The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation is giving another $10 million to support arts and culture in Washington state, building on a gift of the same amount last year that ultimately benefitted 671 organizations.
In partnership with ArtsFund, a Seattle-based nonprofit that supports the arts through leadership, advocacy, and grant making, the 2024 Community Accelerator Grant program will again seek applicants across Washington that can use unrestricted funding for a variety of needs.
Grants in the first round ranged from $2,500 to $25,000, with an average grant size of $14,909 and impacted organizations in 35 of Washington’s 39 counties. Recipients indicated their greatest needs were for salaries and labor, programming, and rent and facility costs.
“The initial round of the Community Accelerator Grant taught us so much about the positive impact unrestricted funding has on arts and culture organizations,” ArtsFund President and CEO Michael Greer said in a statement.
The program will continue to prioritize organizations that center BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities, and those located in rural communities.
“The Community Accelerator Grant shows the power of this community-driven model, and the impact that can be made when organizations themselves choose how to use urgently needed funds,” said Lara Littlefield, executive director for Partnerships & Programs of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. “Arts and culture organizations are central to vibrant and healthy communities and we recognize the broader need to empower these organizations and all that they do for Washingtonians across our state.”
Applications for the 2024 program will run from Feb. 5 to March 5, 2024. The process will again utilize a Community Advisory Panel, which will inform the application, outreach, and awardee slate. Further details about the application process, the advisory panel, and criteria will be shared in January.
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation was founded in 1988 by the late Microsoft co-founder and his sister, Jody Allen, to invest in a number of areas, including arts and culture, science and technology, and research in all areas of bioscience.
