The Elevate grant seeks to provide funding in support of arts and cultural organizations, individual artists, and creative businesses that produce culturally vibrant and diverse artistic content for the public.
Donor Name: City of Austin
State: Texas
County: Bastrop County (TX), Caldwell County (TX), Hays County (TX), Travis County (TX), Williamson County (TX)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 07/23/2024
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
This funding supports the creative, administrative, and operational expenses of creative activities for the people of Austin and its tourists. This investment in Austin’s cultural producers will elevate the City’s diverse arts and culture tourism sector, amplify equity, and prioritize inclusive programming.
Key Elements 

Minimum of one-year history of producing arts and culture activities in the Austin metro area
Must produce over 50% of public arts/culture activities within the Austin 10-1 City Council districts or extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ)
Applicants who prefer to work with a Fiscal Sponsor may do so. Fiscal Sponsorship is not required. 
Awards will be based on alignment with Elevate’s funding priorities. 
Annual operating budget is not a factor in determining award amounts.
Applications will be reviewed and scored by trained outside review panelists.

Funding Information

Elevate for Non-Profits $40,000-$80,000.
Elevate for individuals and creative businesses $15,000-$30,000.

Funding Priority

Activities that pay local artists and artistic administrators
Activities that engage in community-based partnerships
Applicants and activities with a commitment to equity 
Equity is represented in leadership 
Applicants who represent the diverse cultures of Austin, particularly those who are from backgrounds that have been historically under-represented in Austin’s Cultural Funding programs.
Applicants that are representative of, serve, and are accountable to communities that are at immediate risk of cultural erasure and displacement within Austin and/or have been institutionally marginalized and under-funded by the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division. This may include applicants that directly serve Black/African American, Native American, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern, and Pacific Islander communities or LGBTQIA+ and/or disability communities.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant Type: 501(c) nonprofit arts organization, An individual aged 18 or older, Creative Business
Maximum Annual Expenses: None, $500,000, $500,000
Maximum Request Amount: $80,000, $30,000, $30,000
Your artistic goals or creative mission is the production of arts and culture activities. This includes organizations that provide professional support to creatives.
Minimum of one year of operating history in the Austin metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which includes: 

Travis
Bastrop, 
Caldwell, 
Hays, 
and Williamson Counties.

Over 50% of your creative production is within the Austin 10-1 City Council districts or extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).
Proposed activity meets all program requirements as outlined by the Hotel Occupancy Tax. 

All events are open to the public 
Occur within Austin or the Austin ETJ
Marketed to tourists 
Or applicant is an arts service organization

Applicants cannot accept more than one Cultural Arts Fund Grant (Thrive, Elevate, Nexus, or Austin Live Music Fund) per City of Austin Fiscal Year (October 1 – September 30 annually). Sponsored Projects do not count towards this limit.
City of Austin employees are not eligible to apply for funding.

For more information, visit City of Austin Government.