Open Now! Festival & Events Grants

The Washington Department of Commerce, in collaboration with the Washington Festivals and Events Association (WFEA) and ArtsWA, is administering a $3.5 million grant program to provide festivals, events and celebrations across the state with relief disruptions caused by COVID.

This grant program supports “legacy-level” community events, festivals, civic and holiday celebrations, cultural and heritage events, music festivals, and street and arts fairs in communities with populations of 100,000 or less. Funding supports the 2022 calendar year.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, July 1 at 5:00 p.m.

Click here to apply

Grants are designed to either restart and stabilize “legacy-level” festivals and events suspended in 2020 and 2021, recover from disruptions and losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or both. Covered expenses include deposits on infrastructure (security, temporary fencing, staging, lights, sound equipment, etc.) and staff and labor costs. Grants range from $5,000 to $35,000. Award amounts are based on need and demonstrated losses. “Legacy-level” is defined as established festivals and events that have been held for five years or more in a community.

As of April 2022, applicants for grants using federal funds need to have a Universal Entity Identifier (EFI), which replaces the DUNS Number. If you don’t have one yet, you may want to apply now as it takes some time to process.

Click here to read the guidelines

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About this grant

Washington Festival and Events Association, in partnership with Washington State Department of Commerce and ArtsWA, is pleased to offer a Festival and Events Grant Program. This program supports “legacy-level” community events, including:

• festivals
• civic and holiday celebrations
• cultural and heritage events
• music festivals
• street and art fairs

What does “Legacy-level” mean?

“Legacy-level” refers to events that have taken place in the community for five or more years and draw visitors.

What does this grant fund?

Funding supports events in communities of less than 100,000 residents (based on the 2020 Census). Grants are designed to either restart and stabilize “legacy-level” festival and events suspended in 2020 and 2021, recover from disruptions and losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or both.

Covered expenses include deposits on infrastructure (security, temporary fencing, staging, lights, sound equipment, etc.) and staff and labor costs. Grants range from $5,000 to $35,000. Award amounts are based on need and demonstrated losses.

Funding amounts

• Grants will range from $5,000 to $35,000, based on need and demonstrated losses.

Important dates

• Application period: June 8 – July 1, 2022
• Deadline July 1, 2022, 5:00 p.m.
• Notification of grant award: on a rolling basis and by July 25, 2022
• When funds will be distributed: on a rolling basis and by October 31, 2022
• Final report due: January 2, 2023

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