The Surdna Foundation works to foster just and sustainable communities in the United States. The 2015 Artists Engaging in Social Change program will accept online applications between Monday, September 15, 2014 and Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. (EST). Please note that applications will only be accepted via the online process.

Through this RFP, Surdna will support compelling projects that artists develop in response to their communities’ specific challenges, and will also fund the projects of artists whose long-term, deeply-rooted work has increased social engagement without necessarily being explicitly defined as “activist.”

Successful applicants will receive grants ranging from $25,000 to $150,000 over one or two year periods, with a maximum total award of $150,000.  The Request for Proposals is on the Surdna Foundation website: http://www.surdna.org/rfp

Eligibility criteria:

• Projects must be artist-led.
• Projects must demonstrate a deep commitment to a community, demonstrated by the process through which the work is developed and the theme or themes it focuses on.
• These funds are designated for one-time project support and cannot support organizations’ ongoing programs, operations, capital or endowments, although up to 15 percent administrative overhead is allowed.
• These funds cannot support curricular work.
• Applicants can be at any stage of their careers, but must have a track record of developed work that demonstrates their capacity to complete the proposed project and to manage the level of funds requested.
• Eligible disciplines include traditional or folkloric arts, visual arts, literary arts, dance, theater, film/ video, music, performance-based arts, and interdisciplinary/ hybrid arts.
• For architecture or design-related projects, please refer to our Community Engaged Design guidelines,  here.
• Proposal must make a clear case for the arc of change envisioned by the project, based on the applicants’ own criteria for defining and measuring impact.
• Individual artists and groups of artists and organizations without 501(c)(3) status must apply through a fiscal sponsor, which they will list on their application as the applying organization.
• Applying organizations (including fiscal sponsors) and the project for which funds are requested must be based in the United States.

Eligible disciplines include:

• Traditional or folkloric arts.
• Visual arts.
• Literary arts.
• Dance.
• Theater.
• Film/ video.
• Performance-based arts.
• Interdisciplinary/ hybrid arts.