Purpose

To invest in arts organizations to advance their artistic excellence, operational excellence, and community engagement and access within their missions. The VCA serves as a partner by providing operating funds to continue, strengthen, and expand arts experiences that benefit Virginians.

Description

General Operating Support (GOS) is the largest program offered by the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Applicants for this grant must provide more detailed information than those applying for other VCA grants. This additional information helps Advisory Panelists, staff, and the Commission Board gain a thorough understanding of the applicant’s activities, organizational structure, management practices, financial stability, and community outreach. Returning GOS applicants who have been reviewed by an Advisory Panel are encouraged to reference previous reviews that identify opportunities for improvement.

Eligibility Requirements

• Meets the basic eligibility requirements as listed on page 9 of the FY26 Guidelines for Funding
• Virginia organizations whose primary purpose is the arts (units of government, organizations using a fiscal agent, and educational institutions and their private companion foundations are not eligible for GOS)
• Is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
• Is incorporated in Virginia for at least one year prior to application
• Has its headquarters and home season in Virginia
• Has completed three (3) years of programming
• Presents at least three (3) different programs or services for the public each year
• Had a previous year’s unrestricted operating income of at least $150,000. Organizations with smaller budgets may be eligible for OSS grants or for Community Impact Grants.
• Presents activities in ADA-compliant venue(s) including wheelchair access to restrooms
• Is governed by a Board that meets regularly
• Must not be under current debarment or suspension from federal funding
• Must have no past due Final Reports to the VCA at the time of application

NOTE: First-time General Operating Support (GOS) applicants must contact the Commission staff before applying to confirm eligibility.

 Organizations applying for GOS may not apply for:

• Community Impact Grants
• Arts in Practice Grants

Additional Requirements

Avocational Organizations 

Priority in this funding program will be given to organizations that pay artists. Avocational organizations may be funded in this program if they provide specific services or programs that would otherwise not be available in that particular geographic area. Avocational organizations may apply in the other grant programs of the Commission.

Festivals 

A Partnership-funded festival must:

• be a separately incorporated Virginia organization with a year-round administrative staff
• maintain a primary purpose in the arts
• maintain a year-round presence in the community
• spend the majority of its budget on arts activities
• last longer than three consecutive days
• hire professional artists
• include education and outreach programs as part of the festival

NOTE: Other festivals may apply for Community Impact Grants and Virginia Touring Grants, if applicable. 

Educational Organizations 

Organizations that exist primarily to provide arts education must meet the following criteria:

• maintain a diversified funding base, beyond tuition and ticket sales for public performances, that shows widespread community support
• employ teaching artists who are professionals or former professionals in their fields
• offer classes aimed at acquiring skills at ever-increasing levels of difficulty
• offer classes focused on development of skills rather than rehearsals for a performance
• offer scholarships for low-income students with an active effort to recruit students from diverse segments of the community
• present regular opportunities for students to perform or exhibit for the public

Vocal, Dance, and Musical Ensembles 

Vocal, dance, and musical ensembles that perform primarily pop, Broadway, or barbershop music, or that focus primarily on competitions are not eligible for General Operating Support but may be eligible to apply for Community Impact Grants, if applicable.

Eligible Expenses

Funding from General Operating Support grants may be used to support most aspects of an arts organization’s annual operating expenses (not including capital expenses), such as:

• Artist fees
• Administrative costs
• Contractual services
• Accessibility services
• Facilities operations (utilities, rent, routine maintenance, etc.)
• Marketing or publicity of events/activities
• Personnel (salaries, benefits, etc.)
• Professional development (workshops, seminars, conferences, excluding credit-earning post-secondary coursework)
• Supplies and materials
• Technical costs
• Travel (domestic) and other operational expenses necessary to deliver arts programs and services

Application Deadline

The Commission awards all General Operating Support Grants for a one-year period. Each grantee is required to apply annually. Organizations that have been funded by the Commission in the General Operating Support category in the current year will be notified by the Commission in mid-December regarding information requirements for the application deadlines. All new applicants must contact the Commission before applying to determine eligibility.

• Short Form Applications are due February 1, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. EST, for expenses occurring between July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026.
• Long Form applications are due by March 1, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. EST, for expenses occurring between July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026.

