The Arizona Commission on the Arts offers the Creative Capacity Grant (CCG) to support nonprofit organizations engaged in producing, presenting, teaching, or serving the arts within Arizona. This grant provides general operating support and is designed to sustain and strengthen arts organizations at various budget levels. The program is structured into multiple funding tiers to ensure accessibility to a range of arts-focused nonprofits, including smaller organizations with annual budgets as low as $4,000 and larger institutions with budgets exceeding $400,000.

Eligibility for the Creative Capacity Grant is divided into two main levels. Organizations with annual budgets ranging from $4,000 to $399,999 (Levels 1-5) are eligible to apply if they are Arizona-based nonprofit organizations, have tax-exempt status, or are a unit of municipal or tribal government. Those with budgets below $200,000 may apply through a nonprofit fiscal sponsor. For organizations at Levels 6-8, eligibility criteria include being a nonprofit or a unit of municipal or tribal government, employing a full-time executive, managing, music, or artistic director, and maintaining a minimum annual budget of $400,000. Additionally, multidisciplinary and multipurpose organizations are eligible provided that at least 51% of their public programming and budget are devoted to the arts.

The application process requires organizations to demonstrate their alignment with the grant’s objectives, including their commitment to advancing the arts in Arizona. Organizations may only submit one application per funding period and cannot apply for other Arizona Commission on the Arts grants in the same cycle. Eligible expenses must fall within the designated funding period of July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

Applications for the Creative Capacity Grant are due by April 14, 2025, at 11:59 PM. A panel review will take place in May 2025, with final grant awards announced in August 2025. The Commission also provides applicant resources, including information sessions, virtual office hours, and detailed guidelines for completing the application process.

Applicants are encouraged to thoroughly review all grant guidelines before submission and may contact the Arizona Commission on the Arts for further clarification. The primary contact for the grant is Hanna Spence-Schehr, the Creative Capacity Grant Manager. The Commission’s office is located at 417 West Roosevelt Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85003, and can be reached at (602) 771-6501 or via email at info@azarts.gov.