Annual Grant Program
Every year, Cornell Council for the Arts (CCA) hosts an individual grant competition to offer direct financial support for the development of new, experimental, and exceptional arts projects by Cornell faculty, students, and staff. Grants are intended to support cultural activities outside of the applicant’s regular academic requirements.
External funding opportunities for the arts have become particularly constrained in the last year, and in response, CCA is making enhanced grants available. This year, individual grant amounts have been increased, and department chairs are also eligible to apply for grants to support significant departmental arts initiatives or programming that would otherwise not be possible to bring to fruition in the current budget environment.
The expectation is that all supported work will be shared with Cornell and Ithaca communities through an openly accessible exhibition, installation, performance, workshop, lecture, and/or other public event. The intention of these grants is to foster a vital environment for the creative arts at Cornell and to connect Cornell artists to the art world at large. Funded projects should expand the boundaries of any given arts, design, or related discipline in a creative and culturally reflective way.
Award:
- Students and student organization grants: $1,500 – $2,500
- Staff and program grants: $2,500 – $5,000
- Faculty grants: $5,000 – $10,000
- Department chairs may submit proposals for their departments ranging from $20,000-$30,000
Due:
- Applications are due April 24, 2026.
Eligibility:
- Eligibility for individual grants is restricted to those who will be Cornell-affiliated in the 2026-27 academic year, and proposed projects must occur in the 2026-27 academic year.
For questions or additional information, please contact CCA at cca@cornell.edu.
Past Grantees
The annual grant program is particularly interested in promoting original, emergent and critically-engaged art forms and ideas. Work that takes an interdisciplinary or trans-disciplinary approach is strongly encouraged. Successful past applicants have used grant funds to create exceptional work in a myriad of formats including painting, sculpture, prints, wearable designs, clothing, prose, poetry, new media, video, film, software, site-specific installations, music concerts, new music compositions, designed objects, built environments, conferences, workshops, residencies, dance, performances, journals, zines, student-curated exhibitions, and social practice collaborations.
FAQs
We encourage anyone considering applying for a CCA grant to contact us at cca@cornell.edu to inquire about the feasibility of a project proposal or to seek guidance about how to best prepare your application.
Cornell students, student organizations, faculty members, academic departments, academic programs, and staff members are eligible to apply for a CCA grant. All applicants must be in residence at Cornell in the upcoming academic year.
CCA welcomes and encourages all types of collaboration, especially those between disciplines. Students and faculty are welcome to work together, but if so, the faculty member must submit the application.
CCA offers one funding cycle each year. The cycle is announced in March via our mailing list (to be added, email cca@cornell.edu). All applications are due in April. Decisions and notifications are made in May. Projects must occur the following academic year.
Funds are disbursed in July-August. Faculty, departments, programs, and SAFC/GPSAFC registered student organizations will receive funds in their university accounts. Individual students and staff will receive funds via direct deposit in their personal bank accounts. To sign up for direct deposit through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system, you’ll need to submit an ACH Authorization Form (paper form available by request through Payroll or online via Workday) and a W9 or a W-8BEN.
Student organizations with bank accounts at local banking institutions (as opposed to Cornell), cannot have their funds transferred directly. An authorized account representative may submit the necessary forms (ACH form for the group account and W9). Monies are subject to taxes and the representative submitting the W9 will receive a 1099 for their income tax return.
Individual students awarded a grant will receive monies less any applicable taxes, resulting in receipt of a 1099 for income tax returns. Monies transferred between Cornell accounts are not taxable.