Wheaton Cultural Project Grants
Wheaton Cultural Project Grants (WCPG) are available to arts and/or humanities organizations and groups located in Montgomery County, MD that may or may not be incorporated as non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status and individual artists and scholars who reside in Montgomery County, MD. Grant awards support impactful projects within the Wheaton, MD community and provide professional opportunities for artists and scholars to work in Wheaton. Grants for FY25 will be awarded for activities occurring between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
Awards range from $1,000 up to $10,000. Applicants that are individual artists or scholars must partner with a non-profit or for-profit entity based in Montgomery County to apply. Applicants that are organizations or groups do not need a partner to apply.
By awarding Wheaton Cultural Project Grants, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) seeks to:
- Support communities that have traditionally received insufficient resources and that have limited access to arts/humanities programming;
- Support Wheaton’s cultural diversity by funding arts/humanities projects in all disciplines, genres, and styles;
- Support artists and scholars currently living or working in Wheaton; and
- Activate Wheaton as a cultural destination that stimulates local economic activity
Important Dates
Questions?
- Dates + Deadlines
- Webinars
- Guidelines + Eligibility
- Application + Templates
- Previous Grants Awarded
- FY24 Grantees
FY25 Important Dates
- Guidelines published – Friday, August 30, 2024
- Application Deadline – Friday, October 11, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.
New applicants are highly encouraged to contact AHCMC grants staff. All applications and relevant materials must be submitted online through AHCMC’s grants portal, SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply).
Late applications and relevant materials will not be accepted.
Additional Dates Post-Application
- Panel Review (virtual) – November 2024
- Award Announcement – December 2024
- FY25 Grant Change Request Deadline – November 30, 2025
- FY25 Final Report Due – January 31, 2026
Webinars
- Thursday, September 5, 2024 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Monday, September 16, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- Register on Eventbrite!
All AHCMC webinars will be hosted through the Zoom platform. Visit to our Webinars page to see upcoming workshops and webinars for all open grant categories.
Webinars allow grant-seekers to ask AHCMC grants staff specific questions about the grant guidelines, application, and online grants portal.
At each webinar, AHCMC grants staff review eligibility requirements and offer technical assistance for both the application process and the online grants portal
FY25 WCPG Application Webinar
AHCMC Project Budget Tutorial
- View PDF slides of AHCMC’s Project Budget Tutorial
SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply) Tutorial
Guidelines
- View a PDF of the FY25 WCPG Guidelines
Required Application Materials:
All applicants must submit:
- A Completed Narrative
- Programming Support Materials
- Work Sample(s)
- AHCMC Reporting Data
In addition, applicants applying as individuals must also submit:
- Resume or CV
- Letter of Support – Download a template of the Letter of Support under the “Application + Templates” tab on AHCMC’s website.
- Bio(s) of key staff who work for the partner organization
In addition, applicants applying on behalf of a group must also submit:
- Group Support Materials
- List of group members;
- Bios of key group members and/or volunteers;
- Current Strategic Plan, if available; and
- Organizational Chart, if available.
- Financial Support Materials
- Previous fiscal year’s end-of-year revenue and expenses;
- Current operating budget with actuals year-to-date; and
- Current Balance Sheet or Balance Sheet for the most recently completed fiscal year, if available.
In addition, applicants applying on behalf of an organization must also submit:
- Organization Support Materials
- IRS Letter of Determination
- List of Board of Directors with affiliation;
- Bios of key staff and/or volunteers;
- Current Strategic Plan, if available; and
- Organizational Chart, if available.
- Financial Support Materials
- FY23 990, 990EZ, or 990N;
- Profit & Loss for the most recently completed fiscal year;
- Current operating budget with actuals year-to-date; and
- Current Balance Sheet or Balance Sheet for the most recently completed fiscal year.
Applicant Eligibility Requirements
Applicants eligible to apply must have met all the following requirements by the published application deadline.
