WFF Housing Stability Grant for Artists

Applicants must:

• Be 21 years or older on April 8, 2025
• Reside in one of the five boroughs of New York City: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens or Staten Island
  • If you receive a grant, you must maintain residency in NYC during the grant’s three-year period.
• Have maintained New York City residency for at least the last five consecutive years. A short (12 months or less) absence in 2020/2021 due to COVID-19 may have occurred.
• Be an artist in need:
  • Have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or lower for an individual, or $150,000 for joint filers, averaged over the last two federal tax returns (include wages, 1099 income, Social Security income, sales/royalties from artwork or properties, rental income, interest income or spousal support).
  • Have household assets no greater than $108,710 ($155,300 for joint filers) as of the application deadline. Household assets include savings accounts, checking accounts, trusts, cash savings, investment assets (stocks/bonds etc.) and the entire market value of any interest in real property (residential, commercial, land, shares in a co-op, etc.). 

• Not currently own or have equity in a primary or secondary residence
• Not currently be receiving rental assistance through a program including, but not limited to, Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Section 8 project-Based Voucher (PBV), Family Eviction Prevention Supplement (FEPS or CityFHEPS), Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), or a tenant in Public Housing or Section 202 (Supportive Housing for the Elderly).
• Not be enrolled in a degree-seeking program of any kind
• Demonstrate recent and ongoing activity as a visual artist (defined below).

Applications are open to artists in need who are creating original, independent work in the visual arts and are seeking support for stable housing. Only generative artists—the creator of the original work—may apply.

Applicants must:

• Be practicing visual artists within the one or more of the following discipline categories:
  • Painting
  • Photography
  • Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts
  • Sculpture
• Be able to demonstrate a proven track record of their commitment to their contemporary art practice for at least the last seven years. This can be demonstrated through any of the following:
  • Public showings of their work including exhibitions, presentations, installations, or workshops
  • Public/community projects such as public art, murals, or community-based projects with public components
  • Participation in artist residency, fellowship, or grant programs
  • Documentation of art sales
    • Work for hire or mass produced work is not eligible
  • Reduced activity during the pandemic (2020-21) is acceptable.

Please note: Work that is created for online distribution and consumption is eligible IF it is a creative work, and was actively marketed to the public for showing at a specific date and time. If online presentations or sales of your work are your sole platform, such as online galleries, Instagram or YouTube, or your work is only available on-demand, we cannot consider your application eligible.

Work samples are not considered and are not requested.

Applicants must be experiencing housing instability through one or more of the following circumstances: 

• Not having a lease or written agreement with the owner/landlord of your housing, or a sublease with tenant of record
• Currently in a month-to-month or other uncertain housing situation
• Currently be paying more than 40% of your income in rent (including utilities)
• Have received notice of a rent increase within the next six months that will increase your rent to 40% or more of your income
• Needing to leave your current housing because of an unexpected partnership dissolution, for your physical or emotional safety, or because of an unhealthy condition such as mold, lack of utilities or hazardous conditions

Currently unhoused artists are not eligible. This is a pilot program that provides rent subsidies to artists who are currently renting in NYC.

While we are not able to provide direct financial support to unhoused artists at this time, we recommend that artists who are currently, or may imminently become, unhoused, to explore our list of Housing Resources and/or visit Entertainment Community Fund’s Information and Resources portal. To access the portal, you can register with a free account.

To complete an application, you will need to:

• Complete the Housing Status Checklist

• Describe your current housing circumstances (75 words max)

• Describe what needs to change and what the grant funds would be used for (75 words max) 

• Demonstrate the need for the grant funding by providing the following short answers (150 words max each)
  • The urgency of the housing need: the instability of your current housing situation, and why this grant is critical at this time.
  • The economic severity of the housing need: the proportion of income currently spent on housing and/or what is changing in their housing expenses.
  • The impact on their creative practice which increased housing stability would have.

