Equity in the Arts Fund is a Cleveland-focused arts funder that prioritizes culturally specific, community-centered arts organizations and artist-support initiatives—particularly for Black, Latinx and other immigrant/underserved communities. They favor capacity-building, operating support, fiscal sponsorships and artist residencies/fellowships that strengthen organizations’ sustainability and audience engagement. Grants commonly support youth storytelling, community performance programs, and culturally specific theaters and cultural centers. Their work is distinctively equity-driven, aiming to shift resources to grassroots and BIPOC-led arts groups in Greater Cleveland.
Equity in the Arts Fund’s recent giving is anchored by a $45,000 fiscal sponsorship grant to Assembly for the Arts for the Cleveland Burlesque Academy Project Marinka *Accessible Artistic Ecdysiast. That grant fits a broader pattern of backing culturally specific arts work, artist-support programs, and organizational strengthening in Greater Cleveland. The funder’s portfolio includes support for Latinx theater capacity, Palestinian American heritage, Mexican culture in Cleveland, African diaspora arts programming, and neighborhood-based performances. It also backs projects that help arts groups build audience engagement, transition leadership, and sustain operations. The foundation’s grants often sit in the $15,000 to $20,000 range, but the range of purposes is wider than the dollar amounts suggest. Recent awards have gone to fiscal sponsorships, artist residencies, community storytelling initiatives, public performances, and capacity-building efforts for grassroots arts organizations. Several grantees appear more than once across 2023 and 2024, which points to continued support for specific local arts groups rather than isolated one-time awards. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on arts infrastructure as much as arts presentation, with a clear emphasis on equity for communities that are often underrepresented in mainstream cultural funding.
A major thread in the foundation’s work is culturally specific arts and heritage programming. It gave $23,000 to E66th Street Services for fiscal sponsorship of the Palestinian American Heritage Society, $15,000 to Comite Mexicano Inc. for Sustainable Creative Future: Mexican Culture in Cleveland, and $10,000 to Africahouse International for a guest arts program at Africa House. These grants show attention to multiple communities within Cleveland’s arts ecosystem. Another focus is organizational strength. The funder awarded $25,000 to Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center for organizational capacity, $22,000 to Buck Out Foundation for transitioning from voluntary to paid leadership, and $15,000 to Duffy Liturgical Dance Ensemble for capacity building tied to relocation. It also supported audience development and public-facing programming, including $20,000 to Latinus Theater Experience Company for digital marketing and $20,000 to Foluke Cultural Arts Center Inc. for community arts presentations and performances. Youth arts work appears as well through $20,000 to Art of Me Productions for a youth story-to-film program.
$214K
$5.2M
$323K
$43K
Most grants fall between $15K and $20K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$20K
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Concentrated local giving with many small-to-mid sized grants ($10k–$75k), a mix of one-time and repeat grants; emphasis on unrestricted/organizational support, capacity-building, and project incubation rather than large capital gifts. Funding is distributed across numerous grassroots groups with several repeat grantees, signaling relationship-based, equity-centered philanthropy.
Notable grantees: Assembly for the Arts, Latinus Theater Experience Company, Djapo Cultural Arts Institute, Julia de Burgos Cultural Arts Center, Cleveland Public Theatre
Typical grants cluster tightly around $15,000, with a median of $15,000 and a 25th–75th percentile band of $15,000 to $20,000. That suggests a consistent operating scale with some larger awards for fiscal sponsorship or capacity-building projects. The 2023 and 2024 grant lists also show repeat support to several recipients, including Assembly for the Arts, Duffy Liturgical Dance Ensemble, Djapo Cultural Arts Institute Inc., and Latinus Theater Experience Company. Equity in the Arts Fund is a public charity and a mixed community foundation DAF classification. The grant history shown here points to ongoing local relationship-based support rather than isolated project awards.
Giving is highly concentrated in Ohio, with 97% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Cleveland is the main recipient city, including Assembly for the Arts, Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center, Cleveland Public Theatre Inc., Cleveland Public Library Foundation, and Greater Cleveland Urban Film Foundation. Other Ohio recipients appear in East Cleveland, Shaker Heights, Beachwood, Bratenahl, and University Heights. Outside Ohio, the recent-grants list includes one recipient in Boston, Massachusetts: Fab Foundation.
