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NEA Design and Our Town.

Design and Our Town supports arts, culture, and design projects integrated into local community-development goals.

Offered byNational Endowment for the Artsverified 2026-07-10

Overview

What it does.

Our Town is now handled as a discipline within Grants for Arts Projects. A strong Chester proposal would pair an eligible arts or nonprofit lead with the city or another public partner around a defined downtown, riverfront, neighborhood, or civic goal.

Best for: A nonprofit and local-government creative placemaking partnership.

Eligibility

Who and what may qualify.

Eligible applicants

  • Eligible organizations applying in the Design and Our Town discipline
  • Projects are strongly encouraged to include meaningful nonprofit and local-government or quasi-government partnership

Applicants excluded by the source

  • Individuals and for-profit businesses applying directly

Eligible uses

  • Arts, culture, and design activities integrated into community development
  • Eligible creative placemaking and design projects

Uses excluded by the source

  • General construction unrelated to eligible arts or design activity

Application

How to start.

  1. Build a meaningful nonprofit and public partnership.
  2. Define the arts or design activity and measurable community outcome.
  3. Apply through the Design and Our Town discipline in Grants for Arts Projects.

Timing: The July 9, 2026 Grants.gov deadline has passed.

Planning notes

Limits to account for.

  • Arts, culture, or design must be integral to the community-development strategy.

Can coordinate with local capital and planning funds when each source pays distinct eligible costs.

Evidence

Official sources.