Annual Grant Program
Cornell Council for the Arts (CCA) holds an annual grant competition each April. CCA offers direct financial support for the development of new, experimental, and exceptional arts projects by Cornell faculty and students on campus. As of 2024-25, Cornell staff are included in the list of potential grant recipients.
Grants up to $2,500 are awarded to faculty, departments, and program; grants up to $1,500 are awarded staff, students, and student organizations registered with SAFC or GPSAFC. Grants are intended to support and promote cultural activities outside of the applicant’s regular academic requirements or responsibilities.
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 the annual grant program 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.
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.