Arts Link COMMUNITY Grants

(Download the guidelines HERE)

GRANT GUIDELINES for 2026 Projects

The ARTS LINK Regrant Program is managed by the Putnam Arts Council. The Program is supported by public funds provided through the NYS Council on the Arts with support from the office of the Governor and the NYS Legislature as well as with public funds from Putnam County. 

Grant awards are determined through a competitive, independent panel process whose goal is to provide financial support for quality arts projects and activities presented by eligible Putnam County not-for-profits and/or individual artists sponsored by not-for-profits.  The program supports professional fees for artists, marketing/publicity costs, supplies/materials needed for the execution of the project and direct administrative expenses. 

Arts programming for the public must be the driving force of project requests. 

The Arts Link Grant Program can accept a maximum of three applications per organization.  The total request per organization cannot exceed $7,500. An award may support 100% of the project’s total cost

If your organization is acting as a sponsor for another organization, that request does not count towards your 3-application maximum nor your $7,500 total. Your organization is the applicant and as such will receive the funding and will be accountable if paperwork is not processed as required (interim, final reports).

Eligibility and Submission Criteria

In addition to the guidelines listed for each category, applicants must meet certain eligibility requirements to be considered.

A qualifying organization must:

• Be a not-for-profit organization, association or institution located in Putnam County, incorporated in Putnam County, whose primary mission is providing services to residents of Putnam County and its environs and whose funded cultural activity must take place in Putnam County
• Be governed by a regularly meeting Board of Trustees and operated under a set of

By-Laws

• Conduct activities in a way that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability
• Provide proof of non-profit status. The following documentation may be accepted:
• Letter of Determination from the IRS indicating tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3)
• Official authorization as an arm of local government (i.e., a formal letter on official stationery signed by the appropriate county, city, town or village executive)
• Current NY State Bureau of Charities (Office of the Attorney General) filing receipt
• Documentation of charter by the N.Y. State Board of Regents under section 216 of the Education Law
• Documentation of incorporation under Section 402 of the NY State Not-for-Profit Corporation Law

Note: Information on uploading supplemental information is discussed in the Required Materials section of these guidelines.

Any artist or arts group which does not qualify as described above must be sponsored by a qualifying non-profit that meets the previous requirements.  See “Fiscal Sponsorship” section below for criteria and Sponsor Responsibilities.  

Project Eligibility – Essential Project Criteria

Arts Link Grants are available for arts programs of high artistic merit and exemplary quality. The qualifications and caliber of participating artists is a large part of the evaluation process as is public access.

• Arts Link Grants are available for support of a specific project only
• The grant may fund 100% of your project’s total cost/expense.
• The project must culminate by December 31, 2026
• The applicant must show organizational history and stability
• The applicant must have the acumen and aptitude to successfully create a budget
• The applicant must have the organizational skills to fulfill reporting requirements on a timely basis
• The applicant must demonstrate a willingness to stay connected and communicate with a teamwork sensibility throughout the grant process
• Projects must have at their core an activity that is fundamentally arts, as opposed to an activity the outcome of which is fundamentally rehabilitative, therapeutic, or recreational.
• The ability to generate audiences in support of the project must be demonstrable
• The project must have clearly defined objectives and ability to achieve those objectives
• Projects must take place between January 1 and December 31, 2026. Note: funding will not be available until Spring of 2026.
• Projects must be open to, targeted to, available to, promoted to and easily accessible by the general public of Putnam County and not just an organization’s membership.

 Note: Projects that are of specific interest to a small group will not be funded even if open to the general public.

• Projects conducted on-site must be universally accessible
• Projects must provide evidence of community need and non-duplication of existing services.
• The Arts Link grant can fund expenses such as artistic fees, marketing and publicity, postage, printing, some supply costs, space rental, virtual programming expenses and the like for specific programs
• If applicable, judgment criteria may include audits of previous year’s projects.
• Minimum request of $1000 for each application/project; maximum request total is $7,500 for up to three applications.
• Applicants must have attended one of PAC’s informational grant informational seminars to be eligible to apply.
• The 2026 grant funding decision can prioritize quality over quantity of viewers/participants.

