View Creative Start Project Grant Guidelines. 

View Creative Start Project Grant Application PDF Outline.

View Frequently Asked Questions

View Recorded Info Session

Instructions: 

1. If you do not see an option to search for your organization by name, please click "Submit"

2. There should be a search box that appears, asking you to search for your organization by either using:

• Legally registered organization name (note: using partial names may yield more results)
• Organization's EIN or Employee Identification Number distributed through the IRS (note: Schools/ESDs/and School Districts cannot use their EIN; you must use your name or UEI)
• Organization's UEI or Unique Entity Identifier distributed through SAM.gov 

3. Complete the Eligibility Quiz that appears (note: if you mistakenly filled the eligibility form inaccurately, resulting in a false ineligibility status, close your browser and restart your application process)

4. Begin and save drafts of your application often    

Tribal Cultural Grant  

 Funding for Fiscal Year 2027 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027)

This non-competitive grant offers funding for Washington State Federally-recognized Tribes to support Tribal communities as they expand, enhance, or create space for art and culture that is respectful and responsive to each community’s needs.  As long as the proposed project is eligible, your Tribe will receive funding.  

Funding amounts

The current allocation amount per application this cycle is $17,000 per Tribe if all 29 Tribes apply. The application includes space for each Tribe to identify an additional funding request that will be considered if additional funding becomes available, or if all Tribes do not apply. Funding not requested by the closing date will be reallocated as additional funding to those that applied.    

Background

In 2023 the Washington State Legislature provided funding to the Washington State Arts Commission (ArtsWA) to support Washington Tribal Communities’ arts and culture. Funding will be distributed through a series of grants that may be used for a broad array of arts and / or cultural-related activities and programs.  

The first round of grant funding was awarded to 20 of the 29 Federally recognized Tribes (all Tribes who applied) in March 2024.  The second round of grant funding was awarded to all 20 Tribes who applied in November 2024. In the third round of grant funding, all 29 federally recognized Tribes in Washington State applied and were awarded funding for their proposed projects.

Projects that this funding has supported included: Supplies and instruction for regalia making, a Tribal language dictionary and children’s books, support for culture teacher’s salaries, murals and art for a Tribal youth center and a Tribal health center, a Lushootseed language camp and much more. 

Open Office Hours

March 3, 2026, at 12 p.m.: Register here.

Please join us if you have questions about:

• The application open until March 31, 2026, at 5 p.m.
• Grant guidelines, requirements, or the online application process (Submittable)
• Invoicing and reporting
• Or questions about the Tribal Cultural Affairs program itself!

We’re looking forward to meeting with you and helping you with your application.

If you are unable to attend the open office hours, please feel free to call or email us with any questions you may have.

Eligibility 

• Applicants must be a Washington State Federally-recognized Tribe. 
• Each Tribe may submit one application, but the application may support several different projects.  
• For recipients of the Fiscal Year 2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) Tribal Cultural Grant: In order to receive the funds for your Fiscal Year 2027 funds, the final report for your current grant (2026) has to be completed. 
• Funds may support Tribal cultural activities: this will be determined by your Tribe including but not limited to language, foodways, gathering spaces, classes or mentorships, regalia making, carving, weaving, Tribal museums, support for culture teachers, and more.  
• If you have a question about whether your project is appropriate for the funding, please reach out to us.  

 Important Dates 

• Application open February 3, 2026 – March 31, 2026 at 5pm
• Receive notification by May 16, 2026 
• NEW: Complete Grant Confirmation Form by June 1, 2026 
• Agreements issued by June 15, 2026 
• Timeframe to spend funds July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027
• Final reports due August 31, 2027

 What are ArtsWA’s Tribal Cultural Grant Priorities? 

• Support Washington Tribal communities as they expand, enhance, and create space for art and culture, in a way that is respectful and responsive to each community’s needs. 
• Support projects, programs, and services spanning a diversity of cultural/art disciplines and traditions. 
• Foster equity and expand the creative economy by funding Tribes and Indigenous artists that have historically been excluded from government arts funding. 