• List your projected annual total rent expense for 2025

• List your projected total income for 2025

• List your annual adjusted gross income (averaged over the last two years)
  • Your annual adjusted gross income is listed on line 11 of your 1040
  • This amount must include wages (W2 income), income from interest/dividends/IRA and pension distributions/Social Security benefits, capital gains, and net income from sales/receipts/1099 income and should reflect the figures from your submitted tax returns.

• Submit copies of your two most recent federal tax filings (please provide your complete 1040 and all attached schedules, and redact your Social Security number(s)).

• List your  approximate total household assets
  • If you receive a grant, you will need to provide a statement of your actual total household assets and certify that the list is true and correct in order to receive funds.
  • Household assets include savings accounts, checking accounts, trusts, cash savings, investment assets (stocks/bonds etc.) and the entire market value of any interest in real property (residential, commercial, land, shares in a co-op, etc.). 
  • Balances in specifically-designated retirement funds and college savings accounts are not subject to the asset limit; if income is realized, these will be reflected on the 1040 and are subject to the limit. 
  • For other capital investments, only the applicant’s equity in the investment is subject to the asset limit.

• Complete the Access to Resources Checklist

• Submit a Resume/Bio/CV 
  • The Resume/Bio/CV must show recent and sustained artistic practice over the course of at least the last seven years, since 2017, in painting, photography, printmaking/drawing/book arts, and/or sculpture. 
  • List specific events/opportunities for the public to experience your work over this time (at least once annually), including the year, location (city or town and venue), and title. Reduced activity during the pandemic (2020-21) is acceptable. Work samples are not considered and are not requested.

• Certify everything in the application is true

Grants are paid in three annual installments. Funds may only be used for security deposits, rent and/or utilities incurred within the eligible grant periods:

• Year 1 ($12,000): May 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026
• Year 2 ($10,000): August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027
• Year 3 ($8,000): August 1, 2027 – July 31, 2028

Applicants may request funds for existing housing whose cost has recently increased, or for which you’ve received notice of an increase, or to move to new housing (whether or not that housing has been identified at the time you apply). 

The expenses for which you are requesting funds must be for rental housing located within the five boroughs of New York City. 

Recipients will need to provide documentation of the use of funds (copy of new lease; copy of receipt for security deposit; etc.) and additional financial information to establish that their existing financial assets reflect the application information. 

Recipients will need to maintain eligibility status throughout the three-year grant term in order to continue to receive funds each year.

Funds may not be used to simply cover or supplant existing rental costs.

Ineligible expenses include:

• Mortgage payments or the purchase of a home
• HOA fees
• Expenses incurred outside of the eligible grant periods listed above

We take the privacy of applicants and recipients seriously. The names of recipients of emergency grants are not published on our website or in our 990 or other financial documents. All reviewers sign confidentiality agreements, and the application and financial information is kept confidential and only seen by staff.

Yes, this program is only open to artists in financial need with an averaged adjusted gross income (from your two most recent federal tax returns) of $75,000 or less; $150,000 or less if you file jointly. You will submit your tax returns with your application.

Yes, this program is only open to artists in financial need with household assets of no greater than $108,710 ($155,300 for joint filers) as of the application deadline. Household assets include savings accounts, checking accounts, trusts, cash savings, investment assets (stocks/bonds etc.) and the entire market value of any interest in real property (residential, commercial, land, shares in a co-op, etc.). 

Applicants cannot currently own or have equity in a primary or secondary residence.

You will complete an estimated asset list in the application.

Make your best estimate of the current value of your assets. Household assets include savings accounts, checking accounts, trusts, cash savings, investment assets (stocks/bonds etc.) and the entire market value of any interest in real property (residential, commercial, land, shares in a co-op, etc.). 

If you are awarded a grant, we will work with you to receive the necessary documentation.

No. Individuals receiving rental assistance through a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Section 8 project-Based Voucher (PBV), Family Eviction Prevention Supplement (FEPS or CityFHEPS), Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), or I am a tenant in Public Housing or Section 202 (Supportive Housing for the Elderly) are not eligible to apply.