Individuals:
- Has resided in Montgomery County, MD with a verifiable mailing address in Montgomery County, MD for at least 12 months prior to the application deadline (P.O. Boxes not accepted);
- Is at least 21 years old;
- Is not a full-time student;
- Is a practicing artist and/or scholar with demonstrated ability in the arts or humanities discipline of the project;
- Is able to provide AHCMC with a Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) prior to undertaking the grant activities;
- Has a partnership for the project with a non-profit or for-profit organization based in Montgomery County, whose budget may exceed $500,000 and whose mission may or may not be arts and/or humanities-based;
- The partnership must consist of meaningful collaborations between the applicant and organization with clear indications for how the partnership will enhance the applicant’s own work and benefit the Wheaton community; and
- Has met all outstanding requirements for any grant(s) received from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County in prior years.
Organizations & Groups:
- The primary mission or objective is the exhibition, presentation, production or performance of, and/or education in, an arts and/or humanities discipline, and/or provides support services to artists and/or scholars and/or arts and/or humanities organizations;
- Has been in operation for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the application deadline
- Has had its primary location and/or a verifiable mailing address in Montgomery County, MD for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the application deadline;
- Operates as a non-profit, with or without 501(c)(3) status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a public charity; and
- Has an annual operating budget of no more than $500,000 for the most recently completed fiscal year; and
- Has met all outstanding requirements for any grant(s) received from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County in prior years.
*AHCMC defines organizations as an entity recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity.*
Project Eligibility Requirements
Eligible activities must:
- Take place between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025;
- Take place in Wheaton, MD; and
- Be open to the public, with or without an admission fee, in person or virtually. In-person activities must follow current COVID-19 guidelines as required by the Montgomery County Health Department.
The following are examples of activities that are eligible for funding. This list is not exhaustive, and applicants are encouraged to think creatively about the activities proposed in the grant application.
- Performances, presentations, or exhibitions of visual, performing, media, and/or folk and traditional arts
- Festivals or events that include one or more arts/humanities discipline(s)
- Historical presentations, archaeological programs, or historical reenactments
- Poetry readings, author lectures, or script workshops
- Public art, including community mural projects
- Arts and/or humanities educational programs
Access SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply): https://artsandhumanities.smapply.io/
Applicants are highly encouraged to use the application templates to prepare the narrative and supplementary materials.
FY25 WCPG Templates:
*Know that these are templates for your reference only – all applications and relevant materials must be submitted online through the grants portal.*
- View a PDF of the FY25 WCPG Application Template Organizations & Groups
- Download a Word document of the FY25 WCPG Application Template Organizations & Groups
- View a PDF of the FY25 WCPG Application Template Individuals
- Download a Word Document of the FY25 WCPG Application Template Individuals
- View a PDF of the FY25 WCPG Partner Organization Letter of Support
- Download a Word document of the FY25 WCPG Partner Organization Letter of Support
FY24 Wheaton Cultural Project Grants (WCPG)
$142,883 awarded for January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024
Wheaton Cultural Project Grants support impactful projects within the Wheaton, MD community and provide professional opportunities for artists and scholars to work in Wheaton. Montgomery County, MD-based non-profit arts and humanities organizations, groups, artists, and scholars are invited to apply for cultural projects taking place in Wheaton. Eleven organizations and four individuals, a total of 15 grantees, received FY24 awards within this category.
View previous grants awarded for WCPG and other grant categories.
Wheaton, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will support the Artist Vibe, showcasing a variety of artistic talent each month, from March to December, led by organizer Fata Togba-Mensah. Artistic talent will encompass visual arts, literary arts, and the performing arts. Participants will share their culture, and talents with the community and expand their reach.
Wheaton, Maryland ($10,000)
Funds will be used to produce the 10th Annual Wheaton Film Festival (WFF), which has been held in Wheaton continuously from 2015 to 2023. The WFF includes educational panels, networking events, film screenings, and content highlighting local businesses.
Silver Spring, Maryland ($8,441)
Grant funds will support Ukes on the Move, introducing third grade students to music-making via the ukulele. Each student will receive a ukulele and songbook to keep. In addition to learning to play and write songs, students will present performances at school and at the Wheaton Senior Center, including a jam session with seniors.
