Please read the entire grant guidelines for the grant program prior to reviewing these FAQs. Many questions are answered in the guidelines, with additional clarification or examples provided here. If you cannot find the answer to your questions, please contact Program Director Nikki Estes.
This FAQ was last updated March 16, 2026.
Professional Development Grants for Arts Organizations are available to organizational applicants only. If you are an individual artist, please visit our Grants and Opportunities section to learn more about individual artist opportunities.
Organizational Eligibility
- How do you define an arts organization?
Generally, an arts organization has an artistic vision and mission, and/or at least 50% of their operating budget is dedicated to arts programming and services. Arts organizations can include but are not limited to artist ensembles, producing and presenting organizations, visual and performing arts centers, museums, film festivals, arts service organizations, community arts organizations, and art councils.
Arts organizations must work with and compensate professional artists and/or artistic staff. Schools and community ensembles such as community theaters and community choirs are strongly encouraged to contact South Arts to discuss eligibility.
Professional artists or companies are often those who:
- work primarily in the artistic disciplines of your application
- are recognized as a professional by their peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition)
- have specialized training in the artistic field (not necessarily in academic institutions)
- are committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if financially possible
- have a history of public presentation or publication, or a body of work
- reside in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee
- are at least 18 years of age or are part of a youth ensemble/company that specializes in touring (ex. 501(c)3 children’s choirs)
- Are producing organizations or performing arts groups eligible as applicants?
Yes. However, community ensembles (e.g., dance, theater, music) are strongly encouraged to contact South Arts to discuss eligibility.
- Do you accept fiscal agents as applicants?
No, applicants must have their own not-for-profit, tax-exempt status or be an official unit of local, county or state government, or a federally recognized tribal community. Applications are accepted from any tribal community with not-for-profit, tax-exempt status.
- What other reasons might an application not be funded?
Certain situations are revealed during the review process which may make an application ineligible for funding. Applications may not be funded where the following situations apply between the applicant or participant and professional development service provider:
- Relationship among the spouses/domestic partners, children, or family members; and/or
- Affiliations such as board member, volunteer, business partner, agent, or employee; and/or
- Any relationship that might compromise the integrity of the project and its use of funds.
Project Activities
- What types of projects and expenses are eligible?
Projects must support efforts for increasing organizational capacity to achieve long-term sustainability, growth, and/or operational stability. Proposed projects must support arts administrators or board members skill and knowledge building for organizational capacity and relate to the applicant's arts programming/services. Funding can support participation at conferences, workshops, and other professional development opportunities and events. In addition, these grants can support expenses for in-person and virtual professional development for organizational-wide staff/board learning and training. Funds support travel expenses (for example, lodging and air/ground transportation), admission/registration fees, or other related expenses (for example, consultant or service fees for learning/training sessions).
- Are certificate programs or college courses eligible?
No, we do not support degree programs, certifications, or courses taught at an institution of higher education.
- We employ teaching artists. Are classes for them to hone their craft eligible?
No, this grant does not support advanced study, apprenticeships, workshops, master classes, or other activities for an organization’s artists to improve their technique unless the activity is strongly aligned with the organization’s sustainability or stability and increases organizational capacity. We encourage individual artists to review our Artist Creative Practice guidelines.
- I attend an annual conference and would like our new staff to attend as well. Is this eligible?
No, applications are only accepted for new opportunities, which are defined as events/activities that your organization has not participated in previously. We consider the organization’s (not the individual’s) past participation.