If you had a short (12 months or less) absence in 2020/2021 due to COVID, that is an eligible exception. Lengthier absences or during other time periods would mean that you are not eligible to apply. If awarded, you will need to provide documentation of NYC residency.

No. Applicants cannot be enrolled in a degree-seeking program at the time of application.

You cannot be enrolled as of the application deadline.

Yes. All past recipients of other NYFA grants are eligible to apply.

The WFF HSG is open to visual artists currently practicing in one or more of the following discipline categories:

• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking/Drawing/Book Arts
• Sculpture

The artist must be the sole or primary creator of the artwork, and have full and final artistic control. If you assist the primary creator, or if you interpret another artist’s work such as serving as a studio assistant, preparator, or writer, you are not eligible.

You must be able to demonstrate a proven track record of your commitment to your art practice for at least the last seven years (since 2018) on your resume/bio/CV. The resume/bio/CV must list activities which can include any/all of the following:

• Public showings of your work including exhibitions, presentations, installations, or workshops (list the venue, location [city/state/country], and year[s].)
• Public/community projects such as public art, murals, or community-based projects with public components (list the venue or sponsoring organization, location [city/state/country], and year[s].)
• Participation in artist residency, fellowship, or grant programs (list the name of the residency site/fellowship/grant and the year).
• Documentation of art sales (list the title of the work and year sold; in the case of art fairs/festivals, list the name, location [city/state] and year)
  –Work for hire or mass produced work is not eligible
• Reduced activity during the pandemic (2020-21) is acceptable.

Please note: Work that is created for online distribution and consumption is eligible IF it is a creative work, and was actively marketed to the public for showing at a specific date and time. If online presentations or sales of your work are your sole platform, such as online galleries, Instagram or YouTube, or your work is only available on-demand, we cannot consider your application eligible.

Work samples are not considered and are not requested.

This program is intended for artists who work consistently and regularly in one or more of the eligible artforms, not those whose work in an eligible artform is tangential or incidental or infrequent. For example, a theatre director who created scenic elements for one or two productions as part of their direction would not be considered an eligible visual artist for this program.

You may apply if you work in multiple disciplines, as long as you have sustained public-facing activity in one or more of this program’s designated disciplines over at least the last seven years (2018-2025).

No, please feel free to submit your full resume. One, because we don’t want you to have to create a new resume for this application; and two, because seeing your complete artistic history is helpful contextual information. However, if you do want to submit just the last seven years’ activity, be sure that it runs from 2018 to the present.

None. These applications are reviewed for eligibility and demonstrated need only, so no work samples or portfolios are necessary or accepted.

You must be experiencing one or more of the following:

• You do not have a lease or written agreement with the owner/landlord of your housing, or a sublease with tenant of record
• You are currently in a month-to-month or other uncertain housing situation
• You are currently paying more than 40% of your income in rent (including utilities)
• You have received notice of a rent increase within the next six months that will increase your rent to 40% or more of your income
• You need to leave your current housing because of an unexpected partnership dissolution, for your physical or emotional safety, or because of an unhealthy condition such as mold, lack of utilities or hazardous conditions

You are not eligible; this is a pilot program that provides rent subsidies to artists who are currently renting in NYC. 

While we are not able to provide direct financial support to unhoused artists at this time, we recommend that artists who are currently, or may imminently become, unhoused, to explore our list of Housing Resources and/or visit Entertainment Community Fund’s Information and Resources portal. To access the portal, you can register with a free account.

Funds cannot be used to simply cover or supplant existing rental costs. To be eligible, you must be experiencing one or more of the following:

• You do not have a lease or written agreement with the owner/landlord of your housing, or a sublease with tenant of record
• You are currently in a month-to-month or other uncertain housing situation
• You are currently paying more than 40% of your income in rent (including utilities)
• You have received notice of a rent increase within the next six months that will increase your rent to 40% or more of your income
• You need to leave your current housing because of an unexpected partnership dissolution, for your physical or emotional safety, or because of an unhealthy condition such as mold, lack of utilities or hazardous conditions

No.

This program is for artists in financial need. Our income caps represent a general national standard. The asset definition and cap is drawn from current New York City Housing Development Corporation policy.

This program is specifically for affordable residential housing. Grants may not be requested for studio rental expenses at this time. 

If you are seeking a combined live/work space, or if your rental housing expense increase will force you to give up an existing rental studio space, AND you are facing an eligible housing instability situation, you may apply.

If you will retain ownership, you are not eligible to apply. 

If you will be ceding ownership of the property within the first year of the grant period (May 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026) due to divorce, death in the family, or another unexpected situation, AND any income you derive from the sale will not exceed the asset limit, you may apply.

This alone is not an eligible emergency situation in this program. To be eligible, you must be experiencing one or more of the following:

• You do not have a lease or written agreement with the owner/landlord of your housing, or a sublease with tenant of record
• You are currently in a month-to-month or other uncertain housing situation
• You are currently paying more than 40% of your income in rent (including utilities)
• You have received notice of a rent increase within the next six months that will increase your rent to 40% or more of your income
• You need to leave your current housing because of an unexpected partnership dissolution, for your physical or emotional safety, or because of an unhealthy condition such as mold, lack of utilities or hazardous conditions

You may apply for a grant to either stay in your apartment at the increased rental rate (if it will constitute 40% or more of your income), or for new housing.

You may apply for a grant to find new rental housing.

You may apply for a grant to stabilize your housing through a lease agreement, either for your existing housing or new housing.

You may apply for a grant to seek new housing.

If any proceeds from the sale of a house, distribution of assets, or other liquidation does not exceed this program’s asset cap, you may apply for a grant to seek new housing.

You may apply for a grant to help with the increased rent in your current housing or to seek new housing.

You are not eligible to apply at this time. We encourage you to apply in future cycles, if they are offered, once you receive notice of a rent increase.

To be eligible, you must have lived within the five boroughs of New York City for at least the last five years (a short absence during 2020-21 due to COVID is acceptable). 

We encourage you to explore our list of Housing Resources and/or visit Entertainment Community Fund’s Information and Resources portal. To access the portal, you can register with a free account.

Due to the large number of qualified applications and the limited amount of funds, NYFA uses a two-step award process.

1. Applications are reviewed by NYFA Grants Staff for eligibility and completeness. Eligible applications are then assessed by an outside panel based on the criterion the demonstrated need of each applicant:

• Urgency of the housing need. 
• Economic severity of the housing need.
• The potential impact of funding on the artist’s ability to continue/return to their creative practice.

2. Following the panel review, the top pool of applications based on scores is placed into a lottery for the final awards.

Please note, this is a very competitive program, and an application is not a guarantee of support.

We take the privacy of applicants and recipients seriously. The names of recipients of emergency grants are not published on our website or in our 990 or other financial documents. All reviewers sign confidentiality agreements, and the financial information such as tax returns, bank records, and leases/bills is kept confidential and only seen by staff.

By completing this information, you are helping NYFA secure future funding, collect general information about our audience, and properly assess our effectiveness in serving the creative community. Your responses will remain confidential and will only be reviewed by NYFA staff members. Any personally identifying data will be removed prior to sharing the demographic data with third parties. 

NYFA is committed to supporting individuals from all backgrounds and disciplines and will continue to work towards values of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility across all programs. Read NYFA’s DEIA statement on our website.

We anticipate notifying applicants of their status in Summer 2025. All applicants will receive a notification, regardless of the outcome.

No, this program does not have an appeal process. If you remain eligible, and if future cycles are implemented, we encourage you to apply in the next cycle.

To receive your grant, you will need to:

• Sign a Letter of Agreement
• Submit documentation of assets including a Balance Sheet spreadsheet and other required bank/financial documents upon acceptance of your grant, and for the two subsequent years of the grant
• Submit documentation demonstrating you’ve lived within New York for the last five years (a short absence of 12 months or less in 2020/2021 due to COVID-19 may have occurred)

Once all required documentation is provided, the first grant installment ($12,000) will be paid. Funds can be used for future deposits, rent and utilities incurred between August 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026.

