We contribute to the overall health and well-being of our community by generating resources for, investing in, and supporting our local arts, artists and arts organizations.
Fund for the Arts Inc concentrates its grantmaking on Louisville’s arts ecosystem, with recent awards that tie together neighborhood programming, institutional support, and arts education. The largest grant in the recent list went to Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers for Arts in Neighborhoods HeARTS, and the next-largest awards also supported major Louisville institutions such as Actors Theatre of Louisville and The Louisville Orchestra. That pattern shows a funder working across public spaces, performing arts organizations, and learning environments rather than relying on a single grant model. Its recent grants include both large operating-style awards and program-specific support. The foundation gave multiple substantial awards to The Louisville Orchestra for Arts in Institutions and related partnership work, while Actors Theatre of Louisville received grants connected to institutions, neighborhoods, education, Cultural Pass, and partnership grants. Other recurring recipients include Louisville Ballet, Kentucky Opera, Kentucky Shakespeare, Louisville Visual Art, KMAC Museum, and Commonwealth Theatre Center, each appearing with different combinations of support over the recent grant list. Fund for the Arts Inc also funds public schools and community-facing organizations, indicating a grantmaking approach that connects arts institutions with broader audience access and local participation.
In neighborhood-based arts work, Fund for the Arts Inc supported Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers with a seven-figure grant for Arts in Neighborhoods HeARTS, then also funded a separate Arts in Neighborhoods award to the same recipient in the recent list. That pairing points to sustained work in community settings. For arts education, Jefferson County Public Schools received multiple grants for Arts in Learning and Arts in Education, while Commonwealth Theatre Center also received support tied to Arts in Learning and Education. These grants place schools and learning environments at the center of the foundation’s education strategy. Institutional arts support is another clear area. The Louisville Orchestra received grants for Arts in Institutions and partnership work, and Kentucky Opera was funded through Arts in Institutions, Capital Grant, and Partnership Grants. Louisville Ballet likewise appears with grants tied to Art for Kosair Kids, Arts in Learning, and Sustaining Impact support.
$3.8M
$8.3M
$6.5M
$6.1M
Most grants fall between $11K and $51K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$51K
About 92% of grants go to recipients in KY.
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Typical grant size clusters around a median of $19,900, with a lower quartile of $10,769 and an upper quartile of $50,928. The recent list also shows a long tail of larger awards, including several six- and seven-figure grants. Fund for the Arts Inc is a public charity and a regular funder, not a DAF or program-related investor. The grant list shows repeated recipients across 2023 and 2024, especially Louisville-based arts organizations, which suggests ongoing support rather than one-off awards. Its active programs include unrestricted operating grants, mini-grants, and initiative-based funding, and several programs accept unsolicited proposals.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 92% of grants go to recipients in Kentucky, and every grant in the recipient-country distribution is in the US. The recent grants table is concentrated in Louisville, with recipients such as Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Louisville Orchestra, Jefferson County Public Schools, and Kentucky Opera all located there. The pattern reinforces a Louisville-centered portfolio with very limited geographic spread beyond the foundation’s service area.
The recent grants list shows support for nonprofit arts organizations, schools, community arts programs, and neighborhood-based initiatives. Recipients include institutions such as Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Louisville Orchestra, Kentucky Opera, and KMAC Museum, along with Jefferson County Public Schools and Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers.
Yes. Arts in Learning is one of its active initiatives, and recent grants include Jefferson County Public Schools for Arts in Learning and Arts in Education, plus Commonwealth Theatre Center for Arts in Learning and Education. That indicates a clear K-12 and classroom-oriented arts education focus.
Very local. The geographic scope is local, 92% of grants go to recipients in Kentucky, and the recent grants list is entirely US-based. Louisville recipients dominate the list, including multiple grants to local theaters, orchestras, museums, schools, and neighborhood organizations.
The typical grant size is $19,900 at the median, with the lower quartile at $10,769 and the upper quartile at $50,928. The recent list also includes much larger awards, but the middle of the distribution sits well below six figures.
Yes for some programs. The Sustaining Impact Grants program accepts unsolicited applications, as does the Community Event Mini-Grant and the 5x5 and Teacher Arts Grants (TAG). Other initiatives listed, such as Arts in Neighborhoods, Arts in Institutions, and Arts in Learning, are marked as not accepting unsolicited requests.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Current and upcoming funding from Fund for the Arts that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Greater Louisville individuals, collectives of artists, groups or organizations with or without tax-exempt status.
