If an application has already been started in response to this RFP, please visit the Proposals in Progress section in the Grants Portal to view and/or continue the application process.
Background
Arts and culture organizations are critical to thriving communities. They shape our cultural landscape and can play an instrumental role in our lives by leveraging their programming and operations to generate social, physical, and economic benefits for their communities and the region. Whether through a lack of resources or lack of opportunities, these benefits are often not experienced in equal measure across all communities, especially in those that have been most affected by economic inequity, discrimination, and other forms of injustice. We provide general operating support to arts and culture organizations that go beyond making arts and culture more accessible and contribute to the wellbeing of their communities. We are interested in supporting organizations that deliver artistically strong and relevant arts and culture experiences and leverage their resources to play an influential role in their artistic field, community, and the region.
Opportunity Overview
The Foundation seeks to support artistically exceptional arts and culture organizations that are providing opportunities for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized. Constituents of these organizations have meaningful opportunities to fully participate in, contribute to, and see themselves reflected in arts and cultural experiences in ways that correlate with the organizations’ missions. We prioritize arts and culture organizations that focus on or authentically consider the experiences of historically marginalized communities in all aspects of their work and intentionally contribute to the development of vibrant, inclusive communities.
We are requesting proposals for three years of unrestricted operating support. This funding opportunity is for organizations with fiscal years beginning in January through June 2026. Organizations will use their position and resources to be an engaged and responsive partner in their communities and the region. Proposals should reflect thoughtful strategies to strengthen ongoing relationships, organizational practices, and programming that connect to the priorities and interests of the communities they serve. After reviewing proposals, WPF will conduct site visits and gather additional information from a limited number of organizations.
The Foundation’s Arts and Culture program focuses on creative work that integrates artistic merit, cultural relevance, and community impacts, reflecting the interconnectedness of creative expression and culture. We encourage organizations to describe their mission, operations, and activities in ways that reflect this focus. All proposals from organizations that meet the review criteria and additional considerations described below are encouraged.
WPF has a total of $4 million available to advance this objective at this time. The Foundation values diverse approaches from various organizations to address the objective, and we aim to attract and fund a range of organizations. The maximum total grant amount requested cannot exceed $675,000. Maximum possible grant amounts are calculated as a proportion of the organization’s operating expenses from its most recently completed audit or financial statements (see “How to Apply” on our website for the type of financial information required based on organization budget size). Refer to the table on page 10 of the RFP packet for maximum allowable amounts.
Full Request for Proposals (RFP) and Application
Download the full RFP packet for more information about this opportunity including eligibility, review criteria, learning and insights, budget, and link to an application template.
All applications must be submitted through the Grants Portal.
Webinar
Interested organizations are invited to participate in an optional informational webinar on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 11:00 AM ET. Following the live webinar, a recording will be posted to this page.