During the three-year course of the grant you will also need to:

• Submit copies of federal income tax statements after you file them for 2025 and 2026
• Provide documentation of your lease/rent/utility expenses within the five boroughs of New York City
• Provide updated Balance Sheets and required bank/financial documentation annually
• Complete interim reports to help us know the status of your housing stability, and other impacts of the grant at three points during the grant period, and within 12 months after the final award payment.

Yes. If you are awarded a grant, you will be provided a Balance Sheet spreadsheet to complete and submit along with copies of required bank/financial records.

If all grant requirements are met, grants are paid in three annual installments:

• Year 1 ($12,000): Upon receiving the grant in Summer 2025, after all paperwork has been received and approved
• Year 2 ($10,000): As early as August 1, 2026; no later than July 31, 2027*
• Year 3 ($8,000): As early as August 1, 2027; no later than July 31, 2028*

*Exact dates dependent on recipient’s completion of Interim Reports.

Grant funds may be used for residential rent, utilities (gas/electric/phone/internet) and/or security deposits. 

Funds may only be used for eligible expenses within these grant periods:

• Year 1 ($12,000): May 1, 2025 – July 31, 2026
• Year 2 ($10,000): August 1, 2026 – July 31, 2027
• Year 3 ($8,000): August 1, 2027 – July 31, 2028

Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Mortgage payments or the purchase of a home
• HOA fees
• Expenses incurred outside of the eligible grant periods listed above. Funds may not be used to simply cover or supplant existing rental costs.

NYFA reserves the right to determine eligible and reasonable expenses to support through this grant program.

Yes. If you are awarded a grant, you will need to provide copies of paid bills/receipts for the rent/utility expenses described in your application.

We classify these as emergency grants, and you will not receive a 1099 for these funds.

Grant funds are only sent to the artist, not the owner/landlord of your housing.

You can explore our list of Housing Resources and/or visit Entertainment Community Fund’s Information and Resources portal. To access the portal, you can register with a free account.

If desired, grant recipients will be provided with information and guidance for affordable housing in New York through a partnership with the Entertainment Community Fund.

All applications must be submitted through the Submittable platform. All open applications can be found here: https://apply.nyfa.org/submit

If you haven’t already, you will need to create a free Submittable account to be able to access the application. Visit www.submittable.com to start a free account.

Step-by-step guidance for using the Submittable platform and setting up a free account is available here.

Yes. We understand that in some situations it is necessary for a proxy to complete the application, but the funds will only be released to the artist who has experienced the emergency.

We do accept applications completed and submitted by a proxy with the applicant’s approval; if the grant is awarded, the artist themself will need to legally accept the grant.

The Submittable platform is free to use for applicants. If you require an accommodation due to a disability, please contact [email protected] or 212-366-6900 ext. 239 at least two weeks prior to the deadline.

If you have MS Office, and you have the files as Word, you should have Adobe Acrobat on your computer or you can download it for free, and you can save the doc or an email from your provider as an Adobe pdf file.

Yes. To save your application as a draft, scroll to the bottom of your working application and select “Save Draft.” Sign in to your submittable account to view your draft applications. You can also sign in via the direct link to saved drafts here.

We highly suggest using a laptop or desktop computer to complete your application on the platform, rather than a mobile device or tablet. Free access to these types of computers are available at most public library branches throughout New York City. For a smoother performance, we recommend using either Firefox or Chrome as your browser. If you’re already using Chrome, please clear the browser cache and cookies. Additionally, please make sure you are using the most up to date version of your browser.

If you are still running into technical issues, you can reach out to Submittable’s Support team directly via the contact form, Submitter Support, or via the support email address [email protected] so that they can troubleshoot directly.

To preview your submitted application, please sign in to your Submittable here. If you continue having issues viewing your submission, please reach out to [email protected] for further assistance.

Note: Submitted applications should only be previewed using the link above; you may not be able to preview your submitted application by signing in through the same portal link you used to apply.