COVID Specific Grants for NJ Arts Nonprofits
Apply Today for the Coronavirus Relief Fund Grant

Deadline to Apply: June 23, 2021, 4:00 PM EST
WHAT IS THE CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND (CRF) PROGRAM 
Per legislative directive, the Arts Council will distribute $7.5 million in federal funding to support nonprofit arts organizations in need. These funds are a portion of federal block grant funds allocated to the State from the federal “Coronavirus Relief Fund” established pursuant to the federal “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act),” Pub.L.116-136.

The CRF Grant Program funds will be awarded by the Arts Council as one-time, non-matching grants to eligible nonprofit, arts-missioned organizations. Eligibility information is provided in the grant guidelines.
 

HOW CAN CRF GRANT DOLLARS BE SPENT BY GRANTEES 
In accordance with federal requirements, these emergency relief funds can only be used to cover losses and unanticipated costs incurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the period that begins March 1, 2020 and ends December 31, 2021. Greater detail is provided in the grant guidelines.


CRF GRANT PERIOD, TIMELINE, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Funds awarded through this grant program are for the period August 1, 2021 - December 31, 2021.
 
The CRF Grant Program consists of four components: a CRF Grant Program Worksheet, the Application Short Form, Contract, and the Final Report. These forms are needed to verify eligibility, compliance with the Stafford Act’s duplication of benefit provisions, and certification of expenditures consistent with federal guidance.
 
Free technical assistance and support are available for each component of the grant program. Applicants are encouraged to take advantage of all available resources. Please reference the Arts Council’s website for specific details, including times, links, and registration requirements. The first session is tomorrow, Friday, May 28th, from 2-3pm.



Guidelines are available in both English and Spanish.
APPLICATION ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE
Virtual Office Hours are offered via Zoom for assistance with your questions about the process and the application. Contact Council staff with any questions.

Please note that some technical assistance sessions are artistic discipline-specific. 


For details on joining Virtual Office Hours and available dates, click here.

Please read the guidelines thoroughly prior to Virtual Office Hours.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, created in 1966, is a division of the NJ Department of State. The Council was established to encourage and foster public interest in the arts; enlarge public and private resources devoted to the arts; promote freedom of expression in the arts; and facilitate the inclusion of art in every public building in New Jersey. The Council receives direct appropriations from the State of New Jersey through a dedicated, renewable Hotel/Motel Occupancy fee, as well as competitive grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. To learn more about the Council, please visit www.artscouncil.nj.gov.