Timeline

Q: What is your funding timeline?

BAC Creative Equations Fund and Community Arts Grants (Brooklyn Arts Fund, Local Arts Support, Charlene Victor & Ella J. Weiss Cultural Entrepreneur Fund) are awarded on an annual basis. The upcoming application cycle is for projects taking place in 2023, and this timeline is similar year to year:

• July 24, 2023: Applications Open

• August - October 2023: Info Sessions, Q&As, and Narrative Reviews

• October 8, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST: Applications Close

• October 2023: Brooklyn Arts Council staff reviews applications for eligibility

• November 2023 - January 2024: Panelists review applications

• February 2024: Funding Decisions & Award Notifications

• April 2024: Payments begin for 2024 Grantees

Q: When will we find out if we got funded?

Applicants will begin receiving notifications in February 2024.

Q: If we’re funded when will we get the check?

Funds are typically released in April, but are subject to the funder’s timeline.

 Eligibility

Q: How can I find out if I'm eligible?

Review the Eligibility Guidelines posted within the specific grant opportunity that you're applying for, use this self-check Eligibility Questionnaire, and attend an info session.

Q: Do I have to be a nonprofit organization or have a fiscal sponsor to apply?

There are some opportunities that you can apply to as an individual. Individual artists are eligible to apply to our Brooklyn Arts Fund program without a fiscal sponsor. Women individual artists and arts administrators are eligible to apply to the Charlene Victor and Ella J. Weiss Cultural Entrepreneur Fund.

Q: What sort of projects do you fund?

We fund arts and culture projects with a public, community engagement component in all disciplines and styles, in all genres, all across the borough.

Q: What do you mean by "Public"?

The project needs to be open and accessible to a Brooklyn audience and/or community. Projects intended solely for a membership or club are not eligible.

Q: Does the public component of my project have to be free?

No. Events can be free, ticketed, or donation-based. Fundraisers, however, are ineligible.

Q: Can I apply to multiple arts councils?

No. Every NYC borough has an arts council that grants city and state funds through programs similar to ours. You should choose one council to apply to, since the funding source for the arts council grants is the same. Applying to more than one will result in your application being considered a duplicate, and rendered ineligible.

• Manhattan: Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC)

• Queens: Queens Council on the Arts (QCA)

• Bronx: Bronx Council for the Arts (BCA)

• Staten Island: Staten Island Arts

Location (Brooklyn)

Q: Does my project have to take place in Brooklyn?

Yes. The funds we allocate are public, from the city (Department of Cultural Affairs) and state (New York State Council on the Arts), and very specifically intended to benefit the Brooklyn public.

Q: What if my project takes place across boroughs?

We are only able to support the aspects of the project that take place in Brooklyn, for a Brooklyn public. Please cater all aspects of your application to Brooklyn.

Q: What if I work in, but don't live in Brooklyn?

You may be eligible to apply to our Local Arts Support program with an eligible Brooklyn-based fiscal sponsor.

Q: Where should I apply if my project isn't in Brooklyn?

Every NYC borough has an arts council that grants city and state funds through programs similar to ours. The NYC local arts councils are:

• Manhattan: Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC)

• Queens: Queens Council on the Arts (QCA)

• Bronx: Bronx Council for the Arts (BCA)

• Staten Island: Staten Island Arts

Most local arts council grant programs require residency in the borough you are applying in and require you to do your project in that borough.

Application

Q: How do I apply?

Applicants must review the Guidelines (posted on each programs' webpage) before beginning an application. If eligible, you may begin a draft of the Application in Submittable. In Submittable, you can also review the Narrative Questions and download the Budget Template.

Each fund has its own Application and we recommend starting to gather your materials today and working on your draft over time – don’t wait until right before the deadline to submit! You may also find it useful to draft your materials in a separate Word/Google doc or, Submittable now offers a collaboration feature on most forms so multiple people in your organization can contribute.

Q: I started an application. Where did it go?

BAC application forms are hosted by Submittable. Your drafts are saved in your account there for 21 days.

Q: I've never applied for a grant before. A little help?

Accessing Info Sessions is Accessing Support. Attending/Watching Info Sessions Increases your chances of getting the money.

At an Info Session, we give you hints on how to write a successful application. We highly recommend that you attend. On-demand recordings and a schedule of in-person sessions will be made available.

Q: What discipline should I apply under?

It’s up to you and how you describe your work/project! If your work uses one medium in particular, apply in that medium (Dance, Theater, Music, Literary Arts, Film, Visual Arts, or Cultural Heritage/Folk Arts). Or, if you feel like your work uniquely brings together many elements and mediums, you may choose to apply to the Interdisciplinary or Multidisciplinary categories.  

Q: Which grant should I apply for?

If after reviewing the Guidelines and attending an Info Session, you're not sure which grant to apply to, email us at grants@brooklynartscouncil.org.

Application Assistance

Q: Do I have to attend an info session?

It’s highly recommended that new and returning Community Arts Grants applicants attend the Overview & Budget Info Session this year. All Creative Equations Fund applicants are asked to attend an Info Session in order to be eligible for 2024 funds.

Q: I've unsuccessfully applied in the past; can I get my panel notes?

Due to limited staff capacity, we are only able to offer panel notes from March – May, after Notifications have gone out. Sign-ups for Feedback Calls will be made available through our  BAC Newsletter.  

Program Questions

Q: How do you make the funding decisions?

Brooklyn Arts Council makes its funding decisions via a process of peer panel review. The review criteria is outlined in the Guidelines for each fund.

Q: Who are your current grantees?

A full list of 2023 Grantees broken down by program and discipline is here. It may be helpful for new applicants to see who has been funded in the past – you’ll get a sense of the types of projects our Panelists thought were most successful in impacting Brooklyn.

Q: What are my responsibilities if I get funded?

Grantee responsibilities are outlined in the For Current Grantees section of the website.

For Everything Else

Q: How do I get program updates?

Sign up for our mailing list or follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter.

I still have so many questions.

That's cool. That's what we're here for. Email us at grants@brooklynartscouncil.org.

Also, be sure to check out the Q&A portion from our latest 2024 Grants Info Session on Vimeo.