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The Creative Sector Flex Fund (CSFF)
The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) introduced a new grant program, the Creative Sector Flex Fund (CSFF), in 2023-2024, and is offering the program again for the 2024-2025 grant cycle. The CSFF is designed to address the changing needs of dynamic PA arts organizations with average annual revenue between $10,000 - $200,000. This grant program incorporates the current needs of the field by offering grantees the flexibility to use $5,000 grants in ways that ensure the most significant impact for their organizations and communities.
Eligible uses of funds are flexible, including the support of applicants’ administrative, programmatic, and project-related expenses. As a regional partner, the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance administers this grant for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties. Applicants–including current grantees–must submit a new application every year.
Please note: The PCA has retired Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts’ (PPA) Entry to Program Stream, and Program Stream grant programs. The decision to retire these programs resulted from the PCA’s consideration of conversations, feedback, observations, insights, research, and data review with state and industry leaders, panelists, grantees, and community members. The goal of this retirement is to enable the PCA to provide a funding avenue that better aligns with industry trends and the goals of PCA’s strategic plan.
Funding Amount: $5,000 per applicant. The number of grants available annually varies based on the availability of funds from PCA, which is supported by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania budget.
Virtual Information Sessions were held on May 30 and June 5, 2024. Watch a recording below.
2024-2025 Timeline
- Application opens: Monday, June 3 at 12:00 p.m.
- Application closes: Wednesday, July 31 at 5:00 p.m. Note: The application will close automatically and accept no other entries.
- Eligibility and Panel review: August-September 2024
- Award notification: November 2024
- Grants Award Agreements processed/Award payments sent: December 2024
- Grant Activity Period: January - December 2025
Review Process
- Cultural Alliance staff review applications for eligibility once the application window closes. Eligibility guidelines set by PCA are strictly enforced and unfortunately we are unable to accommodate organizations making corrections to their application materials after the application window closes. Please ensure ALL application materials are correct before submitting. Incomplete applications or errors constitute an application being considered ineligible.
- Panelists evaluate applications based on the criteria laid out in the guidelines. Panelists are community members who live/work in the Greater Philadelphia area. Panelists review all materials and each of the eight narrative questions is scored separately.
- A Grants Committee of Cultural Alliance Board members makes the final approval of organizations, based on panel reviews.
How to Apply
The application includes narrative questions, financial information, and documentation necessary to confirm eligibility.
2024-2025 Creative Sector Flex Fund – Copy of Application available here.
You must have a (free) Submittable account to apply. This account is associated with an individual. When you begin the application, it will prompt you to enter your organization’s EIN to link your application to your organization. Draft applications can be saved/returned to without losing information.
Note: Guidelines set by PCA are strictly enforced and unfortunately we are unable to accommodate organizations making corrections to their application materials after the application window closes. Please ensure ALL application materials are correct before submitting. Incomplete applications or errors constitute an application being considered ineligible. Applications CANNOT be modified or edited once submitted. Incomplete applications such as missing a required document, constitute an application being considered ineligible.
Eligibility
2024-2025 Guidelines for PA Council on the Arts Creative Sector Flex Fund. For grants through the Cultural Alliance, you must be located in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia Counties.