Required Attachments

The following forms are provided by the Commission via upload in the online grant application:

• Eligible Income Worksheet
• Signed Certification of Assurances
• Virginia W-9 Form

Applicants must generate and upload the following support documents:

• Three documents reflecting artistic excellence
• List of staff (paid or volunteer) and their roles
• List of Board members highlighting officers and including members’ affiliations
• IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter
• Profit & Loss Statement / audit from the most recently completed fiscal or calendar year
• Balance Sheet from December 31, 2024
• Current year (projected) budget

Reporting Requirements

If the grant is awarded, the organization must submit a partial year-end Final Report no later than June 1, 2026. The GOS Final Report Part II is due no later than October 1, 2026. Failure to submit a Final Report by the deadlines will impact future funding. If an organization undergoes a substantive change in its mission, program, artistic leadership, or management during the grant period, the Commission must be notified immediately. If, in the opinion of the Commission, such changes alter the purpose for which the grant was awarded, the Commission may require the organization to submit justification for continuing to receive the grant fund.

Amount of Assistance

Organizations approved for funding will receive no more than 10 percent of their previous year’s total unrestricted operating income, less Commission support, commissions to artists, facility rental income for non-arts activities, money paid to the organization for out-of-state trips or tours by the people taking the trips or tours, money raised for capital purposes in the previous year, and endowment income. Most organizations will receive less than the maximum, and no organization is guaranteed a specific funding amount. Minimum grant awards will be $3,500 per year.

Criteria for Evaluating Applications

• Artistic Excellence
• Operational Excellence
• Community Engagement and Access

Artistic Excellence (30 points) is the first standard of review. What constitutes artistic excellence may vary in relation to the organization’s mission, goals, audiences, and activities. The organization must demonstrate high-quality activities that achieve a distinct artistic vision consistent with the applicant’s mission and goals. The Commission supports organizations with a wide variety of artistic programs, including both the preservation of an artistic heritage and the presentation of new works and new artists.

Operational Excellence (30 points) is measured by the organization’s capacity to effectively manage its operations and resources as reflected by organizational stability and fiscal position. The organization has a Board-approved strategic planning process that shows evidence that it is maximizing opportunities to generate diversified income. The organization has a strong Board composition, staff qualifications, and clearly articulated roles and responsibilities for each.

Community Engagement and Access (40 points) recognizes the arts as a vital part of community life and supports organizations that deliver quality accessible arts experiences and learning opportunities for Virginians of all ages. Organizations have effective strategies for engaging with current, new, and diverse communities—including underserved, under-resourced, and underrepresented groups. The grantee also complies with ADA-accessibility mandates.

NOTE:

Organizations with annual income over $750,000 (for the previous two consecutive years) must submit an opinioned, audited financial statement from the most recently completed fiscal or calendar year. If the audit is not complete by the grant deadline, a Board-approved Profit and Loss Statement from the most recently completed fiscal or calendar year can be submitted; however, the organization will be required to submit an audit prior to the Advisory Panel screening session.

Application/Review/Payment Process

1. Applicants submit the information requested by the Commission online by the deadline.
2. The Commission staff reviews each application for completeness and eligibility. Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be reviewed, will be returned to the applicant with an explanation, and will not be funded.
3. Applications are made available to the members of an Advisory Panel electronically.
4. Advisory Panelists independently review each application prior to the Advisory Panel Screening Session.
5. The Advisory Panel meets with two members of the Commission staff. Commissioners may attend Advisory Panel Screening Session as silent observers. The Advisory Panel makes its recommendations after group discussion.
6. The Commission Board then reviews the recommendations of the Advisory Panel and staff and takes final action on the applications.
7. Applicants are notified of Commission action by email following vote at the Commission Board meeting and pending enactment of the fiscal year budget per the General Assembly.
8. The Commission will pay the award in full by mid to late August. The Commission reserves the right to use an alternative payment schedule in special circumstances.
9. GOS Final Report Part I (narrative) must be submitted after the completion of all funded activities or by June 1, 2026. GOS Final Report Part II (financials) must be submitted by October 1, 2026. Failure to submit a Final Report by the deadline will impact future funding.