Note: You must choose between the Creative Communities (CC) grant program and the Creation and Presentation (C&P) grant program. You may not apply to both. If you currently participate in the C&P grant program, please do not apply to CC.
Do you have Creative Communities related questions?
For
Arts Education or
Folk and Traditional Arts, contact Kaitlyn Berle via email (kaitlyn.berle@wisconsin.gov) or via phone (608-266-8106).
For
Local Arts, contact
Karen Goeschko via email (karen.goeschko@wisconsin.gov) or via phone (608-267-2026).
Do you have SmartSimple or accessibility related questions?
Contact
Amelia Schaetzke via email (amelia.schaetzke@wisconsin.gov) or phone (608-264-8191).
Grant Program Description
The Creative Communities (CC) grants program encourages arts education, cultural understanding, and community arts development in Wisconsin. It provides support for projects that further WAB’s goals in the following three areas:
Arts Education,
Folk and Traditional Arts, and
Local Arts. Through direct financial support of specific arts projects, WAB sustains the vitality of Wisconsin culturally, educationally and economically. Organizations that have 501(c)3 nonprofit status or are part of local government/educational institutions are eligible to apply. Individuals and for profit entities (such as LLCs) are not eligible to apply.
An eligible Creative Communities project is a collaborative endeavor that is carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular aim within an identified community. It is either:
less than three years old at the time of application (this means that the project itself must have been in existence for less than three years, not that the project has received WAB funding for less than three years), or
a newly expanded dimension of an existing project (this means that the grant application must request support for costs related only to the new elements)
Note: Organizations that received a FY26 Creative Communities grant are not eligible to apply to the FY26 Creation and Presentation Program in October, 2026.
Grant Amounts
Grants will range from a minimum of $1,500 to a maximum of $6,000. A 1:1 match, at least half of which must be cash, is required from the applicant for these funds. The amount of the grant request cannot be more than half the overall budget of the project.
To Apply
Complete a simple Phase 1 application after reading the FY27 Phase 1 guidelines by clicking 'Apply Here' at the top of the righthand column on this page.
Phase 1 process
Be invited to submit a Phase 2 application
Phase 2 process
Why use a two-phase application process?
The rest of the story:
Public Service & Public Value
Fiscal Receivers
Glossary of Terms
Appeals
Application Timeline for FY27
As of April 2022, all applicants are required to obtain a “Unique Entity Identifier” (UEI) through the
System of Award Management (SAM). Please do this before applying.
February 11, 2026: Virtual Q&A for Phase 1, 12:15 pm (not required). *Virtual Q&A - Use this time to ask questions of WAB staff and hear other applicants' questions. A meeting link will be sent directly to Phase 2 applicants. If you have accessibility needs, please contact Amelia Schaetzke via email (amelia.schaetzke@wisconsin.gov) or phone (608-264-8191). While this is not required, it is encouraged. A recording of the session is available
here.
February 11, 2026: Intent to apply deadline. Applicants that have not previously applied to WAB’s Creative Communities program must notify the Arts Board of their intent to apply by this date. Notification should be in the form of an email to
artsboard@wisconsin.gov.
February 18, 2026 at 3:00pm: Phase 1 Deadline- Creative Communities Phase 1 application deadline, 3 pm
March 6, 2026: Eligible applicants receive invitation to continue into Phase 2
March 12, 2026: Virtual Q&A for Phase 2 (Phase 2 eligible groups only)*
March 26, 2026 at 3:00 pm: Phase 2 Deadline - Only applicants that received the panel's invitation to apply to Phase 2, submit application materials by 3 pm
April 2026: Individual panels meet to review applications to the Arts Education, Folk Arts and Local Arts components - see specific dates in the righthand column of this webpage
May 2026: Wisconsin Arts Board meets to consider recommendations from panels
July 1, 2026: Awarded projects may begin