The following are not eligible for Art Link Community Regrant funding

• New York State agencies and departments (including SUNY schools)
• Public universities, colleges; and public, private, or parochial secondary and elementary schools
• SCR site Staff or Board members (see Conflict of Interest section)
• Student projects
• Unincorporated applicants without an eligible sponsor or partner organization
• NYSCA applicants, including fiscally sponsored applicants that have applied directly to NYSCA in the most recent cycle. After NYSCA’s application deadline a list of organizations that have applied directly to NYSCA can be obtained upon request. Organizations on this list are ineligible for the state funding component of our Arts Link funding.*
• Projects which do not take place in Putnam County
• Projects involving partners who apply directly to NYSCA. NYSCA grantees may not serve as fiscal sponsors or community partners for an applicant nor can a NYSCA grantee benefit from ticket sales or revenue from a funded project.

Note: A NYSCA grantee may offer their venue gratis for funded project. The grantee may pay for any direct costs related to use of the venue such as custodial, however         

• The NYSCA grantee must not handle box office or ticketing
• The NYSCA grantee must not profit from the project /program (i.e. ticket sales, donations, etc.)
• The program must not be advertised as part of the NYSCA grantee’s season/programming

• Non-incorporated chapters of organizations whose “parent” is incorporated outside of the Arts Link Community Regrants service area which in this case is Putnam County.
• Start-up or seed funding for the establishment of a new organization
• General operating expenses
• Requests greater than an applicant’s project expenses minus total project income
• Past re-grantees that have failed to submit final reports
• Operating expenses of privately owned facilities (e.g., homes and studios)
• Activities that are not open to the general public such as camps, clubs or college associations
• Events that take place in private homes
• Non-arts related activity including:
• Galas, benefits or fundraising events including entertainment costs for receptions, food or fundraising
• Entertainment such as balloons, clowns, magicians, “sip and paint”
• Projects that are recreational, therapeutic, rehabilitative or religious in nature including at-risk/social service programs when the purpose is primarily for rehabilitation, therapy or worship
• Acquisition of works of art
• Contingency funds
• Permanent equipment or capital improvements
• Creation of textbooks or classroom material
• Lobbying expenses
• Programs in which children are used as professional artists (paid a fee)
• Regrants by applicants to fund other activities
• Cash prizes, juried shows, fellowships, educational scholarships or other awards to students
• Applicants who receive funding directly from Putnam County in FY26 are ineligible for Arts Link funding at the County level.

* NYSCA applicants are not disqualified from consideration of funding from our County supported component of the Arts Link Community Regrant Program (use the same guidelines otherwise, and same application).

Fiscal Sponsorship (if you are not seeking a sponsor, skip this section).

Fiscal Sponsorship for Individual Artists or Small Groups

 Individual artists or organizations that do not have not-for-profit-status in Putnam County are eligible for state funding and can seek fiscal sponsorship with a Putnam County organization that fits the eligibility criteria. (The sponsoring organization is the “Applicant Organization”).  The grant award (funds) will be provided to your Sponsor (not to you).  PAC can provide you with sample letter of Agreement with the Sponsor.  This fiscal sponsorship (application) does not count toward the fiscal sponsor’s three application maximum or the $7,500 total.

Provide details regarding your organization’s connection to the fiscal sponsor and/or your fiscal sponsor’s connection to the project in your application.  In other words, why is this organization agreeing to be your Sponsor and/or how will the Sponsor help your project realize success.

Fiscal Sponsors’ Responsibilities

• Knowledge and understanding of grant opportunity criteria and relevant guidelines.
• Ensuring work for which funding is sought will occur within the appropriate contract period and required service area.
• Consulting with the artist or collective regarding project eligibility and conveying all relevant grant application information, including deadlines and online access details.
• Registering requests and submitting applications with all required supporting information, including an Organizational Budget and Events Schedule (where applicable).
• Executing a letter of agreement with sponsored group/artist that clearly outlines the administration of the grant and defines mutual responsibilities.
• Informing sponsored group/artist of funding decisions in a timely manner (prior to the expiration of the appeals period).
• Receiving and disbursing granted funds and ensuring that all relevant tax filings and reporting are executed as appropriate.
• Submitting a final report on the expenditure of the grant funds after the end of the contract period.
• Sponsoring organizations may serve as fiscal agents for grants being applied to and limit their role to receiving, disbursing, and reporting on grants. The sponsoring organization may alternatively provide additional fiscal, administrative and other services to the group/artists they sponsor.
• In all cases, the Sponsoring Organization is the applicant and as such will receive the funding and will be accountable if paperwork is not processed as required (interim, final reports)