Deadline: Rolling, with July 10 deadline for Fall 2026 consideration.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers | Louisville, KY | $1,000,700 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods HeARTS |
| The Louisville Orchestra | Louisville, KY | $514,480 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Actors Theatre of Louisville | Louisville, KY | $425,323 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Jefferson County Public Schools | Louisville, KY | $272,888 | 2024 | Arts in Learning |
| Louisville Ballet | Louisville, KY | $272,406 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Kentucky Opera | Louisville, KY | $147,184 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions and Partnership Grants |
| Kentucky Shakespeare | Louisville, KY | $129,132 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| KMAC Museum | Louisville, KY | $118,061 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| StageOne Family Theatre | Louisville, KY | $102,471 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Louisville Visual Art | Louisville, KY | $100,782 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Speed Art Museum | Louisville, KY | $94,740 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions and Learning |
| IDEAS xLab | Louisville, KY | $56,639 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions and Neighborhoods |
| Portland Museum | Louisville, KY | $44,872 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Louisville Academy of Music | Louisville, KY | $40,226 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning |
| Academy of Music Production | Louisville, KY | $39,384 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant |
| Young Authors Greenhouse Inc | Louisville, KY | $38,227 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Louisville Story Program | Louisville, KY | $37,661 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning |
| Louisville Youth Orchestra | Louisville, KY | $35,488 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning |
| Pandora Productions | Louisville, KY | $32,991 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant |
| Commonwealth Theatre Center | Louisville, KY | $25,228 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions and Neighborhoods |
| Louisville Zoo | Louisville, KY | $25,000 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| Arts Alliance Southern Indiana | New Albany, IN | $24,644 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant |
| Queer Kentucky | Louisville, KY | $22,790 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant |
| Looking for Lilith Theatre Com | Louisville, KY | $21,316 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Louisville Folk School | Louisville, KY | $18,721 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Kentucky Science Center | Louisville, KY | $17,011 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| Louisville Youth Choir | Louisville, KY | $14,505 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning |
| The Lou Tate Foundation | Louisville, KY | $13,694 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning |
| Prominent Youth of America | Louisville, KY | $11,038 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant |
| Squallis Puppeteers | Louisville, KY | $10,902 | 2024 | Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant |
| Kentucky Derby Museum | Louisville, KY | $9,471 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| Frazier History Museum | Louisville, KY | $9,353 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| Change Today Change Tomorrow Inc | Louisville, KY | $7,000 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Mini Grant |
| Dare to Care Food Bank | Louisville, KY | $6,000 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Culinary |
| Redline Performing Arts | Louisville, KY | $5,993 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods HeARTS |
| Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest | Clermont, KY | $5,804 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| 21C Museum | Louisville, KY | $5,478 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| Oldham County Schools | Crestwood, KY | $5,430 | 2024 | Arts in Learning |
| Louisville Nature Center | Louisville, KY | $5,392 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| Parks Alliance of Louisville | Louisville, KY | $5,250 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods |
| Yew Dell Botanical Gardens | Crestwood, KY | $5,194 | 2024 | Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass |
| Actors Theatre of Louisville | Louisville, KY | $711,800 | 2023 | Arts in Institutions, Neighborhoods & Education |
| Actors Theatre of Louisville | Louisville, KY | $698,225 | 2023 | Sustaining Impact Grant, Cultural Pass, Partnership Grants |
| The Louisville Orchestra | Louisville, KY | $663,836 | 2023 | Sustaining Impact Grant, Partnership Grants |
| The Louisville Orchestra | Louisville, KY | $596,285 | 2023 | Arts in Institutions |
| Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers | Louisville, KY | $406,837 | 2023 | Arts in Neighborhoods |
| Louisville Ballet | Louisville, KY | $366,182 | 2023 | Art for Kosair Kids, Arts in Learning, Sustaining Impact Grant |
| Louisville Ballet | Louisville, KY | $322,406 | 2023 | Arts in Institutions, Neighborhoods & Education |
| Jefferson County Public Schools | Louisville, KY | $267,969 | 2023 | Arts in Learning |
| Jefferson County Public Schools | Louisville, KY | $262,519 | 2023 | Arts in Education |
Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers
$1,000,700Arts in Neighborhoods HeARTS
The Louisville Orchestra
$514,480Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Actors Theatre of Louisville
$425,323Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Jefferson County Public Schools
$272,888Arts in Learning
Louisville Ballet
$272,406Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Kentucky Opera
$147,184Arts in Institutions and Partnership Grants
Kentucky Shakespeare
$129,132Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
KMAC Museum
$118,061Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
StageOne Family Theatre
$102,471Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Louisville Visual Art
$100,782Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Speed Art Museum
$94,740Arts in Institutions and Learning
IDEAS xLab
$56,639Arts in Institutions and Neighborhoods
Portland Museum
$44,872Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Louisville Academy of Music
$40,226Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning
Academy of Music Production
$39,384Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant
Young Authors Greenhouse Inc
$38,227Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Louisville Story Program
$37,661Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning
Louisville Youth Orchestra
$35,488Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning
Pandora Productions
$32,991Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant
Commonwealth Theatre Center
$25,228Arts in Institutions and Neighborhoods
Louisville Zoo
$25,000Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
Arts Alliance Southern Indiana
$24,644Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant
Queer Kentucky
$22,790Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant
Looking for Lilith Theatre Com
$21,316Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Louisville Folk School
$18,721Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Kentucky Science Center
$17,011Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
Louisville Youth Choir
$14,505Arts in Institutions Institutions and Learning
The Lou Tate Foundation
$13,694Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Prominent Youth of America
$11,038Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant
Squallis Puppeteers
$10,902Arts in Institutions Sustaining Impact Grant
Kentucky Derby Museum
$9,471Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
Frazier History Museum
$9,353Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
Change Today Change Tomorrow Inc
$7,000Arts in Neighborhoods Mini Grant
Dare to Care Food Bank
$6,000Arts in Neighborhoods Culinary
Redline Performing Arts
$5,993Arts in Neighborhoods HeARTS
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest
$5,804Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
21C Museum
$5,478Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
Oldham County Schools
$5,430Arts in Learning
Louisville Nature Center
$5,392Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
Parks Alliance of Louisville
$5,250Arts in Neighborhoods
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
$5,194Arts in Neighborhoods Cultural Pass
Actors Theatre of Louisville
$711,800Arts in Institutions, Neighborhoods & Education
Actors Theatre of Louisville
$698,225Sustaining Impact Grant, Cultural Pass, Partnership Grants
The Louisville Orchestra
$663,836Sustaining Impact Grant, Partnership Grants
The Louisville Orchestra
$596,285Arts in Institutions
Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers
$406,837Arts in Neighborhoods
Louisville Ballet
$366,182Art for Kosair Kids, Arts in Learning, Sustaining Impact Grant
Louisville Ballet
$322,406Arts in Institutions, Neighborhoods & Education
Jefferson County Public Schools
$267,969Arts in Learning
Jefferson County Public Schools
$262,519Arts in Education