In summer 2026, Arts & Culture will launch a series of new funding programs for arts organizations, including new guidelines for organizations to apply for and receive unrestricted operating support. Called General Operating Support through the current fiscal year, the new program will be called Operating Support starting in 2026-27.
An early draft of new guidelines for the Operating Support program, created in collaboration with current General Operating Support grantees and organizations that have expressed interest in applying in the future, is now available.
We're asking for art-loving and art-supporting Portlanders to weigh in on them.
About the Operating Support program
Providing operating support is a vital component of Arts & Culture's overall grantmaking strategy, and the Operating Support program will continue to be funded in large part by the Arts Access Fund—a unique funding mechanism approved by Portland voters in 2012 to support arts education in K-5 schools and to provide grants for local nonprofit arts organizations. The goal of the Arts Access Fund is to increase arts access for all Portlanders, with limits on what we can fund and expectations to measure who we serve.
Why we're updating the program's guidelines
The program's guidelines are being updated to comply with the City's outgoing grants policy, adopted in October 2024, which states that grants should be awarded "after a competitive process," with "data collection and performance measures requirements". The Arts Access Fund's Oversight Committee has also recommended more data be collected to assess the impact of these investments.
Prior to the creation of the Office of Arts & Culture in July 2024, the City of Portland contracted with the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) to administer and manage the program. Community feedback will help the Arts & Culture team identify aspects of the program that could be improved upon, with a goal of funding all eligible organizations.
A closer look at the proposed guideline updates
For organizations that have received General Operating Support grants in the past, several changes outlined in the proposed grant guidelines will stand out. Most noteworthy being that arts organizations must have a minimum budget of $200,000, up from $75,000. Additionally, the smallest grant awards will be $25,000, up from $15,000.
Arts & Culture recognizes that many organizations, including smaller groups, may not have the capacity to meet the accountability measures and reporting requirements outlined in the new guidelines. We are working to develop other systems of support for the local arts ecosystem, including:
- Grants and sponsorship opportunities for organizations with annual budgets less than $200,000
- Grants for individual artists and other entities that do not have 501(c)(3) status
- Support for arts service organizations, culturally specific organizations, and other cultural assets that contribute to Portland's cultural vitality but do not qualify for Operating Support
These new systems of support, and the guidelines for the new Operating Support program, will be finalized in May 2026. Organizations will be invited to start applying for Operating Support grants after the City of Portland's 2026-27 fiscal year budget is adopted in June 2026.
How to provide feedback
In the meantime, please take a look at the draft guidelines and share your comments and questions in our online survey by Wednesday, April 1, 2026. As Portland continues its economic recovery, Arts & Culture looks forward to exploring new, exciting ways that we can work together to put arts and culture at the center of public life in Portland.