americans for the arts emergency relief fund
Support to Local Arts Agencies Affected by Disasters
The Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund was established to provide timely financial assistance to victims of a major disaster for the purpose of helping them rebuild the arts in their community. Relief funds are distributed directly to local arts agencies. Local arts agencies may use relief funds to assist with their own recovery as well as to provide needed services and funding to local nonprofit arts organizations and individual artists. Relief funds are generated by Americans for the Arts and the charitable contributions of foundations, corporations, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, and individuals from across the country. Contributions to the Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund are tax deductible. One hundred percent of all funds raised will be distributed to local arts agencies in disaster areas.
To Donate
Make your tax-deductible contribution to the fund by sending a check—payable to the Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund—to the address below; by calling us with a credit card number (866.471.2787); or by donating online.
Americans for the Arts
1000 Vermont Avenue, NW
6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Eligibility
To qualify for Emergency Relief Funds, the applicant must meet the following criteria:
- Be a designated local arts agency*—a locally based arts funding and/or service organization, which could be either a government arts agency or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and
- Be located in an area declared a disaster by a governmental agency.
*Individual artists are not eligible for emergency relief funds
Amount of Funding
Relief funds, when available, are designed to provide fast and flexible funding with a simple application process. Awards typically range from $1,000 to $5,000, but may be more at the discretion of the Emergency Relief Fund Committee. Funds are allocated as they become available.
How to Apply
Applications may be submitted online or by fax at 202.371.0424. If you are limited to phone access, you may apply by telephone. Call Americans for the Arts toll free at 866.471.2787 and ask for the Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund. Applications may be handwritten. Applicants do not need to be a member of Americans for the Arts.
Applicants must provide the following information:
- Contact Information (both permanent and temporary, if applicable), including your name and title, organization name, address (city, state, zip), telephone, cell phone, fax, e-mail, and website.
- Verify that your organization is the designated local arts agency for your community.
- Verify that your area has been declared a disaster by a government agency.
- One sentence description of your organization.
- One sentence description of the purpose of the funds.
