UPDATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 APPLICATIONS:
- Literary Arts team: Jessica Flynn is once again part of the NEA’s Literary Arts. She encourages organizations to reach out directly with specific questions. The best way to reach her is via email at literature@arts.gov.
- Deadlines: New this year, Literary Arts does not have separate application deadlines for publishing and public engagement/professional development projects. Literary organizations and publishers can choose to apply in either February or July 2026. The earliest project start date for applications submitted in February is January 1, 2027; the earliest project start date for applications submitted in July is June 1, 2027.
- Eligibility: In addition to having 501(c)(3) status, organizations need to have an annual operating budget of at least $20K in their most recently completed fiscal year, as well as at least five years of programming history to be eligible to apply. Full eligibility information can be found starting on page 13 of the GAP Grant Program Guidelines.
- Instructions: The Literary Arts application instructions provide step-by-step guidance for completing both parts of the application. A description of the Literary Arts project types can be found on page 3.
- Priorities for FY2027: The NEA is strongly encouraging projects that focus on one or more of these updated priorities. (In broader strokes, there is also an interest in projects that enable individuals to experience the arts, foster and celebrate America’s artistic heritage and cultural legacy, and/or support arts education at all stages of life.) To the extent that projects relate to one or more of these priorities/interests, Jessica highly recommends that applicants describe how they do so.
- Legal requirements and compliance: Jessica also wanted to share information on legal requirements, which can be found on page 11 of the GAP Grant Program Guidelines. Please also see these links for more information on the assurance of compliance and related FAQs. (Applicants expressed to Jessica that the second to the last question in the FAQs is particularly helpful.)
NEA RELATED NEWS:
On April 14, 2026, the NEA released The Great Connector: How Arts Participation Renews Civic and Community Engagement, a report that furthers understanding of the links between arts participation and broader community engagement, such as attending community meetings or events, volunteering, or doing charity and explores whether and how taking part in arts events and activities can build social and civic muscle.
On January 8, 2026, the NEA announced it was awarding more than $16 million in funding to nonprofit organizations across the United States as part of its first round grantmaking in FY 2026. These grant applications were recommended for funding at the October 2025 meeting of the National Council on the Arts (NCA) and are focused on projects honoring the nation’s semiquincentennial in 2026. The NEA’s council considered a broader portfolio of the applications submitted in March 2025 at a meeting on January 8, 2026. Applications submitted in July 2025 will be considered at a council meeting in Spring. The FY 2026 grants will appear on a rolling basis in the NEA’s Grant Search as they are awarded.
On December 19, 2025, the United States Senate voted to confirm Mary Anne Carter as chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Carter will lead the agency for a second time, expanding on her leadership with the NEA during Trump’s first Presidential term.
On September 19, 2025, a federal judge in Rhode Island struck down the National Endowment for the Arts’ (NEA) policy disfavoring grant applications deemed to “promote gender ideology.”
On May 27, 2025, National Public Radio and three of its local stations sued President Donald Trump, arguing that his executive order cutting funding to the 246-station network violates their free speech and relies on an authority that he does not have.
On May 12, 2025, the National Endowment for the Arts sent a second round of email notifications to arts organizations around the country, notifying them of expedited close-outs or grant terminations.
On May 6, 2025, President Trump nominated Mary Anne Carter, to lead the National Endowment of the Arts. Carter oversaw the NEA during President Trump’s first term.
On May 5, 2025, the Literary Arts staff at the NEA sent a letter from their personal email accounts sharing that May 30 would be their last day at the agency.
On May 2, 2025, the National Endowment for the Arts sent a round of email notifications to arts organizations around the country, notifying them that they are withdrawing and terminating grant offers.
On May 2, 2025, the NEA released guidance regarding its implementation of Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” The notice states that there will be no requirement to certify that a project submitted to the NEA does not “promote gender ideology” and that there is no “bar” in place to inhibit any application; the Chair will evaluate whether each recommended grant does or does not “promote gender ideology” and in her sole discretion award or decline to award based on this and other criteria, specifically artistic excellence and merit; and the applicant’s other activities beyond the “four walls” of the project under consideration in the application will be irrelevant to the evaluation of the application.