The recent grants show support for culturally specific arts and heritage groups, community performance organizations, and artist-support programs. Examples include the Palestinian American Heritage Society, Comite Mexicano Inc., Africahouse International, Latinus Theater Experience Company, and Foluke Cultural Arts Center Inc.
The foundation’s typical grant size is tightly centered at $15,000, with a median of $15,000 and a 25th–75th percentile range from $15,000 to $20,000.
Its recent-grants list is almost entirely Ohio-based, with 97% of grants going to recipients in Ohio. One listed exception is Fab Foundation in Boston, Massachusetts.
Yes. Several organizations appear in more than one year of the recent-grants list, including Assembly for the Arts, Duffy Liturgical Dance Ensemble, Djapo Cultural Arts Institute Inc., and Latinus Theater Experience Company.
Recent grants include organizational capacity for Julia De Burgos Cultural Arts Center, a leadership transition grant for Buck Out Foundation, capacity building tied to relocation for Duffy Liturgical Dance Ensemble, and digital marketing support for Latinus Theater Experience Company.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Equity in the Arts Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Arts organizations led by and serving Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) in the city of Cleveland, with an operating budget of less than $300,000.
Deadline: October 2
Who can apply: Organizations serving Greater Cleveland’s Black community; local partners; applications completed in Grants Gateway by the deadline.
Deadline: May 11
Who can apply: The Cleveland Foundation generally makes grants to tax-exempt agencies classified as 501(c)(3) organizations in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties; some grants are also made to government agencies and churches.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASSEMBLY FOR THE ARTS | CLEVELAND, OH | $45,000 | 2024 | FISCAL SPONSORSHIP - CLEVELAND BURLESQUE ACADEMY PROJECT MARINKA *ACCESSIBLE ARTISTIC ECDYSIAST |
| BALANCE POINT STUDIOS | CLEVELAND, OH | $27,000 | 2024 | BALANCE POINT STUDIOS: UNLOCKING GREATNESS |
| ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH WATCH INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $27,000 | 2024 | GHETTO ART THERAPY |
| E66TH STREET SERVICES | CLEVELAND, OH | $23,000 | 2024 | FISCAL SPONSORSHIP-PALESTINIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE SOCIETY |
| BUCK OUT FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $22,000 | 2024 | BUCK OUT CLEVELAND: TRANSITIONING FROM VOLUNTARY TO PAID LEADERSHIP |
| DJAPO CULTURAL ARTS INSTITUTE INC | UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | DJAPO CULTURAL ARTS CAPACITY INITIATIVE |
| LIFE EXCHANGE CENTER | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | EXPRESS YOURSELF: A PERFORMANCE MOTIF |
| PEEL DEM LAYERS BACK | BEACHWOOD, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | PEEL DEM LAYERS BACK - GROWTH & SUSTAINABILITY |
| DUFFY LITURGICAL DANCE ENSEMBLE | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | CAPACITY BUILDING (RELOCATION) |
| LATINUS THEATER EXPERIENCE COMPANY | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | STRENGTHEN LATINUS THEATER CAPACITY BUILDING'S AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT USING DIGITAL MARKETING=PART TWO |
| ASSEMBLY FOR THE ARTS | CLEVELAND, OH | $30,000 | 2023 | 10K MOVEMENT SUMMER STREET DANCE INTENSIVE |
| JULIA DE BURGOS CULTURAL ARTS CENTER | CLEVELAND, OH | $25,000 | 2023 | ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY |
| KINGS & QUEENS OF ART | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | CAPACITY BUILDING AND ARTISTS FELLOWSHIP HOST |
| LATINUS THEATER EXPERIENCE COMPANY | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | STRENGTHEN LATINUS THEATER CAPACITY BUILDING'S AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT USING DIGITAL MARKETING |
