
The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, in partnership with the community, cultivates and supports excellence in the arts and humanities, expands access to cultural expression, and contributes to economic vitality in the region.
Among its recent grants, the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County repeatedly backs operating stability for major arts institutions, with awards such as $711,530 to Strathmore Hall Foundation Inc and $504,368 to Olney Theatre Corporation Dba Olney Theatre Center for the Arts. The pattern shows a funder supporting organizations that already anchor Montgomery County’s cultural life, alongside grants that combine general operating support with advancement support. That mix appears across theater, music, dance, visual arts, media, and community arts groups, including Round House Theatre Inc, Imagination Stage Inc, and Montgomery Community Television Dba Montgomery Community Media. The council’s grantmaking also reaches beyond institutional core support. Recent awards include support for creative and educational work in schools and communities, as well as project-based grants for artists and scholars. Its active programs point to a broad but locally focused arts-and-humanities portfolio: organizational sustainability, arts programming, cultural projects, student awards, creative practice, and professional development. The result is a funder that uses a combination of unrestricted and project-specific support to sustain the county’s arts infrastructure while also funding smaller-scale cultural and educational activity.
A defining feature of the council’s grantmaking is its support for organizational sustainability. Recent awards such as $356,271 to Round House Theatre Inc and $346,342 to Imagination Stage Inc were structured as general operating support, with advancement support appearing in some awards as well. The council also funds media and cultural infrastructure. Montgomery Community Television Dba Montgomery Community Media received $267,394 for general operating support, while Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture Inc received $181,894. Arts education is another clear thread. Maryland Youth Ballet Inc received $199,101, and Friends of the Library Montgomery County Maryland Inc received $129,111. Project-based support extends to the county’s literary and cultural community through The Writer's Center, which received $125,364 for general operating support and advancement.
$5.4M
$4.4M
$7.8M
$7.5M
Most grants fall between $13K and $80K, with a median of $31K.
25th Percentile
$13K
Median
$31K
75th Percentile
$80K
SUZAN E JENKINS
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Typical awards are mid-sized for local arts funding, with a p25 of $12,800, a median of $31,100, and a p75 of $80,228. The recent grant list also shows a layered structure: many awards are general operating support, while some add advancement support or target project implementation. Recipients appear across more than one year, including Strathmore Hall Foundation Inc, Olney Theatre Corporation Dba Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, Round House Theatre Inc, Imagination Stage Inc, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc, Adventure Theatre Inc, Levine Music Inc, and Maryland Youth Ballet Inc. The council funds organizations rather than individuals overall, even though some active programs are designed for individual artists and scholars.
Grantmaking is concentrated entirely in Maryland, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent awards cluster in North Bethesda, Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Glen Echo, Olney, Germantown, and Gaithersburg. North Bethesda appears frequently through organizations such as Strathmore Hall Foundation Inc, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc, Levine Music Inc, and National Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale of Montgomery County Inc. Rockville and Bethesda also recur often, showing a strong county-wide spread within Montgomery County rather than a broader regional footprint.
It funds arts and humanities organizations in Montgomery County through a mix of general operating support, advancement support, and project grants. Recent recipients include theater companies, music organizations, dance groups, visual arts centers, media organizations, and cultural partnerships.
The grant-size distribution is p25 $12,800, median $31,100, and p75 $80,228. The recent awards range from smaller project and operating awards to large general operating support grants for major local institutions.
It funds individuals through specific programs such as the Artists & Scholars Project Grants, the Abrams Creative Writing Award, and the Haimovicz Visual Arts Award. In its overall grant profile, however, the foundation is marked as not funding individuals.
The funding is local and entirely in Maryland, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent recipient locations include North Bethesda, Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Glen Echo, Olney, Germantown, and Gaithersburg.
Yes. Several organizations received grants in both 2023 and 2024, including Strathmore Hall Foundation Inc, Olney Theatre Corporation Dba Olney Theatre Center for the Arts, Round House Theatre Inc, Imagination Stage Inc, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Inc, Adventure Theatre Inc, Levine Music Inc, and Maryland Youth Ballet Inc.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STRATHMORE HALL FOUNDATION INC | NORTH BETHESDA, MD | $600,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OLNEY THEATRE CORPORATION DBA OLNEY THEATRE CENTER FOR THE ARTS | OLNEY, MD | $409,499 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| IMAGINATION STAGE INC | BETHESDA, MD | $367,410 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT |
| ROUND HOUSE THEATRE INC | BETHESDA, MD | $310,384 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LEVINE MUSIC INC | NORTH BETHESDA, MD | $170,595 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| METROPOLITAN CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS INC DBA VISARTS | ROCKVILLE, MD | $160,397 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT |
| MARYLAND YOUTH BALLET INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $141,484 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ADVENTURE THEATRE INC | GLEN ECHO, MD | $136,275 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT |
| FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND INC | ROCKVILLE, MD | $131,947 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AND CHORALE OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY INC | NORTH BETHESDA, MD | $131,646 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| GLEN ECHO PARK PARTNERSHIP FOR ARTS AND CULTURE INC | GLEN ECHO, MD | $124,506 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC | NORTH BETHESDA, MD | $120,720 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DANCE EXCHANGE INC | TAKOMA PARK, MD | $115,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT |
| GERMANTOWN CULTURAL ARTS CENTER INC DBA BLACKROCK CENTER FOR THE ARTS | GERMANTOWN, MD | $114,739 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CITYDANCE PRODUCTIONS INC | NORTH BETHESDA, MD | $111,151 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC DBA MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORY | ROCKVILLE, MD | $100,620 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT |
| METROPOLITAN BALLET THEATRE INC | GAITHERSBURG, MD | $87,869 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT |
| WASHINGTON CONSERVATORY DBA WASHINGTON CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC | GLEN ECHO, MD | $64,003 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DOCS IN PROGRESS INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $63,075 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, ADVANCEMENT GRANT & PROJECT GRANT |
| ARTS FOR THE AGING - MARYLAND INC | ROCKVILLE, MD | $62,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT |
| STORY TAPESTRIES INC | POOLESVILLE, MD | $61,950 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BENDER JC OF GREATER WASHINGTON | ROCKVILLE, MD | $60,796 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CLANCY WORKS INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $59,600 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT |
| THE WRITER'S CENTER | BETHESDA, MD | $58,933 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SANDY SPRING MUSEUM INC | SANDY SPRING, MD | $57,397 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| KALANIDHI DANCE INC | BETHESDA, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ARTSTREAM INC | ROCKVILLE, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| YOUNG ARTISTS OF AMERICA INC | NORTH BETHESDA, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LUMINA STUDIO THEATRE INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THEATRE CONSORTIUM OF SILVER SPRING INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FLYING V LTD | BETHESDA, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CREATE ARTS CENTER INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $49,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ARTPRENEURS INC DBA ARTS ON THE BLOCK | SILVER SPRING, MD | $48,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MARLOW GUITAR INTERNATIONAL INC | ROCKVILLE, MD | $47,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SO WHAT ELSE INC | BETHESDA, MD | $47,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| AKHMEDOVA BALLET FOUNDATION INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $47,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PEERLESS ROCKVILLE HISTORIC PRESERVATION LTD | ROCKVILLE, MD | $47,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CANTATE CHAMBER SINGERS INC | TAKOMA PARK, MD | $45,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| WASHINGTON REVELS INC | GLEN ECHO, MD | $42,396 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SILVER SPRING TOWN CENTER INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $41,807 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| INTERACT STORY THEATRE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION INC | WHEATON, MD | $35,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT |
| CARPE DIEM ARTS INC | SILVER SPRING, MD | $34,800 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT |
| NEW ORCHESTRA OF WASHINGTON INC | ROCKVILLE, MD | $34,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT |
| SUTRADHAR INSTITUTE OF DANCE & RELATED ARTS | SILVER SPRING, MD | $34,100 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT |
| GANDHI BRIGADE INC DBA ACTION YOUTH MEDIA | SILVER SPRING, MD | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| GLORYSTAR MUSIC EDUCATION AND CULTURAL FOUNDATION INC DBA GLORYSTAR CHIL | POTOMAC, MD | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BOULANGER INITIATIVE | NORTH BETHESDA, MD | $24,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| PHOTOWORKS INC | GLEN ECHO, MD | $24,250 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL CAPITAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION INC DBA NATIONAL CA | COLESVILLE, MD | $23,750 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| GLEN ECHO POTTERY INC | GLEN ECHO, MD | $23,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
METROPOLITAN CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS INC DBA VISARTS
$160,397GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT
MARYLAND YOUTH BALLET INC
$141,484GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND INC
$131,947GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA AND CHORALE OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY INC
$131,646GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GLEN ECHO PARK PARTNERSHIP FOR ARTS AND CULTURE INC
$124,506GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC
$120,720GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
DANCE EXCHANGE INC
$115,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT
GERMANTOWN CULTURAL ARTS CENTER INC DBA BLACKROCK CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$114,739GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CITYDANCE PRODUCTIONS INC
$111,151GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC DBA MONTGOMERY COUNTY HISTORY
$100,620GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT
METROPOLITAN BALLET THEATRE INC
$87,869GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT
WASHINGTON CONSERVATORY DBA WASHINGTON CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
$64,003GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
DOCS IN PROGRESS INC
$63,075GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT, ADVANCEMENT GRANT & PROJECT GRANT
ARTS FOR THE AGING - MARYLAND INC
$62,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & ADVANCEMENT GRANT
BENDER JC OF GREATER WASHINGTON
$60,796GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CLANCY WORKS INC
$59,600GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT
THE WRITER'S CENTER
$58,933GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
SANDY SPRING MUSEUM INC
$57,397GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
KALANIDHI DANCE INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ARTSTREAM INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
YOUNG ARTISTS OF AMERICA INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
LUMINA STUDIO THEATRE INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
THEATRE CONSORTIUM OF SILVER SPRING INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FLYING V LTD
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CREATE ARTS CENTER INC
$49,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ARTPRENEURS INC DBA ARTS ON THE BLOCK
$48,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MARLOW GUITAR INTERNATIONAL INC
$47,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
AKHMEDOVA BALLET FOUNDATION INC
$47,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
PEERLESS ROCKVILLE HISTORIC PRESERVATION LTD
$47,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CANTATE CHAMBER SINGERS INC
$45,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
WASHINGTON REVELS INC
$42,396GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
SILVER SPRING TOWN CENTER INC
$41,807GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
INTERACT STORY THEATRE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION INC
$35,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT
CARPE DIEM ARTS INC
$34,800GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT
NEW ORCHESTRA OF WASHINGTON INC
$34,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT
SUTRADHAR INSTITUTE OF DANCE & RELATED ARTS
$34,100GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT & PROJECT GRANT
GANDHI BRIGADE INC DBA ACTION YOUTH MEDIA
$30,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GLORYSTAR MUSIC EDUCATION AND CULTURAL FOUNDATION INC DBA GLORYSTAR CHIL
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
BOULANGER INITIATIVE
$24,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
PHOTOWORKS INC
$24,250GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
NATIONAL CAPITAL HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF TRANSPORTATION INC DBA NATIONAL CA
$23,750GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
GLEN ECHO POTTERY INC
$23,500GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT