To create a fertile and nurturing environment for artists and arts groups, enlivening public spaces with free programs in the visual, performing, and new media arts, and to provide leadership in cultural planning and advocacy.
Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Inc uses arts grants as a local tool for public programming, artist support, and neighborhood cultural activity across Manhattan. Its current grantmaking shows a steady pattern of small project awards, with repeated support for New York arts groups such as 246 a Jewish Theater Company and Jazz Wahi Inc. The organization’s active programs point to a mix of public-facing arts presentation, community engagement, arts education, and artist residency support, including offerings for older adults and Lower Manhattan studio access. Recent grants also show that the council works across artistic disciplines rather than limiting support to a single medium: theater, dance, music, and experimental arts all appear in the funded portfolio. Several recipients reappear across multiple years, including The Harlem Swing Dance Society and The Latino Experimental Fantastic Theater Inc, which suggests ongoing relationships with local organizations rather than one-off awards only. The foundation’s stated purpose emphasizes creating a fertile environment for artists and arts groups, enlivening public spaces with free visual, performing, and new media arts programs, and providing leadership in cultural planning and advocacy.
In arts presentation and public programming, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Inc supported multiple Manhattan-based groups, including $14,000 to 246 a Jewish Theater Company for an arts project and $13,789 to Jazz Wahi Inc for an arts project. In dance and movement arts, it gave $13,200 to Sisters in Sharqui for an arts project and $11,600 to Experiential Orchestra for an arts project. Theater and interdisciplinary performance also appear in the portfolio: $13,500 went to Artspectrum Dba the American Lindy Hop Championships, while $12,600 supported Blackberry Productions Inc and $12,300 supported Makam New York Inc. The funder also backed community-facing cultural work for local audiences, with grants such as $10,200 to The El Barrio Theatre Group Inc and $9,800 to Arts and Education Continuum.
Typical awards are small and tightly clustered: the 25th percentile is $6,867, the median is $8,000, and the 75th percentile is also $8,000. That pattern points to highly consistent, project-based support rather than large, variable checks. The grant list also shows repeat support across years for several recipients, including Jazz Wahi Inc, The Harlem Swing Dance Society, The Latino Experimental Fantastic Theater Inc, and 246 a Jewish Theater Company. Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Inc is an arts grantmaker rather than an individual-giving or investment-focused funder, and its active Manhattan Arts Grants programs accept unsolicited applications.
$645K
$9.4M
$4.2M
$4.8M
Most grants fall between $7K and $8K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$8K
MOHAMMAD YOUSUF
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local and concentrated in New York City. Ninety-nine percent of grants go to recipients in New York state, and every grant in the recipient-country distribution is in the US. The recent grants table is dominated by New York, NY recipients, with one New York address in Hartsdale, NY for Fractured Atlas. Upper Manhattan and broader Manhattan neighborhoods appear repeatedly in the active program descriptions, reinforcing the council’s city-level focus.
It funds arts presentation, community arts engagement, arts education, public programming, artist residencies, and climate- and sustainability-focused arts programming. Recent awards include projects in theater, dance, music, experimental arts, and older-adult arts education.
Typical awards are small: the 25th percentile is $6,867, the median is $8,000, and the 75th percentile is $8,000. Active Manhattan Arts Grants programs are listed at $4,000 to $16,000.
The portfolio shows repeated support across years for several groups, including Jazz Wahi Inc, The Harlem Swing Dance Society, The Latino Experimental Fantastic Theater Inc, and 246 a Jewish Theater Company. That indicates recurring relationships alongside project-based awards.
Grantmaking is local and heavily concentrated in New York. Ninety-nine percent of grants go to recipients in New York state, and the recent grants list is almost entirely New York, NY-based organizations.
Yes for several active programs. Manhattan Arts Grants, including Creative Engagement, Creative Learning, and UMEZ Arts Engagement, accept unsolicited applications, as does SU-CASA Residency and the Arts Center Residency on Governors Island.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Lower Manhattan Cultural Council that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Manhattan-based individual artists and nonprofit organizations proposing arts projects serving Manhattan communities from Inwood to the Battery.
Deadline: 2027 guidelines and applications will open fall 2026.
Who can apply: Manhattan-based applicants proposing community arts education and participatory art-making projects for older adults in any Manhattan neighborhood; venue must be identified in the application.
