In anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Indiana Arts Commission accepted applications for arts projects, in any discipline, that celebrate American history and connect participants to that history.
The America250 Grant Program is a one-time program made possible through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Indiana General Assembly.
Applicants could request up to $5,000. No matching funds are required.
Applicants recommended for funding will receive the full amount requested and are eligible to be paid in full at the beginning of the grant period provided they are in good standing and supply required information in a timely manner.
Eligible Applicants
- Nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organizations in any arts discipline;
- Other 501(c)(3) nonprofit entities that provide arts programming such as social service organizations, main streets, etc.;
- Local units of government;
- Public libraries;
- Public and private schools from pre-kindergarten through high school;
- Colleges and universities
Note:
- Current organizational grantees of the IAC, excluding those who are fiscally sponsored, are eligible for this opportunity.
- Applicants must have a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov by the application deadline. Learn more about SAM UEI.
- Fiscally sponsored applicants are not eligible.
Additional Eligibility Requirements:
- Nonprofit organizations must be incorporated in the State of Indiana at the time of application and for the duration of the grant period. They must also be physically located in Indiana. The majority of programming, services, or activities must take place in Indiana and serve and engage Indiana audiences and participants.
- All applicants must be in good standing with all of the following: the State of Indiana; the Indiana Arts Commission; the applicant’s Regional Arts Partner; and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Program Opens for Applications | November 13, 2025 |
Informational Webinar | November 20, 2025 at 10AM ET |
Application Due | December 15, 2025 by 11:59PM. ET* *Late applications are not accepted. All applications are final following the submission deadline. |
Funding Notification | By February 16, 2026 |
Final Grant Report Due | January 15, 2027 |
- For questions about application, eligibility, and guidelines: Contact IAC grants and operations team at grantsadmin@iac.in.gov.
- For help or technical assistance with the Online Grant System: Contact IAC grants and operations team at grantsadmin@iac.in.gov.
- For accessibility accommodations or questions about accessibility at an organization or for a project: Contact accessibility@iac.in.gov
The following organizations received America250 Project Grants:
- Beachfront Dance School (Gary): Funds will support “Stars and Stripes Ballet Performance” a restaging of segments of the first American ballet, George Balanchine’s “Stars and Stripes” danced by local youth.
- Bloomington Early Music (Bloomington): Funds will support “Early Music and Early America”, a five-day celebration of Early America which will include a concert series of ensembles from across the United States, a youth concert, preconcert talks and a documentary film premiere.
- City of Jeffersonville - Public Art Commission (Jeffersonville): Funds will support “From 1776 to Tomorrow: A Multi-Arts Journey”. This free, immersive riverfront event will showcase American arts and culture from 1776 - 2026 through hands-on art activities and live performances.
- Indianapolis Men's Chorus (Indianapolis): Funds will support “America Through the Eyes of Indiana”, a touring outreach program of historically themed choral performances in senior centers and community venues.
- LaGrange County Tourism Foundation (Shipshewana): Funds will support “Voices of the First People: Audio History of Chief Shipshewana and the Potawatomi”, a narrated audio history sharing the story of Chief Shipshewana, accessible by QR code at his monument.
- Naptown African American Theatre Collective (Indianapolis): Funds will support “Freedom Reimagined: Staged Reading of “Willa B’s Letter””, a staged reading of a play about Willa Brown, the first African American women to earn a pilot’s license, the first black officer in the Civil Air Patrol and a graduate of Indiana State Teacher’s College.
- Perceptions Yoga, Mindfulness & Art (North Vernon): Funds will support “Creative Aging Community 250 Mural Project”, which will engage older adults and community members in designing and painting a large-scale public mural commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.
- Otwell Progress Committee (Otwell): Funds will support “America250 July 4th Celebration Concert”, a patriotic concert featuring Air Force veteran Jamie Teachenor, the composer of the anthem for the United States Space Force, performing music that highlights American history and service.
- Robert and Ellen Haan Museum of Indiana Art (Lafayette): Funds will support “Indiana at the World’s Fair: Art, Industry & American Progress Pop-up Exhibition Series”, which will transform five vacant downtown Lafayette storefronts into pop-up exhibitions celebrating Indiana’s craft traditions from 1776 – 2026.
- Sheldon Swope Art Museum (Terre Haute): Funds will support “The Spirit of Independence: Revisiting the Kent Bicentennial Portfolio”, an exhibit on the history of the Kent Bicentennial Portfolio, alongside relevant works from the Swope’s permanent collection.
- South Bend Venues Parks & Arts Foundation (South Bend): Funds will support “Celebrating America’s Quilts and Spirituals: Codes, Signals and Songs”, a series of lectures and workshops on the importance of symbols, signs and codes in African American quilts and spirituals, focusing on the period of the American Civil War and the Underground Railroad.
- Youth Symphony Orchestras of East Central Indiana (Muncie): Funds will support “A Musical Celebration of America’s 250th Birthday”, four youth orchestra concerts which will take audiences through the history of American music with a particular focus on music from the American Revolutionary period and other key moments in American history.
The America250 Grant Program is made possible through funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Indiana General Assembly.
Indiana Arts Commission