Community Accelerator Grant Renewed for 2025 to Distribute $10M in Unrestricted Funds to Arts and Cultural Nonprofit Organizations

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For a third consecutive year, ArtsFund and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation are partnering to deliver $10 million of unrestricted funding to arts and cultural nonprofits across Washington state through the Community Accelerator Grant program. The application process will open later this spring. The program will continue to prioritize communities with less access to mainstream funding.

Since 2023, the Community Accelerator Grant program has delivered $20 million of transformative funding to more than 900 organizations across 38 counties in Washington state. With over 90% of grantees returning year-over-year, the program’s signature low-barrier application and relatively fast turnaround to funding provides vital support for an essential sector.

“We are proud to continue to provide support to arts and culture organizations throughout Washington,” said Michael Greer, president & CEO of ArtsFund. “The unrestricted funds granted through the program help organizations to better deliver on their missions which adds immense value to the communities they serve, making them healthier and more livable for everyone.”

The Community Accelerator Grant program will continue to center on unrestricted funding for organizations whose primary mission is to produce or support arts and cultural activities. Grantees from last year estimate that for every dollar of the grant funding received, they are able to generate triple the value in additional funds.

“In the last two years of this program, organizations have demonstrated how flexible funding can accelerate their stability and growth,” said Lara Littlefield, executive director for partnerships and programs, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. “Not only does the Community Accelerator Grant help reinforce needed infrastructure in the arts and culture sector across the state, but everyone benefits as a result, from the programs, performances, and dialogues generated through these experiences.”

Year-over-year, applications have increased, showcasing how vast and vibrant the Washington cultural community is as well as demonstrating a need for these unrestricted funds. The creative economy in Washington accounts for nearly $120 billion annually to the state’s GDP; however, state investment is among the bottom two-thirds in the nation at $0.87 per capita.

A 2024 award recipient commented that, “The kind of unrestricted support offered by the ArtsFund Community Accelerator Grant program has been a flexible, responsive, and vital source of encouragement for both artists and arts organizations in Washington.”

Building off previous iterations, the Community Accelerator Grant will maintain its Community Advisory Panel model. The panel comprises stakeholders from across the state and will inform the application process, eligibility criteria, outreach, grant ranges, and awardee slate.

In the spring, ArtsFund will host a virtual informational webinar with accessibility accommodations for prospective applicants. ArtsFund will also make frequently asked questions and application materials along with multiple translations available for applicants. The release date for the webinar and resource materials will be confirmed at a later date. For updates, please visit https://www.artsfund.org/accelerator/.

About ArtsFund

ArtsFund supports the arts through leadership, advocacy, and grantmaking in order to build a healthy, equitable, and creative Washington. ArtsFund was originally founded to bring corporate and civic leaders together to help establish and sustain our region’s arts and cultural institutions. Over its grantmaking history, ArtsFund has granted approximately $130M to over 1,000 organizations in 38 out of 39 Washington State counties. Through ArtsFund’s advocacy work, including its longstanding arts impact research reports, which provide essential research on the value of the arts; and its leadership programs, like Board Leadership Training, which grow skills and build capacity among arts and cultural organizations, ArtsFund supports the health and wellbeing of our communities. Learn more at www.artsfund.org.

About the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

Founded in 1988 by philanthropists Jody Allen and the late Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, the foundation works to enhance the arts and culture experience, mobilize young people to drive change, and advance science and technology solutions that address wildlife conservation, ocean health and climate change. The foundation also funds cutting-edge research in all areas of bioscience through the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group.