Deadline: 2027 guidelines and applications will open fall 2026; 2026 eligibility was updated and guidelines were available via the page links.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 WHEEL CITY | NEW YORK, NY | $16,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| THE ART SONG PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $16,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| THE GATEKEEPERS COLLECTIVE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $16,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| DHARMA ROAD PRODUCTIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| OBREMSKIWORKS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| HELPING OUR PEOPLE EVOLVE INCORPORATED | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| URBAN GARAGE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| NEW AMSTERDAM MUSICAL ASSOCIATION | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| HARLEM OPERA THEATER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| DARRAH CARR DANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| CHINESE MUSICAL ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| FRACTURED ATLAS | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| THE BOWERY JAZZ MESSENGERS | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| PLUMA POETICA DEL ARTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| REENTRY THEATER OF HARLEM | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| FRACTURED ATLAS | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| SALON SEANCE PRODUCTIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| TE AO MANA | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| LINA LIU ARTIST GROUP A NJ NONPROFIT CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN JAZZ INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| DUKE ELLINGTON FOR THE ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| THEATRETWEED INC | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| PANAMERICAN MUSICAL ART RESEARCH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $9,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| NEW HERITAGE THEATRE GROUP | NEW YORK, NY | $9,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| PANO PRA MANGA ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,800 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| NEW YORK POEM ARTS CENTER INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,800 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| LOCAL NATURE LAB | NEW YORK, NY | $8,800 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| CALLIOPE BRASS MUSIC ASSOCIATION | NEW YORK, NY | $8,800 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| SR SOCIALLY RELEVANT FILM FESTIVAL INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,800 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| CENTER FOR TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND DANCE | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| WADE DANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| WASHINGTON HEIGHTS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| CLUTCH PRODUCTIONS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| THE JAZZ FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE CHICAGO NFP | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| SOHARMONIUMS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| ASSN FT DEVELOPMENT OF VOCAL ARTISTRY AND NEIGHBORHOO | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| GOTHAM EARLY MUSIC SCENE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| RING OF KEYS COALITION | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| CHARLES CARLINI PRESENTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| TURKISH & INTERNATIONAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| KEHILA KEDOSHA JANINA PRESERVATION AND CULTURAL FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| UP THEATER COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| AENY SPANISH ARTISTS IN NEW YORK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| GROUP BR LIMITED | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| THE JAPANESE FOLK DANCE INSTITUTE OF NY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| RIPPLE EFFECT ARTISTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
| GOTHAM EARLY MUSIC SCENE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000 | 2026 | ARTS PROJECT |
4 WHEEL CITY
$16,000ARTS PROJECT
THE ART SONG PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF NEW YORK
$16,000ARTS PROJECT
THE GATEKEEPERS COLLECTIVE INC
$16,000ARTS PROJECT
DHARMA ROAD PRODUCTIONS INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
OBREMSKIWORKS INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
HELPING OUR PEOPLE EVOLVE INCORPORATED
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
URBAN GARAGE INC
ARTS PROJECT
NEW AMSTERDAM MUSICAL ASSOCIATION
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
HARLEM OPERA THEATER INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
DARRAH CARR DANCE INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
CHINESE MUSICAL ARTS INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
THE BOWERY JAZZ MESSENGERS
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
PLUMA POETICA DEL ARTE INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
REENTRY THEATER OF HARLEM
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
SALON SEANCE PRODUCTIONS INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
TE AO MANA
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
LINA LIU ARTIST GROUP A NJ NONPROFIT CORPORATION
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN JAZZ INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
DUKE ELLINGTON FOR THE ARTS INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
THEATRETWEED INC
$12,000ARTS PROJECT
PANAMERICAN MUSICAL ART RESEARCH INC
$9,000ARTS PROJECT
NEW HERITAGE THEATRE GROUP
$9,000ARTS PROJECT
PANO PRA MANGA ARTS INC
$8,800ARTS PROJECT
NEW YORK POEM ARTS CENTER INC
$8,800ARTS PROJECT
LOCAL NATURE LAB
$8,800ARTS PROJECT
CALLIOPE BRASS MUSIC ASSOCIATION
$8,800ARTS PROJECT
SR SOCIALLY RELEVANT FILM FESTIVAL INC
$8,800ARTS PROJECT
WADE DANCE INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
WASHINGTON HEIGHTS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CORPORATION
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
CLUTCH PRODUCTIONS INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE CHICAGO NFP
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
SOHARMONIUMS INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
ASSN FT DEVELOPMENT OF VOCAL ARTISTRY AND NEIGHBORHOO
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
GOTHAM EARLY MUSIC SCENE INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
RING OF KEYS COALITION
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
CHARLES CARLINI PRESENTS INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
TURKISH & INTERNATIONAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
KEHILA KEDOSHA JANINA PRESERVATION AND CULTURAL FUND
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
UP THEATER COMPANY
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
AENY SPANISH ARTISTS IN NEW YORK INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
GROUP BR LIMITED
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
THE JAPANESE FOLK DANCE INSTITUTE OF NY INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
RIPPLE EFFECT ARTISTS INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT
GOTHAM EARLY MUSIC SCENE INC
$8,000ARTS PROJECT