Arts (Small Org.)

Our Fast Track grants fund organizations statewide that deliver visual, performing, media, literary, or interdisciplinary artistic programming, performances or exhibits, arts services, or arts education. Fast Track Arts grants provide Operating Support. We know that funding general operations is the best way to help arts organizations thrive.

The minimum allowable annual operating expense for eligibility is $25,000. This excludes any expenses covered through in-kind.

Please consult our Arts page for details on the types of activities we fund. Also be sure to review the list of activities we don't fund below.

K-12 Arts Education

Because the Miller Foundation believes that every child should have access to a well-rounded education that includes the arts, our Arts grants also support K-12 Arts Education programs. If you provide arts education programming, you have a greater chance of receiving Miller funding if your programs meet any of the criteria below:

• You provide non-school based sequential arts education specifically engaging youth who face economic, geographic, or other barriers to participation.
• You work in partnership with public schools to provide arts education where such programming would otherwise be unavailable.
• You connect young people with professional teaching artists.
• You provide culturally specific arts education.

Apply for a Fast Track Arts grant anytime - applications are open 24/7 and accepted year-round. Typically, you will be notified of a grant decision within 4-6 weeks.

• Applicants with less than 5 years of past grant funding from the Miller Foundation are eligible for one year of support.
• Applicants with 5+ years of past grant funding from the Miller Foundation are eligible for two years of support.

Fast Track Grant amounts are determined by the Foundation and will range from 4-7% of your annual operating expenses (based on an average of your last 3-4 years of annual operating expenses and your organization’s alignment with our funding priorities).

Fast Track Arts grants provide Operating Support. These Operating Support grants typically support organizations with missions that are focused solely in our funding areas of Arts, Arts Education, or K-12 Education. 

Smaller organizations (annual expenses of less than $500,000) that have broader missions but that allocate more than 25% of their annual expenses to significant & ongoing Arts or Arts Education activities are eligible to receive Operating Support through our Fast Track Arts program.  If funded, the Operating Support grant amount would be based on the percentage of their budgeted expenses related to Arts or Arts Education.

Miller Foundation operating support grants can be used for a grantee's operating expenses. Examples:

• Artist or Contractor fees
• Staff wages
• Rent/utilities
• Technology
• Programming, performance, presentation, or exhibit expenses
• Moveable equipment
• General business expenses
• Marketing, fundraising or technical support
• Addition of new paid staff

Expenses not considered operating support include debt repayment and capital campaigns.