• Physical Sponsors must be located in Putnam County

Note: When choosing a sponsor, the group/artists must understand and establish the role of the   sponsor organization, which must be fully described in the grant application. Sponsored group/artists are expected to meet with the sponsoring organization prior to the preparation of the application. The sponsoring organization should work with the sponsored party to comply with the program’s requirements and procedures. Sponsored party may consult with PAC’s regrant coordinator if they have questions about their relationship with their sponsor. I

Funding Preferences & Priorities

Applicants whose primary mission/focus is arts related

 Projects that are not commercial in nature

Applicants whose project features underserved artists, audiences, or disciplines

Applicants whose project is offered in a bilingual format

Applicants whose project takes place at a site with universal access

Applicants who take an innovative and creative approach to bringing the arts to the public

Projects that develop audiences for the arts and provide access to as broad an audience as possible           

    Returning applicants that show demonstrated ability of growth in programming and/or partnerships.

Panel Review Criteria

• Artistic Merit:

–    Artistic quality, program quality.

–    Caliber and credentials of artists and other project personnel supported by resumes and/or work samples.

• Guidelines and Application:

            –    Adherence to these guidelines

            –    Applications that demonstrate clarity, completeness, and ease of understanding

            –    Applications whose budget is easily understood.

• Feasibility:
• Clearly defined project objectives, project implementation and management
• Demonstrated ability of personnel to administer and complete project
• Reasonable project budget and demonstrated need for public funding support
• Demonstrated community interest & community benefit, without duplicating existing programs
• Effectiveness of proposed promotional efforts throughout the community
• Applicant’s history with regard to existing program success and management
• Applicant’s history with contract compliance (filing timely reports, visible and proper acknowledgement of PAC grant on promotional materials, etc.)

Request Amount, Number of Projects Accepted, Award Average

Organizations can submit a maximum of 3 applications.  Sponsorships are not counted towards the three-application maximum nor the $7,500 maximum request.

• Applicants can apply for a maximum of $7,500 in total, minimum of $1,000. Sponsorships are not counted towards the $7,500 maximum.
• Most applicants will not be fully funded due to the number of and quality of the requests received each year as compared to the limited funds we have to allocate.

Online Application Due Date

Friday, December 5, by 4pm

• The Arts Link Grant Application is an on-line application on PAC’s web site, com
• Late applications will not be accepted.

Writing the Application

• Please read the application and guidelines carefully. This grant is competitive!
• Please keep a back-up copy of your work-in-process while completing the application online to avoid possible lost data
• The application is an on-line submittable form that will be posted on PAC’s webpage (putnamartscouncil.com )after the last information session. A copy will be generated to you upon submission of the on-line application.

Required Materials

Applicants must up-load documents with their application as either JPG, PDF, or DOC files
of up to 25MBs. Documents can be multiple pages as long as they do not exceed 25MBs.
10 or less documents can be uploaded per application. If you experience insurmountable technical difficulties in transmission, you must submit 9 copies of all required materials to PAC’s office at 521 Kennicut Hill Rd in Mahopac by 5:00 pm Friday, December 5, and you must inform the grants coordinator that you are doing so.

1. Organizational

• Non-Profit Status
  As listed in the Eligibility and Submission Criteria, organizations must demonstrate proof of non-profit status by up-loading one of the following:
• 501(c)(3) letter
• have official authorization as an arm of local government
• verification from the Bureau of Charities
• copy of N.Y. State Board of Regents Charter (Section 216 of the Education Law)
• Applicant Organizations must up-load a copy of your organization’s most recently completed 990 form or if 990 is not required than the organization’s year-end treasurer’s financial summary/ report is acceptable (please include Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss).
• Board of Director List with Names and E-mails – This is a requirement for organizations that are the applicant organization or the sponsored organization

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1. Artistic

The caliber of the artistic personnel is a major consideration for the panel. It is essential for the panel to address the qualifications and caliber of the artist(s) you wish to pay with Arts Link Grant Award.  

• Please list the websites of the artists involved. There is a section for this on the application.
• Please up-load artist resumes
• In lieu of a resume, it is permissible to up-load your own document including relevant information from the artists’ website, perhaps the home page and bio page. If multiple artists are being hired, it is permissible to up-load a relevant summation of each artist’s artistic accomplishments and careers (not an artist statement, but a resume-like bio)
• Work samples are not required. Any supplemental materials will not be returned.

Previous Applicants

Support of an organization in the past does not imply or guarantee that continuous support will be provided. Requests are reviewed each year in the context of available funding, evaluation criteria, and are judged competitively against other requests. Repeat requests should be updated and filled out carefully and thoughtfully.

