General Operating Support Grant Program (US)

Funding Information

• Grant amount: $1,000 – $25,000.
• KAC requires that all grants are matched at a minimum of 1:1 through a combination of cash and in-kind expenses. For example, if your grant request is $10,000, your organization would be expected to spend $10,000 in expenses from other non-state and non-federal sources towards the project, for total project expenses of $20,000.
• All proposed activity must take place within a 12-month grant period.
  • The grant period start date is July 1 of the state fiscal year in which requested grant funding is awarded.
  • The grant period end date is June 30 of the state fiscal year in which requested grant funding is awarded unless an end date extension is approved by KAC.

Eligibility Criteria

• All applicants must meet the following basic eligibility requirements at the time of application:
• All current and previous grantees must be in good standing with KAC and the Department of Commerce at the time of application.
• Applicant organization must be either a Kansas 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt corporation or arts-based unit of a public entity as of the application deadline. A public entity is a Kansas local government, entity of state government, school district, community college, college, university, or federally recognized Indian tribal government or tribal organization. Private schools, private community colleges, private colleges and private universities are not public entities and must be non-profit and tax-exempt to meet the legal status requirement. For more information about tax exempt status, see the “Charities and Nonprofits” section on the Internal Revenue Service website.
• Arts-based units of public entities must have their own discreet operating budgets and an advisory or governing board.
• Applicant organizations must have at least one year of completed arts and cultural programming and be able to provide their last completed fiscal year’s operating budget.
• Applicant organizations must be registered with the Kansas Secretary of State Business Services Division and their status must be “active and in good standing.” If the applicant is registered with Business Services but their status is not “active,” the applicant must correct the status within 10 calendar days of notification, or the application will be deemed ineligible.
• Applicant must provide their UEI number at the time of application.
• Applicant must have an arts and culture-centered mission statement. For the purposes of this program, arts and cultural disciplines include music, dance, theatre, creative writing, literature, painting, sculpture, folk arts, photography, crafts, media arts, visual arts, programs of museums, and other such allied, major art forms. Individual public or private pre-K-12 schools, libraries, civic organizations, parks, recreation, and leisure organizations, human service organizations and other community service agencies do not meet this definition of arts or cultural organizations.
• Organizations may not apply for General Operating Support through a fiscal agent.
• Additional Eligibility Requirements
  • In addition to Basic Eligibility, all grantees are expected to:
    • Complete all proposed activities within the grant period
    • Make programming and activities open and accessible to all members of the public
    • Match the grant amount requested, at least dollar for dollar with non-state and non-federal funds
    • Include only allowable expenses in the project budget
  • Comply with all grant administration requirements:
    • Provide required information for grant award agreement
    • Return signed grant award agreement within 30 calendar days of receipt
    • Request approval for any changes to grant award agreement (details for this process are outlined in How to Manage Your Grant materials)
    • Complete a final report no later than July 31, 2026
    • Maintain complete and accurate grant records, including all documentation, for a minimum of three years after the end of the grant period
    • Comply with the requirements of the State of Kansas Policy Against Sexual Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation established by Executive Order 18-04
    • Use the appropriate credit line or approved logo to acknowledge grant funding (see grant contract for credit requirements)
  • Museums applying for General Operating Support must:
    • Be open to the public for at least 180 days a year
    • Own or utilize works of art, historical artifacts, or other tangible objects (live or inanimate)
    • Exhibit these works of art, historical artifacts, or other tangible objects to the public on a regular schedule.
• Organizations applying for General Operating Support may not apply for Arts Everywhere or Public Art and Mural grants. Organizations receiving KAC grants may apply for up to two Kansas Touring Roster Visiting Artist grants per fiscal year.

For more information, visit Kansas Arts Commission.