The 2024 application cycle is now closed.

Notifications were shared via Submittable on December 2, 2024, and grantees will be announced in early 2025.

The Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment program (the "T&E Fund") will award grants of $1,000–$5,000 to individual craft artists to purchase artistic tools, materials, or equipment that support their ability to make object-based work through the skillful manipulation of materials. While objects may be created from traditional (clay, fiber, metal, wood, glass) or non-traditional materials (concrete, plastic, synthetic fibers, recycled materials) and be functional or nonfunctional, both types derive part of their meaning from their association with traditional functional forms such as chairs, vessels, garments, or implements and/or their association with cultural tradition.

The T&E Fund is open to individual craft artists, craftspeople, and folk and traditional artists in the United States and its Territories, with geographic eligibility rotating over the 2024–2026 funding cycle. Funding will be awarded through a competitive grant application process. Competitive applicants will present a clear request, demonstrate a sustained commitment to their craft, and illustrate how funding will provide linchpin support, such as enabling the artist to meet demand, address safety requirements or other regulations, replace outdated or damaged equipment, or reach a higher standard of quality or craftsmanship. In other words, funding will support craft artists’ careers and ability to make work. A total of $50,000 is available in each round of funding.

Diverse panelists with craft expertise will be invited to review eligible applications and make award recommendations. Panelists will aim to ensure that recommended grantees reflect the diversity of the craft landscape, including those who are under the radar in their field or discipline, such as people of color, folk and traditional artists, and women.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for funding consideration, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Identify as an individual working craft artist (see Guidelines or FAQs for definition).
• Align with CCI’s definition of craft (see Guidelines or FAQs for definition)*.
• Reside full-time in an eligible region. Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment's 2024-2026 funding cycle will rotate geographic eligibility.
• For the 2024 round of funding, craftspeople residing full-time in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming are eligible to apply. Additionally, craftspeople residing full-time in the U.S. Territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are eligible to apply.
• For the 2025 funding round, craftspeople residing full-time in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, Texas, or Wisconsin will be eligible to apply.
• For the 2026 funding round, craftspeople residing full-time in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, or Virginia will be eligible to apply.
• Presented artistic work in a public context—including online/digital platforms—within the last three years (i.e., since 2021).
• Are 18 years or older at the time of the application deadline.

*CCI uses the definition of craft put forth by the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+), which describes craft as the creation of original objects by the skillful manipulation of materials. While objects may be created from traditional (clay, fiber, metal, wood, glass) or non-traditional materials (concrete, plastic, synthetic fibers, recycled materials) and be functional or nonfunctional, both types derive part of their meaning from their association with traditional functional forms such as chairs, vessels, garments, or implements and/or their association with cultural tradition. See the Guidelines and FAQs for additional information. 

The following applicants/requests are ineligible for funding consideration:

• Artist collectives, coops, or collaboratives;
• Nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organizations;
• Recipients of the Maxwell/Hanrahan Award in Craft, administered by United States Artists;
• Incomplete applications and those with inaccessible work samples or other required files;
• Full-time or matriculating students (i.e., students enrolled in a degree-seeking program);
• Applicants who submit more than one application;
• Requests to support training in or experimentation with a new medium;
• Requests for routine art materials or supplies;
• Requests for fixed costs (e.g., studio rent, equipment/tool insurance and ongoing maintenance, utilities);
• Requests to support capital improvements or repairs, purchases made before the award of the grant, consultant fees, personal compensation, or payment of debts, credit cards, loans, or other financial responsibilities; and
• Applicants who have a conflict of interest (family or financial relationships) with the boards, staff, and directors of CCI or the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation.

TIMELINE

*In Year One (2024) of Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment, we are welcoming applicants from 23 States and Territories that span nine time zones. The table below displays the day, date, and time of the application deadline depending on your location. 

APPLY

English	Español
Guidelines	La Guía de Requerimientos
Application Preview   Application Preview	Avance de la Solicitud  Avance de la Solicitud
Frequently Asked Questions	Preguntas Más Frecuentas
Sample Project Budget Template  Sample Project Budget Template	Plantilla de Presupuesto de su Proyecto  Plantilla de Presupuesto de su Proyecto
Submittable Quick Tips	Referencias Rápidas de Submittable

Applications will be accepted from July 10, 2024, at 9 a.m. PDT until September 4, 2024, at 11:59 a.m. (morning) PDT. Complete applications must be submitted by the deadline—no exceptions will be made. In addition, applications with missing or inaccessible content (e.g., corrupted or password-protected files) will not be reviewed.

Note: The Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment grant deadline, notifications, and technical assistance workshops utilize Pacific Time. Please plan accordingly. For help converting to the Pacific Time Zone, see here.

QUESTIONS

CCI staff are here to help! For questions about the grant guidelines or application, email us at grants@cciarts.org (include "T&E Fund" in the Subject Heading) or call 415.713.7650. Deaf applicants and those with hearing loss can contact CCI using the California Relay Service. Our staff are trained in making and receiving these calls.

If you need technical assistance (e.g., password or upload issues), request support at https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/. Submittable’s business hours are 9 am–5 pm MT. They aim to respond within 24 business hours.  

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment funding is supported by:

Promotional outreach is supported by: