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.
$3M
$7.8M
$5.3M
$5.3M
Most grants fall between $11K and $51K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$51K
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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.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Louisville Orchestra | Louisville, KY | $278,997 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Louisville Metro Parks Community Centers | Louisville, KY | $272,300 | 2026 | Arts in Neighborhoods HeARTS |
| Speed Art Museum | Louisville, KY | $249,951 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Louisville Ballet | Louisville, KY | $249,557 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Actors Theatre of Louisville | Louisville, KY | $213,065 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Asphalt Art Project | Louisville, KY | $161,927 | 2026 | Arts in Neighborhoods |
| Kentucky Shakespeare | Louisville, KY | $154,667 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning , Arts in Neighborhoods, Cultural Pass |
| Jefferson County Public Schools | Louisville, KY | $148,995 | 2026 | Arts in Learning |
| StageOne Family Theatre | Louisville, KY | $127,916 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| KMAC Museum | Louisville, KY | $121,544 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Kentucky Opera | Louisville, KY | $110,561 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Kidsview Inc | Louisville, KY | $93,850 | 2026 | Arts in Learning, Arts in Neighborhoods |
| Louisville Visual Art | Louisville, KY | $74,113 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Academy of Music Production | Louisville, KY | $72,399 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| IDEAS xLab | Louisville, KY | $69,978 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Louisville Academy of Music | Louisville, KY | $61,461 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Looking for Lilith Theatre Com | Louisville, KY | $46,650 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Louisville Story Program | Louisville, KY | $37,800 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Louisville Youth Orchestra | Louisville, KY | $35,034 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| The Lou Tate Foundation | Louisville, KY | $31,936 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Portland Museum | Louisville, KY | $28,424 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Cultural Pass |
| Louisville Folk School | Louisville, KY | $26,545 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Squallis Puppeteers | Louisville, KY | $26,046 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Louisville Zoo | Louisville, KY | $25,350 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Queer Kentucky | Louisville, KY | $25,282 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Louisville Leopards | Louisville, KY | $24,334 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Pandora Productions | Louisville, KY | $21,522 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions |
| Young Authors Greenhouse Inc | Louisville, KY | $21,150 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Arts Alliance Southern Indiana | New Albany, IN | $18,839 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Kentucky Science Center | Louisville, KY | $17,155 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Falls of the Ohio Foundation | Clarksville, IN | $14,936 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Louisville Youth Choir | Louisville, KY | $12,965 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning |
| Kentucky Derby Museum | Louisville, KY | $10,530 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest | Clermont, KY | $10,508 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Muhammad Ali Center | Louisville, KY | $10,263 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Greater Clark County Schools | Jeffersonville, IN | $7,510 | 2026 | Arts in Learning |
| Frazier History Museum | Louisville, KY | $6,701 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Shelby County Public Schools | Shelbyville, KY | $6,540 | 2026 | Arts in Learning |
| Louisville Nature Center | Louisville, KY | $6,534 | 2026 | Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass |
| Prominent Youth of America | Louisville, KY | $6,000 | 2026 | Arts in Learning |
| Hui Kaululehua | Louisville, KY | $5,400 | 2026 | Arts in Neighborhoods |
| Bullitt County Public Schools | Shepherdsville, KY | $5,350 | 2026 | Arts in Learning |
| Kentucky Refugee Ministries | Louisville, KY | $5,235 | 2026 | Arts in Neighborhoods |
| 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 |
Speed Art Museum
$249,951Arts in Institutions
Actors Theatre of Louisville
$213,065Arts in Institutions
Arts in Neighborhoods
Kentucky Shakespeare
$154,667Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning , Arts in Neighborhoods, Cultural Pass
Jefferson County Public Schools
$148,995Arts in Learning
StageOne Family Theatre
$127,916Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
KMAC Museum
$121,544Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Kentucky Opera
$110,561Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Kidsview Inc
$93,850Arts in Learning, Arts in Neighborhoods
Louisville Academy of Music
$61,461Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Looking for Lilith Theatre Com
$46,650Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Louisville Story Program
$37,800Arts in Institutions
Louisville Youth Orchestra
$35,034Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
The Lou Tate Foundation
$31,936Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Portland Museum
$28,424Arts in Institutions, Cultural Pass
Louisville Folk School
$26,545Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Squallis Puppeteers
$26,046Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Queer Kentucky
$25,282Arts in Institutions
Louisville Leopards
$24,334Arts in Institutions
Pandora Productions
$21,522Arts in Institutions
Young Authors Greenhouse Inc
$21,150Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Arts Alliance Southern Indiana
$18,839Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Kentucky Science Center
$17,155Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass
Falls of the Ohio Foundation
$14,936Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass
Louisville Youth Choir
$12,965Arts in Institutions, Arts in Learning
Kentucky Derby Museum
$10,530Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass
Greater Clark County Schools
$7,510Arts in Learning
Frazier History Museum
$6,701Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass
Shelby County Public Schools
$6,540Arts in Learning
Louisville Nature Center
$6,534Arts in Institutions Cultural Pass
Prominent Youth of America
$6,000Arts in Learning
Hui Kaululehua
$5,400Arts in Neighborhoods
Bullitt County Public Schools
$5,350Arts in Learning
Actors Theatre of Louisville
$425,323Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning
Jefferson County Public Schools
$272,888Arts in Learning
Kentucky Opera
$147,184Arts in Institutions and Partnership Grants
Kentucky Shakespeare
$129,132Arts in Institutions Neighborhoods and Learning