts programs and performances available throughout all areas of Harris County in a variety of public venues. This category funds activities in all artistic disciplines, including but not limited to visual arts, music, theater, dance, literature, media, and folk arts. Funding for the Touring & Neighborhood Arts Program is provided by the Texas Commission on the Arts.

FOR INDIVIDUALS

Folk Arts Fellowship

The Folk Arts Fellowship supports master artists in their efforts to preserve an artistic tradition as a living legacy for their community by helping them to pass their knowledge and skills on to qualified and competent apprentice/s. The Folk Arts Fellowship Grants enable master artists and (where appropriate) apprentices to set aside time for intensive teaching and learning of the tradition and/or purchase of materials for the work at hand.

CAPACITY BUILDING

For Organizations 

Pre-Incubator Program

Pre-Incubator Program develops start-up and emerging organizations by establishing critical infrastructure (i.e. management, governance, financial resources, and administrative systems).

Residency Incubator Program

Residency Incubator Program strengthens the capacity of start-up organizations towards growth (total revenues of $50,000 to $200,000) through management services, co-workspace, and capacity funding (up to $15,000 per year). For thirty-six (36) months, participating organizations will receive in-depth training, diagnostics, and resources to address critical competencies.

Accelerator Incubator Program

Accelerator Incubator Program strategically advances organizations from growth to maturity by investing in critical infrastructure. Specifically, the Initiative invests between $10,000-$20,000 in growth organizations (total revenues of $100,000 to $750,000) through the creation of board-adopted strategic plans and funding for strategic plan implementation.

Sustainability Program

Sustainability Program strategically reinforces mature organizations through decline and turnaround by investing in critical infrastructure. Specifically, the Initiative invests up to $20,000 in mature organizations (total revenues over $750,000) through the creation of board-adopted strategic plans and funding for strategic plan implementation.