Applications Open for Creative Forces Community Engagement Grants
First Veteran Artist-in-Residence Mark Oldland and Frontline Arts Paper Program Manager Ron Erickson pulling oversized 30”x40” sheets of Mark’s USCG Dress Blue uniform "Trop" Shirts rag pulp in the parking lot at Frontline Arts in Branchburg, NJ. These sheets will be used for a freeform pulp spray triptych piece called “Bering Sea Puddle Jump.” Mark was an E-5 2nd Class Petty Officer in the US Coast Guard. Ron was a L/Cpl. E-3 in the Marines. Photo by James Teichman
Washington DC—As part of its Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is pleased to announce that applications are now available for the Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant program. A partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, these grants support projects that address the distinct experiences, challenges, and strengths of a broad military-connected population, including active duty service members, guardsmen, reservists, and veterans, as well as their families and caregivers. Applications are now open on maaa.org/creativeforces. The deadline to apply is Thursday, January 19, 2023.
Creative Forces is an initiative of the NEA in partnership with the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs which seeks to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers. This grant program aims to make a difference in military-connected communities by supporting arts engagement programming designed to cultivate creative expression, increase social connectedness, strengthen resilience, and to support independence and successful adaptation to civilian life.
Projects will require at least one partner; and be led by or include at least one organization with a history of creative or artistic programming. Partnerships among arts organizations and veteran and military service organizations are highly encouraged. Funding will support projects beginning on or after July 1, 2023 in one of two categories:
The emerging grant tier:
- Provides support for eligible organizations to develop and implement new or emerging nonclinical arts engagement programs for military-connected populations
- Matching grant amount: up to $10,000 for one-year projects
The advanced grant tier:
- Provides support for eligible organizations with established military-related non-clinical arts programming
- Matching grant amounts: $10,000 - $25,000 for one-year projects or up to $50,000 for two-year projects
Resources for potential applicants:
- Sign up for office hours
- Insights webinar series from the Creative Forces National Resource Center
- Community Engagement Logic Models
- Insights on How to Serve Military and Veteran Populations
- Blog: Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant Projects Aim to Make a Difference
Additional resources and information can be found on the Creative Forces National Resource Center.
About the Creative Forces Initiative
Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. The initiative seeks to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers. Creative Forces is managed in partnership with Americans for the Arts, Civic Arts, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. More information, including clinical-based activities and research, can be found at arts.gov/creativeforces.
Contact
Allison Hill (National Endowment for the Arts), hilla@arts.gov, 202-682-5037
Margaret A. Keough (Mid-America Arts Alliance), margaret@maaa.org, 816-800-0923
