The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, in partnership with ArtsFund, announced $10 million in funding for 811 arts and culture organizations across Washington state through the Community Accelerator Grant program. This initiative began in 2023 with the same amount of funding directed towards 671 organizations. Administered by ArtsFund, the grants range from $2,500 to $25,000, with an average award of $12,330, to help organizations invest in their missions. The grants were awarded to every eligible nonprofit organization that applied, with a focus on supporting organizations with annual budgets of less than $500,000 and those centered on BIPOC, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and rural communities.
Organizations in 37 Washington counties, representing 99.8% of the state’s population, received funding through the program. The top five disciplines represented in the grantee pool include music, cultural heritage, multidisciplinary, theatre, and visual arts. The grants aim to support a diverse range of cultural activities across the state, from the Olympics to the Palouse, showcasing the extensive reach and impact of the program. Lara Littlefield, executive director of partnerships and programs for the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, expressed her excitement about the program’s impact on the cultural landscape of Washington.
The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, established in 1988 by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen and his sister Jody Allen, invests in various areas, including arts and culture, science and technology, and bioscience research. The foundation’s support for arts and culture organizations in Washington reflects its commitment to promoting diverse cultural activities and ensuring access to the arts for communities across the state. The Community Accelerator Grant program provides essential funding to nonprofit organizations that play a vital role in enriching the cultural fabric of Washington and supporting artists and performers in various disciplines.
The grants support arts organizations of all sizes, with a focus on smaller organizations with limited budgets that may face challenges in securing funding. By providing unrestricted grants, the program allows organizations to invest in their missions, programming, and outreach efforts. The funding also prioritizes organizations that serve marginalized communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities, as well as those located in rural areas, ensuring that a diverse range of cultural activities are supported and accessible to all Washington residents.
Seattle Opera’s Youth Opera Project, Mariachi Noroeste, and other cultural organizations in Washington have been recipients of the Community Accelerator Grant, enabling them to continue their important work in preserving and promoting diverse cultural traditions. The program’s impact extends beyond financial support, as it recognizes the value of arts and culture in building bridges between communities, fostering creativity and expression, and enriching the lives of individuals across the state. The full list of grant recipients highlights the breadth and depth of the cultural landscape in Washington and the significant role that arts organizations play in shaping vibrant and dynamic communities.