| LOITER | EAST CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | SANTUARY HOMES ARTS AND AGRICULTURE RESIDENCY PROGRAM |
| FOLUKE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | THE ARTS IN CENTRAL: COMMUNITY ARTS PRESENTATIONS/PERFORMANCES |
| ART OF ME PRODUCTIONS | SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | POWER & COMMUNITY YOUTH STORY TO FILM PROGRAM |
| CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | JAZZ MUSIC RESIDENCY EXPERIENCE |
| MARTHA AND TONYA JOHNSON LEGACY PROJECT | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | CLENAGERS |
| GREATER CLEVELAND URBAN FILM FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | 2022 ORGANIZATIONAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DJAPO CULTURAL ARTS INSTITUTE INC | UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | "THROUGH A CULTURAL LENS" SPRING WORKSHOP SERIES |
| CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | MASRAH CLEVELAND AL-ARABI (2022) |
| FAB FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $15,000 | 2023 | SEE OUR LIGHT |
| COMITE MEXICANO INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | SUSTAINABLE CREATIVE FUTURE: MEXICAN CULTURE IN CLEVELAND |
| DUFFY LITURGICAL DANCE ENSEMBLE | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | THE PANDEMIC RENAISSANCE |
| CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | ASIATOWN ARTBOX |
| BROADWAY SCHOOL OF MUSIC & THE ARTS | CLEVELAND, OH | $14,000 | 2023 | GINA WASHINGTON: "I AM" COMMUNITY IDENTITY WORKSHOPS AND CULMINATING EXHIBITION |
| COLLECTIVEXPRESS INC | BRATENAHL, OH | $10,000 | 2023 | COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT YOUTH PROGRAM |
| AFRICAHOUSE INTERNATIONAL | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2023 | GUEST ARTS PROGRAM AT AFRICA HOUSE |
| CLEVELAND PRINT ROOM INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2023 | AJA GRANT ARTIST RESIDENCY |
| CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2023 | WRAPAROUND THEATRE CENTERS |
FISCAL SPONSORSHIP - CLEVELAND BURLESQUE ACADEMY PROJECT MARINKA *ACCESSIBLE ARTISTIC ECDYSIAST
BALANCE POINT STUDIOS
$27,000BALANCE POINT STUDIOS: UNLOCKING GREATNESS
E66TH STREET SERVICES
$23,000FISCAL SPONSORSHIP-PALESTINIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE SOCIETY
BUCK OUT FOUNDATION
$22,000BUCK OUT CLEVELAND: TRANSITIONING FROM VOLUNTARY TO PAID LEADERSHIP
DJAPO CULTURAL ARTS INSTITUTE INC
DJAPO CULTURAL ARTS CAPACITY INITIATIVE
LIFE EXCHANGE CENTER
$15,000EXPRESS YOURSELF: A PERFORMANCE MOTIF
PEEL DEM LAYERS BACK
$15,000PEEL DEM LAYERS BACK - GROWTH & SUSTAINABILITY
DUFFY LITURGICAL DANCE ENSEMBLE
$15,000CAPACITY BUILDING (RELOCATION)
LATINUS THEATER EXPERIENCE COMPANY
$10,000STRENGTHEN LATINUS THEATER CAPACITY BUILDING'S AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT USING DIGITAL MARKETING=PART TWO
KINGS & QUEENS OF ART
$20,000CAPACITY BUILDING AND ARTISTS FELLOWSHIP HOST
LATINUS THEATER EXPERIENCE COMPANY
$20,000STRENGTHEN LATINUS THEATER CAPACITY BUILDING'S AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT USING DIGITAL MARKETING
LOITER
$20,000SANTUARY HOMES ARTS AND AGRICULTURE RESIDENCY PROGRAM
FOLUKE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER INC
$20,000THE ARTS IN CENTRAL: COMMUNITY ARTS PRESENTATIONS/PERFORMANCES
ART OF ME PRODUCTIONS
$20,000POWER & COMMUNITY YOUTH STORY TO FILM PROGRAM
MARTHA AND TONYA JOHNSON LEGACY PROJECT
$20,000CLENAGERS
GREATER CLEVELAND URBAN FILM FOUNDATION
$15,0002022 ORGANIZATIONAL OPERATING SUPPORT
DJAPO CULTURAL ARTS INSTITUTE INC
$15,000"THROUGH A CULTURAL LENS" SPRING WORKSHOP SERIES
COMITE MEXICANO INC
$15,000SUSTAINABLE CREATIVE FUTURE: MEXICAN CULTURE IN CLEVELAND
DUFFY LITURGICAL DANCE ENSEMBLE
$15,000THE PANDEMIC RENAISSANCE
BROADWAY SCHOOL OF MUSIC & THE ARTS
$14,000GINA WASHINGTON: "I AM" COMMUNITY IDENTITY WORKSHOPS AND CULMINATING EXHIBITION
COLLECTIVEXPRESS INC
$10,000COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT YOUTH PROGRAM
AFRICAHOUSE INTERNATIONAL
$10,000GUEST ARTS PROGRAM AT AFRICA HOUSE