NYFA / News / NYSCA and NYFA Announce Innovative Grant Program to Establish Reserve Funds for NYS Arts and Culture Nonprofits

Three actresses dressed in white, who play sisters, are bathed in blue light while surrounded by three white screens also bathed in blue light. The the three screens have shadow puppetry ocean and seagulls flying. Two sisters in the middle the stage whole a blue sheet and the middle sisters lights a shadow puppet boat with three girls in it.

Image Detail: Hit the Lights Co., Image Credit: Rebecca J Michelson

NYSCA and NYFA Announce Innovative Grant Program to Establish Reserve Funds for NYS Arts and Culture Nonprofits

April 8, 2025

by Amy Aronoff

First of its kind initiative addresses critical needs across state creative sector.

The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) today announced the NYSCA Reserve Fund Grants to help New York State-based nonprofit arts organizations who have received funding from NYSCA in the last three years with operating budgets of less than $3 million to establish a reserve fund or build on an existing reserve fund. Created to address the needs and concerns of nonprofits across New York State, NYSCA will be funding grants from $10,000 to $75,000 for a total of $1,760,000 in support.

A key factor in strategic planning and capacity building, reserve funds can help an organization weather new challenges, cover unexpected expenses, and strengthen balance sheets to leverage new funders.

Applications will open on Tuesday, April 22 at 10:00 AM ET and close on Tuesday, June 17 at 5:00 PM ET and will be available at the NYFA website.

Organizations that choose to use grant funds to start a reserve fund and do not already have one at the time of applying will be prioritized. Rural, BIPOC-led, and community-based organizations are strongly encouraged to apply. Grant amounts will be determined by the organization’s overall operating budget. Organizations that are fiscally sponsored by another 501(c)(3) are ineligible for this opportunity.

“Based on the current challenges facing arts and culture organizations, we developed this initiative to respond to some of the most pressing needs across our sector,” said Erika Mallin, Executive Director of NYSCA. “With this program, we hope to support organizations in their efforts to be sustainable and to explore new approaches that will be most helpful to their success in the coming years.”

“We hope that this support provides an extra layer of security to nonprofit arts organizations across New York State,” said Michael Royce, CEO of NYFA. “This program, which we are grateful to NYSCA for funding, recognizes the need for and contributions of these organizations to their local communities and the greater cultural fabric of New York.”

In addition to providing support through direct funds, the NYSCA RFG will offer one year of supplementary services focused on organizational sustainability and financial prudence. Each recipient will receive:

One virtual workshop dedicated to organizational reserve funding and strategies to support long-term sustainability
One hour long one-on-one consulting session
Monthly office hours to field pressing questions in a communal setting

For those interested in applying, the NYFA Grants team will host virtual information sessions designed to help artists understand if they are eligible and how to build a strong application. The first session will take place on Wednesday, April 30 at 2:00 PM ET and will focus on a general application and guidelines overview. The second session is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13 at 2:00 PM ET and will dive deeper into the importance of building reserve funds. All info sessions are held virtually over Zoom, are free to attend, and are presented in English. Registration is required.

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