 What We Can and Cannot Fund

As a state agency, there are restrictions on what ArtsWA can support.  

Examples of what we can fund: 

• Artist, teaching artist, and contractor fees 
• Tribal museum support including, exhibitions, collections, enhancements, planning and consultations 
• Rent (equipment or space)  
• Travel expenses for in-state artists or consultants  
• Materials, supplies, software, and technology 
• Administrative expenses, including printing costs, postage, and other administrative fees  
• Fees for increasing access to programming such as closed captioning, translation services, interpreters, or consultant support on these efforts  
• Support of Native/Indigenous artists for start-up funds (business license, website development, technology) 
• Expenses for Tribal cultural classes 

What we cannot fund: 

• Expenses outside the current grant period 
• Activities that have occurred prior to the period designated by the agreement 
• Requests to cover previous losses incurred by the Tribe  

If you have questions about whether your project is appropriate for this funding, please reach out to us. 

What happens after you apply? 

1. Submission confirmation: You will immediately receive an automated message from Submittable confirming your application was submitted successfully. Make sure you have notifications@email.submittable.com listed as a safe sender for your inbox. All applications are reviewed for completeness and eligibility, we will let you know if there is anything missing in your application. Double check to make sure your contact information is correct so that we can reach you! 
2. NEW: Complete the Grant Confirmation Form: If your project is eligible, you will be sent a Grant Confirmation Form through Submittable on or before May 16. Complete the form by June 1, 2026 so we can build the Tribe's Indian Nation Agreement for the grant. The form asks for the contact information for the Authorizing Official for your Tribe, the Grant Primary Contact, and the Project Coordinator, as well as the Statewide Vendor Number of the Tribe.  
3. Agreement issued: The contacts you provide in the Grant Confirmation form will be officially notified of award and issued their agreement by June 15, 2026. Your Authorizing Official can sign the agreement digitally or with ink. 
4. Payment: Tribes must select to receive their funds in advance of project expenses or as reimbursement. If you choose Advance Payment, you can receive your funds as soon as you sign your invoice (included in your agreement). If you choose Reimbursement, you will simply sign your invoice (included in your agreement) and let us know when you are ready to receive your funds or submit the signed invoice when you are ready to be reimbursed. It usually takes a few weeks for funds to arrive after they are requested. 
5. Final Report: Final reports are short and usually take about 15 minutes to complete. They will be available in Submittable after your payment is sent. This report is vital for the continued success of the Tribal Cultural Affairs program and our ability to continue providing support for Washington's Tribal communities. This information will be used for upcoming appeals to the state legislature for additional funding for future grants and programming. Photo documentation is also extremely valuable when explaining the importance of this funding and the projects that it supports - we ask that you share photos of your projects! (There is an easy photo upload link in the report.)  

 Submittable Tips 

• Saving: Save your application as you work on it by clicking the "Save Draft" button located at the end of this webpage. You can log out and log back in, take a break, or work on your application over several days without losing your data. 
• Collaboration: If multiple people from your organization will be contributing to your application, invite them to collaborate by clicking on the "Invite Collaborators" button located at the top right of this webpage. 
• Required Questions: Questions marked with a red asterisk '*' must be completed before you submit your application. You will not be able to submit your application if any required questions have been left unanswered. 
• Submitting: Once you have completed your application, click the "Submit" button at the end of this webpage. You will receive an automated email confirming that your application has been successfully submitted. 
• Print or download a copy of your application by navigating to your "Personal Submissions" account list. Click on your Application submission. This will open up the submission's details page, where you can click the Download button in the upper right of the viewing box. 

 Questions? 

Linnea Ingalls, Tribal Cultural Affairs Program Coordinator, at 360-252-9969 or linnea.ingalls@arts.wa.gov