2025 City of Wichita Cultural Funding Program

Welcome! Below you will see all of our current opportunities.

Activation Grant Opportunity

History

Previously, the City of Wichita offered three grant opportunities every year: the Operational Grant opportunity, the Developing Arts Grant opportunity, and the Artist Access Grant opportunity. Based on feedback from the local arts community and empowered by the City Council-approved 2024-2028 Cultural Arts Strategic Plan, The Division of Arts and Cultural Services paused the Developing Arts Grant opportunity for fiscal year 2025 and placed the program in review. After review by the Cultural Funding Committee and City staff, the Developing Arts and Artist Access grants have been retired, and the intended goals for each have been combined to create the new Activation Grant opportunity. 

Guidelines

Inspired by the mission put forward in the City’s Cultural Plan, Activation Grants will serve to strengthen the creative potential of our community through one-time operational or programmatic funding.

Each application will fall into one of four categories:

1. Individuals applying to make art (Programmatic Funding).
2. Organizations applying to make art (Programmatic Funding).
3. Individuals applying for professional development help (Capacity Building Funding).
4. Organizations applying for organizational development help (Capacity Building Funding).

Capacity Building for Individuals

One-time funding for professional development or skill-building opportunities to advance an individual’s work and career as a working artist. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Artist workshops, conferences, and seminars (including hotel, registration fees, travel)
• Artist residencies (including travel expenses)
• Individual artist website development
• Resume preparation
• Professional presentation development
• Ineligible expenses include accredited or continuing education courses, such as a college class

Capacity Building for Organizations

One-time project funding to increase an organization’s ability to deliver services to the residents of the City of Wichita. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Strategic planning 
• Financial audits
• Board development
• Funding for workshops, seminars, conferences, and professional consultations including fees, registrations, required support materials and travel 
• Website, social media, and marketing development including professional and consultation fees 
• Computer/hardware/software purchases 

Programmatic Funding for Individuals and Organizations

One-time project funding to create art of any kind that serves the residents of the City of Wichita. Examples include but are not limited to:

• Public art or other art exhibitions, including its creation and/or display
• Film productions, performances, or other special events

Eligibility

This grant opportunity is open to all individuals, groups of artists, and arts and culture nonprofit organizations that serve the residents of Wichita, with the following modifications:

• An organization is ineligible if it was awarded a 2026 Operational Grant or has Cultural Institution status with the City of Wichita.
• Support organizations, such as foundations or “friends of” organizations are eligible to apply.
• Individuals are ineligible if they are employed on a full-time basis by the City of Wichita.

These exceptions are rooted in providing a more uniform playing field for the competitive program and preventing a conflict of interest with the City granting itself an award that targets external partners.

Nonprofit status is required for organizational applicants. Individuals do not need business or nonprofit status to apply. Unlike the Operational Grant opportunity, a full season of work is not required.

If an individual or organization receives funding from this grant opportunity, they must wait at least one year before applying for funding from this opportunity again. The required pauses are:

• If Capacity Building Funding is received: Cannot reapply until the 2028 opportunity (apply Fall 2027)
• If Programmatic Funding is received: Cannot reapply until the 2029 opportunity (apply Fall 2028)

Project Specifics

Serving the Residents of the City of Wichita

All programmatic funding must be used toward a project that serves the residents of the City of Wichita. All capacity building funding must be used by individuals or organizations who, through their work, serve the residents of the City of Wichita.

Alignment with the 2024-2028 Cultural Arts Strategic Plan

The proposed project must align with a goal, objective, strategy, or other aspect of the 2024-2028 Cultural Arts Strategic Plan. This includes capacity building proposals. Options include but are not limited to:

• Increase opportunities for engagement and access for residents.
• Ensure cultural arts opportunities are provided across the city.
• Promote free and affordable cultural arts opportunities.
• Attract and retain cultural arts participants and artists from outside of Wichita.
• Incentivize community partners to develop new artwork.
• Encourage the development of paid professional opportunities for mid-career artists.

Funding Request Limits

Applications are limited to a minimum request of $500 and a maximum request of $10,000, though neither City staff nor the members of the Cultural Funding Committee guarantee that any grant will be funded at $10,000.

Scope of the Project

Projects may be of any scope, with the grant funds representing any percentage of the project’s budget. Thus, selected projects will not be required to add or match funds.

Using a For-Profit Partner

Applicants may utilize the services of a for-profit business as part of their project proposal, but the nonprofit organization or individual artist must be the primary applicant. Please see “Terms and Conditions”, below, for more information on bringing in a for-profit partner.

Calendar

• September 5 – Applications open
• September 16 & 23 – Grant Information Sessions
• September 16, 2:00pm: Click here to join the meeting 
• September 23, 2:00pm: Click here to join the meeting  
• The information session will be recorded and uploaded to the City's YouTube page for later viewing.
• November 3 – Applications are due.
• December 4 – Cultural Funding Committee deliberates the applications and makes their final recommendations to City Council.
• December 15 – Division of Arts and Cultural Services staff present the recommendations to City Council for approval.
• January 1, 2026 – Funding is available for projects.

Info Sessions

In-person and virtual information sessions about the grants will be held on September 16 and 23. The virtual sessions will be recorded and made available for later viewing.

Selection

Complete applications that meet all the following criteria will be passed along to the Cultural Funding Committee for consideration:

• The applicant is not ineligible to apply.
• The project aligns with at least one goal, objective, strategy, or other aspect of the Cultural Plan.
• The application has a clear plan for all the funds requested for the project.

The Cultural Funding Committee will make a recommendation to the Wichita City Council, and the Council will decide whether to authorize final approval of the selected grant recipients. 

The Rubric

Information about the Rubric can be found in the full grant guidelines below. Please click on "Guidelines" next to the "Submit" button.

Final Selection

Information about Final Selection can be found in the full grant guidelines below. Please click on "Guidelines" next to the "Submit" button.

Completing the Project

City staff will be in contact with grant recipients through the process of fulfilling their contracted responsibilities. 

Grant recipients will be asked to keep and submit all necessary paperwork for the funding received, which may include receipts or invoices, proof of payment for all goods and services, and proof of receipt of any purchased items.

Grant recipients will be asked to fill out a final report, the format of which will depend on the project type. Information about the Final Report can be found in the full grant guidelines below. Please click on "Guidelines" next to the "Submit" button.

Terms and Conditions

Information about additional Terms and Conditions can be found in the full grant guidelines below. Please click on "Guidelines" next to the "Submit" button. in the grant guidelines, below.

Operational Funding Grants

Applications for our FY26 Operational Grant Opportunity closed on August 4, 2025.

Technical Questions?

Check out the Submitter Resource Center or contact Submittable Customer Support.