Technical Assistance

Required Seminar with PAC Staff

All grant applicants are required to attend a virtual or onsite informational seminar with PAC staff and should make a reservation for one of the four available dates which include virtual meetings: Thursday Sept 25, 2025, at 5:30pm or Friday, Sept 26, 2025, at 3pm. Or attend an onsite meeting at the Arts Council Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 at 4pm or Wed. Oct 1, 2025 at 6 pm

Seminars are primarily to provide an overview of the Arts Link Grant Guidelines and answer any questions pertaining to the application process. Follow–up, one-on-one sessions can be scheduled, to discuss details regarding specific projects. The Grants Coordinator is available to make recommendations regarding clarity and completeness. Call the office at 845.803.8622.

Please be advised that PAC staff does not make funding decisions. Although the Grants Coordinator facilitates the panel meetings, he/she does not make recommendations nor state opinions to the panel. Please understand that any recommendations that he/she may make with regard to requests, in no way constitutes a guarantee of funding and may ultimately not reflect the panel’s opinions.

After the Due Date

• Applications will be checked for eligibility, completeness, and accuracy. Applicants may

be contacted for clarification and/or additional information so it is important that the

person designated as the “Contact Person” be available throughout the grant process,

• A panel composed of area community leaders, artists, business people, educators, etc. will be sent the applications shortly after the due date. The Panel will review all applications in preparation for the panel meeting. The panel meets and provides their recommendations to the Board of Trustees for their information and review.  Grants that include County funded support also need to be approved by the Putnam County Legislature.  Applicants will be informed of the decision regarding their requests by the end of February, 2026.

Grantee Responsibilities

Payment is processed in 2026 and is contingent on completion of the necessary contracts and receipt of funds from NYS and Putnam County.  All awarded organizations sign and return a contract which will outline all agreements regarding obligations and procedures for providing the following:

• An Interim Status Report will be required halfway through the year and a Final Program Report upon completion, or no later than December 31, 2026 or 30 days from the completion date of your funded project whichever occurs sooner (i.e.: the final report on a program taking place on December 20, 2025 is due no later than January 20, 2026).
• Provide notification of your event at least two weeks before with 4 complimentary tickets, if applicable. Projects may be audited.
• PAC, NYSCA and/or Putnam County must be credited for support on all publicity and printed materials. Funding credit lines will be provided within each contract and must be strictly adhered to. 
• Provide immediate notification to PAC if a project cannot take place or if there are any changes in project plans.
• Awarded funds must be returned before November 30, 2026, if a project can’t take place.

You are NOT eligible for SCR Funding if you are:*

• An organization which APPLIED to NYSCA directly for 2026, seeking funding of any kind (even if you withdrew your application or were denied funding )*
• Past grantees who have failed to submit final reports
• Public school districts, their affiliates or components, or activities which exclusively serve a student audience with no public component
• Four-year public universities and colleges

Please Note:  * Your organization is not disqualified from consideration of funding from our County supported component of the Arts Link Community Regrant Program (use the same guidelines otherwise, and same application)

Budget Instructions and Sample

• The budget page is for cash expenses and cash income only. Do not include in-kind contributions in your budget.  If you would like to provide information on in-kind contributions, please provide this information at the bottom of the page, separate from the budget.
• Start by filling out your Expenses and Income. Provide explanations or breakdowns in the second column as demonstrated below. If you need more room to itemize expenses, such as a supply list or a list of artistic personnel, please feel free to add a page.
• Then subtract Total Expenses from Total Income, resulting in a deficit. This deficit amount should equal your grant request. Indicate how your grant funding will be allocated in Column C.  Column “C”, PAC request helps the panel see exactly which expenses the grant funds will cover. 

Sample Project Budget

do not include in-kind contribution on the budget #

**Subtract total expenses from total income to derive your grant request of $1,409.

Your grant request should equal your projected budget deficit.

#Project’s in-kind contribution total (if any): ________________________

Please be sure to include how you would allocate potential grant funding in Column C

(Download the guidelines HERE)

⭐️DEADLINE: APPLICATION MUST BE emailed OR HAND DELIVERED BY 4pm Friday, December 5, 2025⭐️

Please email materials to: grants@putnamartscouncil.com



Call 845-803-8622 first to hand-deliver to:

Grants Manager, Putnam Arts Council, 521 Kennicut Hill Rd, Mahopac, NY 10541