Note: We highly encourage first-time applicants to call or email the foundation in advance of applying.
Organizations may apply for funding once per calendar year, regardless of whether a request is approved within that year. All organizations applying to the foundation must:
- Be a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization; or be an arts-oriented project or organization under the fiscal agency of a 501(c)3 organization.
- Be based in and serve the Pikes Peak region, defined as El Paso County and the Ute Pass corridor of Teller County to include Woodland Park but not beyond.
- Have an active employment nondiscrimination policy approved by the board that is inclusive of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical or mental handicap, veteran status and marital status.
Ineligible for Funding
The following activities or organizations are ineligible for funding from the foundation:
- Individual artists or art students.
- Organizations that are not legal nonprofits or under the fiscal agency of a nonprofit.
Please note that merely “incorporating” as a nonprofit is not the same as securing 501(c)3 status from the IRS; organizations must demonstrate IRS nonprofit status. - Performances or arts events designed primarily as fund-raisers for non-arts organizations or to advance causes unrelated to the arts.
In general, the foundation does not provide funding directly to public or private schools. Our focus is instead of supporting arts nonprofits that work directly in schools to enhance the school arts experience.
Grant Sizes/Structures
Grants are structured based on the size of organizations.
Bee Grants
Organizations with prior-year or current-year revenues of $50,000 or less are eligible for a maximum grant of up to $2,500 per year.
Standard Grants
Most Standard Grants range in size from $2,500 to $10,000. Organizations with prior-year or current-year revenues of $50,001 or more are eligible for Standard Grants.
Types of Support
Foundation grants can come in various forms:
- General operating support.
- Season or programmatic support.
- Scholarships for students and teachers distributed through qualified organizations.
- Capacity-building support to strengthen organizations through the use of consultants, software, strategic planning initiatives, increased administrative assistance and more.
- Challenge grants designed to help nonprofits increase their individual-donor ability.
- Capital projects.
- Outreach programs to increase exposure to the arts.
