Government Affairs Update: NEA Grant Opportunities and What We're Monitoring

The political landscape in Washington, DC continues to evolve daily. Chorus America needs to hear from you: How are the federal government’s actions affecting your work? All stories of specific impact are welcome. Please share your experience here. Thank you to those members who have already shared their stories with us. 

Visit our Government Affairs Resource Page for more tools.

These government affairs updates are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended as legal advice. Nonprofit arts organizations should consult with legal counsel for guidance specific to their circumstances.

NEA Announces “Celebrating America250” Grant Opportunity – July 14, 2025 Deadline

The NEA has released information on "Celebrating America250: Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes," a special grant opportunity: 

The NEA will offer grants of $25,000 each (no cost share required) for arts projects in any discipline that celebrate the contributions to American history of one or more of the national heroes listed in Executive Order 13978 of January 18, 2021.

Read the grant guidelines here.

NEA’s Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) Program – July 17, 2025 Deadline

The NEA announced an updated deadline for its GAP Program for projects that begin after June 1, 2026.

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) provides funding for public engagement with the arts and arts education, for the integration of the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for the improvement of overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector. 

Read the GAP grant guidelines here.

NEA and Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology…”

The NEA is uplifting its legal response to Executive Order 14168 as filed in the Rhode Island Latino Arts v NEA as part of the Agency’s grant guidelines and information:

• Applicants will not be required to certify that no federal funds are used to promote gender ideology.
• The Chair will implement EO 14168 by evaluating projects that promote gender ideology based on the existing statutory criteria at the final stage of application review.
• The NEA will implement EO 14168 on a grant-by-grant basis, in a manner that is consistent with the U.S. Constitution, the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), the NEA enabling statute 20 U.S.C. § 954, et seq. and its established policies and procedures regarding application review.   

NEA’s Updated FAQ Sheet

The NEA has published an FAQ for grant applicants that covers questions related to the special grant program, Celebrating America250; Implementation of the Executive Orders; and Our Town grants.

Read the FAQs here.

What We’re Monitoring:

We are tracking three large bills moving through Congress that will have an impact on the choral community: 

1. One, Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB): The OBBB is a multipronged piece of legislation that includes tax reform and spending cuts.  The Senate Finance Committee’s draft includes an expansion of the charitable deduction for non-itemizers and removes the increased tax on private foundations that was in the House’s bill version.  The Charitable Giving Coalition (Chorus America is a member) shared the following statement and this broader announcement:

   “Permanently restoring and expanding the charitable deduction is a powerful policy change that will encourage additional giving,” said Brian Flahaven of the CGC. “Continuing to strengthen the charitable deduction in the Senate bill sends a clear message that encouraging private philanthropy is a national priority. The Coalition is immensely grateful to Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Coons (D-DE), and our other bipartisan Senate champions for their unwavering commitment to America’s charities and the communities they serve.”

2. Appropriations for FY26: The budget process for FY26 is in the House Appropriations Subcommittees, where the first wave of decisions will be made on funding for the NEA and other cultural agencies for FY26. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior is scheduled to meet in late June.  Stay tuned!
3. Rescission Act of 2025:  The House has passed President Trump’s Rescission Act which cancels previously Congress-approved funding for CPB and NPR. The bill now moves to the Senate, where it has until July 18th to take action or the funds remain in place.