Become a CAC Grant Recipient in 2025
Are you part of an organization looking for funding to bring your creative idea to life in 2025? Cuyahoga Arts & Culture (CAC) is there to support you. Since 2007, this organization has invested more than $125 million in arts and cultural organizations in Cuyahoga County. In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to become a CAC recipient this year, from eligibility requirements to key application tips. Let’s dive in.
Who is Eligible?
If you’re a first-time grant applicant, you can apply for a Project Support grant. This features funding of up to $5,000 for your arts and culture project. If this is not your first time applying, there are other grant types you can explore. View them here.
All applicants must be a 501c3 organization with a base in Cuyahoga County for at least one year. They must also be incorporated for business in Ohio as verified by the Secretary of State. Additionally, all applicants must have produced or presented arts and/or cultural program(s) in Cuyahoga County that are open to the public within the previous two years.
The Process
New CAC grants are available each year. On January 15, 2025, CAC staff will host an informational virtual session to help applicants understand the process. All Project Support grantees are welcome and first-time CAC grantees are required to attend.
In May, the grant application guidelines are released, and an initial eligibility check will be in June. Applications are due in August with the public panel review held in September. Grants are announced in November.
How Grants Are Determined
Each fall, CAC holds a public panel where diverse arts and cultural professionals evaluate all eligible applications. This is done at a public panel meeting or through a written review online. If done in the public panel meeting, panelists will discuss each application for up to six minutes. During this time, they will assess the application against CAC’s criteria. Organizations whose applications receive a score above a pre-established cut-off score meet the criteria and are recommended to receive funding.
How to Make Your Application Stand Out
Most eligible CAC grant applicants successfully secure funding — even if it’s their first year applying. The organization aims to fund as many applicants as the budget allows. Even though securing funding isn’t difficult, there are things you can do to make your application stand out.
Understanding the funding criteria is the first step to an above-average application. CAC grants are based on three criteria: public benefit, artistic and cultural vibrancy, and organizational capacity.
Public benefit: pertains to an organization’s ability to meaningfully connect with its community through its project. This might include marketing the program broadly, hosting the program in a public space, and more.
Artistic and cultural vibrancy: is an organization’s ability to create a relevant and engaging project. This includes paying artists fairly for their work, evolving programming based on feedback, and more.
Organizational capacity: pertains to an organization’s ability to successfully plan for and manage its project. To do so, you should set goals, measure impact, and have a defined plan for matching CAC’s grant and covering all project costs.
Additionally, connecting with CAC is a great way to gain insights to help your application shine. You can contact the organization here or plan on attending an upcoming workshop.
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Get in Touch
Want to learn more about renting from the Twist Drill building? Contact our team to schedule a tour.