On May 2, 2025, the White House released President Trump’s recommendations on discretionary funding levels for fiscal year FY2026. The White House’s FY26 budget request calls for the elimination of the NEA, along with the NEH and IMLS.
On May 1, 2025, the American Council of Learned Societies, the American Historical Association, and the Modern Language Association filed a lawsuit against Michael McDonald, Acting Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the NEH, DOGE, Amy Gleason, Acting Administrator of DOGE, and DOGE employees Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox challenging the recent dismantling of the NEH.
On April 29, 2025, the Mellon Foundation announced $15 million in emergency funding for state humanities councils across the country.
On April 15, 2025, The Nonprofit Times reported that staffers at the US DOGE Service have taken control of Grants.gov, the website that disseminates information about federal grants and provides a mechanism for applying for the grants.
On April 3, 2025, the ACLU issued a press release stating that the US District Court in Rhode Island denied a motion for preliminary injunctive relief by arts organizations applying for National Endowment for the Arts funding. The court held that the NEA’s decision on February 6 to make any project that “promotes” what the government deems to be “gender ideology” ineligible for funds likely violated the First Amendment and exceeded its statutory authority. It nevertheless concluded that, because the NEA is currently in the process of determining whether to reimpose that ban, the court could not get in the way of the agency’s decision-making process. The NEA will announce how they are planning to implement the executive order on April 30.
As of March 10, 2025, the NEA has paused enforcement of the controversial Assurance of Compliance requirement related to Executive Order 14168. This means that applicants are no longer required to certify that they do not “promote gender ideology” while litigation is pending. Broader funding restrictions on perceived “gender ideology” projects remain in place. The NEA’s Assurance of Compliance page states: “Pending the outcome of litigation in the United States District Court of Rhode Island, Case No.1:25-cv-00079-WES-PAS, the NEA is not currently requiring any grantee to make any “certification” or other representation pursuant to Executive Order 14168.”
An early March update to the NEA’s Assurance of Compliance page states: “Due to the preliminary injunction issued on February 21, 2025, by the United State District Court for the District of Maryland, Case No. 1:25-cv-00333-ABA, the NEA is not currently requiring any grantee or contractor to make any ‘certification’ or other representation pursuant to Executive Order No. 14173.”
On March 6, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Rhode Island filed a federal lawsuit challenging the requirement that grant applicants certify that federal funds should not be used to promote gender ideology. The complete filing can be read here.
The New York Times published the article, “Theaters Sue the N.E.A. Over Trump’s ‘Gender Ideology’ Order.”
A slide deck and recording of the webinar the National Endowment for the Arts held on February 18, 2025, which provided a general overview of the FY26 Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) grant program, including a summary of changes and instructions on how to apply for funding.
On February 21, 2025, US District Judge Adam Abelson granted a preliminary injunction blocking sweeping executive orders from President Donald Trump that seek to end government support for programs promoting diversity, equity and inclusion.
Americans for the Arts (AFTA) hosted office hours on February 21, 2025, with guest speaker Mary Ann Carter, President Trump’s political appointee and Senior Advisor at the NEA, who shared insights on the latest developments at the NEA, including new grant guidelines and other key updates impacting the arts sector. A recording of the event can be viewed here.
FAQs on Executive Actions, provided by the National Nonprofit Council.
The Impacts of the Recent Executive Orders on Nonprofits, including a chart of the most pertinent executive orders, updated regularly, and a webinar on the topic, provided by the National Nonprofit Council.
“DEI Initiatives: Know How to Mitigate Risk,” published by The NonProfit Times.
“Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction on Trump Anti-DEI Orders,” published by law firm Perkins Coie.
RESOURCES FOR NEA GRANTEES WHOSE GRANTS WERE CANCELLED:
Nonprofit Checklist: What to do When Your Federal Grant or Contract is Terminated from the National Council of Nonprofits.
Guidance on appealing National Endowment for the Arts grant determinations from the Film Festival Alliance.
On May 7, 2025, Americans for the Arts held a webinar on Emergency Guidance on NEA Grant Cancellations.