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The Oklahoma Arts and the Military Grant program is designed to empower organizations statewide to serve military-connected individuals through the arts. The grant program is part of the Oklahoma Arts and the Military Initiative, which is a strategic effort launched in 2015 by the Oklahoma Arts Council to meet important needs in Oklahoma’s military community.

Grants of up to $5,000 are available to support new or ongoing learning-based and audience-based arts programs serving primarily individuals who are connected to the military. Military-connected individuals include active-duty service members, reservists, National Guard members, veterans, and immediate family members and caregivers.

Oklahoma Arts and the Military Grants are made possible in part by funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mid-America Arts Alliance

New for FY2027

A single deadline of May 1, 2026, will be apply for all projects occurring between July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. 

Program Objectives

• Create more opportunities for military-connected individuals – including active-duty service members, reservists, National Guard members, veterans, their families and caregivers, and others – to meaningfully engage with the arts.
• Build capacity among Oklahoma organizations to offer arts programs for military-connected participants.

Overview

Project Activity Dates
July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 (Gant Period FY2027)

Application Period
March 1, 2026 – May 1, 2026

Grant Amount 
Up to $5,000 per organization per grant period.
1:1 (100%) match required; up to 50% may be in-kind. Federal funds and other Oklahoma Arts Council funds may not be used as match.

Award Determination
Tentatively expected July-August 2026. This is a competitive grant program. Award amounts are determined using program scoring criteria and agency priorities.

Accessibility
Individuals with specific accessibility needs can contact our accessibility coordinator.

Who Can Apply?

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations incorporated in the State of Oklahoma as a Domestic Not for Profit Corporation
• In good standing with the IRS (Organizations that have had their IRS status revoked are not eligible for Oklahoma Arts Council grant support. It is the organization’s responsibility to ensure that its status is current at the time of the application and throughout the life of the award.)
• In good standing with the State of Oklahoma
• Registered with a SAM UEI and eligible to receive federal support (organizations cannot be listed under the SAM Exclusions federal debarred or suspended list)
• City, county, state, and tribal governments
• Colleges and universities
• Public library branches

Organizations receiving Oklahoma Arts Council funding in other grant programs may also apply for this grant opportunity.

What Types of Programs Can Be Supported?

Grants can support costs associated with learning-based arts programs (classes, workshops, etc.), audience-based arts programs (performances, exhibitions, etc.) and capacity building programs (professional development and training, consultant services, program design and development, etc.). Examples include:

Learning-Based Arts Programs

• Classes and workshops (frequency and duration may vary; focus should be on sequential hands-on learning)

• Online/virtual learning-based arts programs

Audience-Based Arts Programs

• Performances

• Exhibitions

• Festivals

• Online/virtual audience-based arts programs

Capacity Building Programs
Programs that increase an organization’s or community’s capacity to provide arts experiences and programming to military-connected audiences, including but not limited to:

• Professional development opportunities

• Contracted consultant services

• Research, development, and program evaluation expenses

What Expenses Are Allowable?
Funding from Oklahoma Arts and the Military Grants can be used toward the following expenses:

• Artistic, administrative, and technical fees

• Consultant and facilitator fees

• Consumable supplies

• Marketing expenses

• Rental fees

• Artist travel fees

Unallowable expenses include tickets, tuition, scholarships, capital expenditures and/or building improvements, permanent art installations, activities for which college credit is given, loss of revenue, debt repayment, subgranting, duties or expenses related to fundraising and/or lobbying, activities or expenses that may advance or inhibit any religious belief, events that are not open to the public, cash prizes or awards, and hospitality expenses (i.e., food, drink, receptions, parties, galas). See the Grant Terms and Conditions for full cost principles.
 
Required Outcomes
Proposals for funding must seek to accomplish one or more of the following:

• Provide opportunities to military-connected individuals who are artists

• Project provides opportunities and/or visibility for military-connected individuals who are practicing artists (literary, performing, visual, and teaching artists).

• Offer meaningful benefits to military-connected individuals

• Project provides specific benefits to military-connected individuals. Examples of benefits include skills-building, connection to support systems, or other clearly identifiable value.

• Build capacity for organizations to lead successful arts and military projects

• Project centers on activities that increase organizational capacity related to serving military-connected individuals through the arts. Examples include contracting with consultants to increase understanding of military structures and ways that the arts and military communities can meaningfully intersect; conducting research on local military populations and their needs; and, providing opportunities for staff to attend in-state training relevant to arts and military programming.

• Actively include military communities

• Project reaches groups within the military community including (but not limited to) women veterans, veterans with disabilities, and veterans representing diverse ethnic or cultural groups. More than 330,000 veterans live in the state of Oklahoma (nearly 10 percent of Oklahoma’s population).

How to Apply 

Step 1: Your organization must be verified in the Oklahoma Arts Council grant portal before applying for this grant opportunity. If your organization is new to Oklahoma Arts Council grants, you must create a new account in the grant portal and complete the eligibility verification process (which may take up to 15 days to review and process). If you have questions, contact our grants office at grants@arts.ok.gov.

Step 2: Once your organization is verified, you can start an application from the Apply for Funding page. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on the application deadline date published on the grant program guidelines. If an application deadline falls on a weekend or state holiday, the application will be due by 5:00 p.m. on the next business day. Late submissions are subject to the noncompliance policies as outlined in the General Grant Terms and Conditions.

Grant Process

1. Organization submits application

2. Application is reviewed through a grant review panel process

If project is selected for funding:

4. OAC issues Pre-Award offer notification

5. Organization reviews, completes, and submits Pre-Award Requirements

6. Notice of Award is issued and project enters Granted status

7. Project activity occurs

8. Grantee submits required reporting

9. OAC processes grant payment for reimbursed expenses

Funding Priorities
The Oklahoma Arts Council has the following priorities for investment:

1. Organizations that represent, serve, and/or have missions that focus on arts access to rural and/or under resourced communities

2. Arts education and arts learning programs that focus on sequential, hands-on skill building

Grant and Reporting Requirements
If selected for funding, grantee organizations must comply with all requirements as outlined in the Legal Assurances/General Grant Terms, grant contract, and grant program guidelines, including but not limited to the following:

• Signed electronic grant contract by the deadline specified in the pre-award email

• Updated contact, mailing, and payment/banking information with the Oklahoma Arts Council and Oklahoma Supplier Portal (Oklahoma Arts Council will process grant payments to the remittance address/bank account registered through the Oklahoma Supplier Portal)

• Thank you letters to the organization’s state legislators

• Use of Oklahoma Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts logos

• Timely submission of required report(s) by the deadline(s) specified in the Notice of Award

• Retention of all financial records (including invoices and receipts) related to the grant award for seven (7) years

Documents and Links

General Grant Terms and Conditions
Grant Portal Login
Oklahoma Arts and the Military Initiative
Engaging Veterans through Creative Expression: Oklahoma Arts and the Military Initiative Pilot Program Evaluation Catalogue

Who to Contact for Help

For questions about this grant program, contact Erika Wilhite, Arts Learning in Communities Director, at erika.wilhite@arts.ok.gov.

For questions about grant system access, contact Martyna Sandoval, Grants and Programs Associate, at martyna.sandoval@arts.ok.gov.

For questions about managing your grant award, contact Thomas Tran, Grants Director, at thomas.tran@arts.ok.gov..