Importance of Federal Funding for the Arts
- The nonprofit arts depend on a delicate balance of public and
private funding, with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
in a strong leadership position. NEA grants are powerful fundraising
instruments for arts organizations—recipients are required to
match all federal grants up to four-to-one.
- The federal government works as a complementary partner with
the state governments in funding the arts. State arts agencies
rely upon federal leadership and funding in identifying and addressing
cultural needs.
- The NEA brokers partnerships among state and local agencies
and private organizations to promote and expand the availability
of arts around the country.
- The arts have enjoyed bipartisan support at the federal, state
and local levels for over 30 years.
- NEA funds help to make the arts accessible to many people who
could otherwise not afford them.
- Many NEA direct grants are aimed at making the arts more widely
available by supporting community outreach projects and educational
initiatives aimed at making major institutions accessible to everyone.
- The NEA supports projects in all states, including isolated
rural areas and inner cities; projects are spread across racial,
geographic and socioeconomic lines.
- Each state arts agency receives a significant block grant from
the NEA, constituting 40% of NEA funds. The distribution
of NEA funds requires a 15% cap on the collective amount that
arts organizations from any one state can receive, with the exception
of projects of national significance and multi-state touring.
- The NEA provides unique leadership in local, state and national
partnerships and initiatives strengthening arts education for
students of all ages.
- Through its grant programs, the NEA directly supports projects
in which arts organizations, artists, schools and teachers collaborate
to provide opportunities for adults and children to create, perform
and respond to artistic works.
- Arts education has been proven to help students increase cognitive
development, inspire motivation and discipline, develop confidence
and inventiveness, and hone communication and problem-solving
skills.
- Students who study the arts continue to outperform non-arts
students on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). According
to the College Board's 2001 College-Bound Seniors: A Profile of
SAT Program Test Takers, students with more than 4 years of arts
study scored 68 points higher on the verbal section and 51 points
higher on the math section of the SAT than students with no arts
course work.
- Refer to TCG's Education page for information on the latest
research studies and statistics on arts education.
- A June 1996 poll conducted by Louis Harris found that 79% of
the American people favor a governmental role in funding the arts.
- The poll also found 61% of Americans would pay $5 more in taxes
to support the arts.
Private Funding
- In the publication Looking Ahead: Private Sector Giving in the
Arts and the Humanities, foundations and corporations categorically
state that they cannot make up for a loss of federal funding.
- Private funding sources are responding to multiple requests
from all sectors of the nonprofit community. Corporate and individual
donors face difficult choices due to these increased demands.
It is crucial that the federal government—through the NEA—signal
to private donors that giving to the arts should be included among
their contributions.
- An October 2001 survey of 100 companies conducted by the Business
Committee for the Arts (BCA) demonstrated that contributions to
arts organizations are expected to stay flat in 2002. Only 5 companies
expected to increase giving.
- The NEA awards direct grants in five interdisciplinary funding
categories, including Access, Creativity, Organizational Capacity,
Heritage/Preservation and Arts Learning.
- Grants are given for specific projects, rather than to individual
artists or for general operating support.
- Priority funding is given to NEA grant applications that encourage
public knowledge, education, understanding and appreciation of
the arts and support projects in underserved populations.
- Grantees must file interim and final reports, with grant payment
contingent upon approval of these reports.