Silver Spring, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will support Moving Wheaton: Cultural Connections, ” an in-school residency program for students at JFK High School (a Wheaton Public School) emphasizing fun, safety, self-expression, empowerment, community, and creative collaboration. The program will culminate in a free in-person performance in Wheaton, where students will be invited to perform with Clancy Works’ artists.
Gaithersburg, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will support the 2nd Annual DC South Asian Music and Dance Festival. The two-day festival will feature local musicians and dancers in various categories/genres, who will compete in different age groups. International performers will also be featured in the festival’s opening and closing performances, and throughout the program.
Silver Spring, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will support Village Reels, an intergenerational filmmaking program, bringing together local high school students and seniors 55+. Taught by Docs, Reels was created in the belief that if we do not know about our past, we are destined to repeat it. There are many local stories hiding in plain sight, with students waiting to tell them while learning about filmmaking.
Wheaton, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will support season 9 of the Wheaton Family Theatre Series, a free performing arts series for children and families in Wheaton. The Wheaton Family Theatre Series presents 7 arts programs throughout the year, featuring a variety of artistic disciplines and cultures as well as original theatrical work by InterAct Story Theatre.
Rockville, Maryland ($8,157)
Grant funds will support Tell Us Your Story, a memoir writing class series for older adults. Participants learn skills such as writing first drafts, using prompts, employing emotion and sensory details, writing dialogue, building drama, developing characters, editing, and offering thoughtful/positive feedback. Students read their work aloud in class and at a public event.
Potomac, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will be used to provide free cartooning and graphic novel creation classes for children, a cartooning class for seniors, animation workshops for children and for seniors, and create a mini-comic book workshops for children and for seniors throughout 2023. The students’ artwork will be displayed at the Wheaton Library.
Potomac, Maryland ($10,000)
Funds support dance performances showcasing Odissi – an Indian classical dance form – highlighting its traditional vocabulary by combining it with poetry. A Pallavi in Odissi is a pure dance item that elaborates on a visual motif and mood through characteristic movements. Along with the accompanying music, the show will explore the essence of the selected poems.
Rockville, Maryland ($10,000)
Funding supports live orchestra performances taking place at Wheaton Library’s Social Hall and will include storytelling in English and Spanish. Children and families will experience the transformative power of live orchestra music in a safe, accessible environment, performed by high caliber musicians.
Silver Spring, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds support a new multi-disciplinary Kuchipudi dance project about the hidden song of trees by drawing on the story of the Tulsi tree and Patanjali Yoga Sutras showing the ‘rootedness’ of society as a tree system, as well as the story of Gauri Devi in 1974, who said to gun-wielding loggers – “Brothers! This forest is like your own mother, put down your axe!”
Silver Spring, Maryland ($6,285)
Grant funds will support arts-based curriculum built on seven “steps to democracy” for two groups of Wheaton students in Grade 3-5. Students will complete social studies activities, hear from civic youth mentors, write, and perform their own civic songs, poems, and stories.
Silver Spring, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will support The Professional Development & Sustainability (PDS) Exchange, an annual forum dedicated to sustaining holistic artistic excellence through professional development. The PDS Exchange shares resources and essential tools to build healthy, mutually beneficial networks for artists to direct economic and cultural benefits back into their communities.
Wheaton, Maryland ($10,000)
Grant funds will support The Wheaton Arts Parade, allowing participants to walk with art, watch the floats, bands, dancers, and artists on streets. The community festival is a venue for local artists to exhibit and sell their work and be valued by the community.
The FY24 WCPG cycle runs from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
- View a PDF of the FY24 WCPG Guidelines
Important Dates Post-Application
FY24 Final Reports opening soon in SM Apply!
All final reports must be completed online through AHCMC’s grants portal, SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply). Access SM Apply: https://artsandhumanities.smapply.io/
Need to make changes to your project? Fill out a grant change request form, available on our resources page: https://www.creativemoco.com/find-opportunities/resources/