Professional Development Grant Program

A: No. Professional Development Grants cannot be project focused and are not for the costs related to the creation of artwork. Grants will not be awarded to pay the applicant’s own professional artistic or administrative fees.

Additional funding restrictions are detailed in the grant guidelines.

A: The focus of the Professional Development Grants program is on individual development as an artist or arts administrator.

Applicants must be headquartered/physically reside with a legal residence within RACC’s service area: Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties.

Applicants who have received previous grants through RACC must have their reporting requirements completed to be eligible to receive this grant.

Further eligibility is outlined in the guidelines.

A: Yes. Applicants must be headquartered/physically reside with a legal residence within RACC’s service area: Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties.

If awarded a Professional Development grant, the grantee must continue to be headquartered/ physically reside within the tri-county area for the duration of the grant. Otherwise, the grant will be forfeited. Legal address as shown on W-9 form/income tax return must be within RACC’s service area. (Applicants must be able to offer physical proof of residence upon request.)

A: Individuals enrolled as a student in a degree or certificate program in the arts at the time of application are not eligible to apply.

A: Artists who have a history of working together may submit a proposal to support expenses related to an opportunity presented to them as collaborators. Only one artist should submit the application, but the answers to the narrative questions should address the nature of the collaboration.

A: This grant is intended for the growth and development of an individual’s career. Arts organizations may be the recipient of grant funds on behalf of the professional development activities and expenses of a named team member. The application should be focused on the individual’s professional development opportunity. Organizations are not eligible to apply for programming activities or to pay for staff time.

A: If you received an Arts3C or Make|Learn|Build grant and haven’t submitted your final report yet, you are eligible to apply but your application will only be reviewed if you submit your Final Report by April 30, 2025. If you received a Portland Art Projects Grant (awarded in February 2025), you are eligible to apply but your application will not be prioritized.

A: Yes. Professional Development Grant awards will not exceed $2,000. Grant funding decisions and specific award amounts are based on panel scores and available funding. Due to the competitive nature of this grant program, it is possible that funded applicants may receive less than the requested amount. If an application is not fully funded, the applicant may adjust their proposal in consultation with RACC staff.

A: The applicant will define the start date and end date of their proposed opportunity. The end date should be after the grant award announcements are planned as noted in the guidelines and on the RACC website. The award announcement date is essentially the beginning of the grant award cycle. Funded activities in this grant program must take place between July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026.

A: Funds must be used by June 30, 2026.

If you receive a grant, you will receive the full amount after you submit your Grant Agreement and financial documentation. You need to claim the funds within one year of the award, or the grant will be forfeit.

A: Yes. Applications for this grant must target activities happening only between July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Funded activities must take place within this timeframe.

A: Applicants should be applying for an opportunity that specifically benefits the business management of the artist or administrator and/or brings the artist to another level artistically in a manner that is not related to the creation or presentation of a specific artwork.

Specific examples are listed in the guidelines.

A: Yes. If your grant request is for an opportunity or investment without a title, please title your request with the activity itself.

A: RACC Team members will pre-record a Grant Info Session and post to YouTube with a link from the Grant web page. Frequently Asked Questions will be addressed on the web page as well. Contact us at grants@racc.org with your specific questions about the application or the process, or to request Technical Support for the RACC Opportunity Portal, Translation Services and Language Support, Accessibility and ADA accommodation requests.

A: Technology has glitches. If you notice anything acting differently than expected, please first check to make sure you are using a compatible browser that is up to date (Chrome is preferred, Firefox and MS Edge work smoothly, Safari and Internet Explorer are not supported). Next, make sure that you are using the correct account and your Applicant Profile is up-to-date. Not every grant program is open to all applicants based on criteria you have entered in your profile, and many applicants have inadvertently created more than one account, as well. Finally, make sure you have submitted all Final Reports for past grants. If you haven’t found a user error, send us an email at grants@racc.org and we’ll try to sort out the issue for you and other users.

A: All grant applicants will be notified of funding decisions via email and directly within their account at the RACC Opportunity Portal by June 27, 2025. Please check your spam filters and online account before contacting RACC team members. Once award notifications are sent out via email, you may contact the RACC Grants Team to schedule a one-on-one feedback session. Priority will be given to first-time grant applicants.

A: YES! The IRS considers these grant funds to be taxable income: All non-exempt grantees will receive a 1099-NEC for the total amount paid to them by RACC in a calendar year. Consult your tax professional with questions about receiving a grant award and how to deduct business-related expenses in order to maximize awarded funds.