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Is my project eligible?
How does Teiger Foundation define contemporary art?
We define contemporary art as visual art that was made from the 1960s onward.Does Teiger Foundation support only visual art projects?
Visual art is our focus. We do not support projects in the fields of music, film, design/decorative arts, craft, or architecture. Visual art must play a primary role in the presenting institution’s mission, the curator’s body of work, the featured artist(s)’ work, and/ or the character of the intended audience for the project. If you're unsure whether your project aligns with our focus, please review our past grantees or contact us for clarification before you apply.My organization does not focus on contemporary or visual art. Can we apply with an upcoming project that does?
Cultural and community organizations of all types working with visual art curators to pursue projects involving contemporary art may apply.Do you provide support for regranting programs, curatorial fellowships, residencies, or training programs?
Not as standalone programs. However, if these activities are part of your organization’s broader work, they may be included in a Three Years of Programming proposal as part of a three-year plan that also includes significant curator-led projects, such as exhibitions and public programming.Do you fund triennials, biennials, internationals, or other large-scale recurring exhibitions, including their research or presentation?
No. Stay tuned for future opportunities.Does Teiger Foundation support publications?
Currently, we do not support stand-alone publishing projects, but grants can include support for print or digital publications related to the proposed program(s) or project(s).Does Teiger Foundation support digital projects hosted online?
We are open to supporting exhibitions, new commissions, and public programs curated for digital platforms that are affiliated with nonprofit organizations.*
Who can apply?
I am an early-career curator. Am I eligible to apply?
Yes. Curators at all levels are welcome to apply. If your prior curatorial experience is minimal, please pay special attention to the curator’s voice section of the application, and use it to illustrate other activities and experiences that have helped inform your point of view and professional strengths as a curator.Do I need to be a professional curator or have formal curatorial training to apply?
No. Teiger Foundation does not require applicants to hold a particular job title or have formal education in curatorial studies or a related field. We recognize that curatorial knowledge and experience can be developed through many different professional and lived experiences. If you are serving as the curator for the proposed project or program—even if your primary role is in another field or your project draws on specialized expertise outside contemporary art—you are welcome to apply. Your application should clearly demonstrate your curatorial perspective, explain how your expertise informs the proposed work, and articulate how the project advances contemporary visual art. If you are guest curating through a host organization, your application should also describe how the organization will support your curatorial work.Can multiple curators or organizations collaborate on a single application?
Yes. We encourage curators to partner with colleagues at other cultural institutions, community organizations, institutions of higher learning, and other collaborators. Partnerships may include co-organized, co-commissioned, or co-originated projects, provided the application clearly describes each partner’s role and how the collaboration shapes the curatorial vision. One curator and/or organization should take the lead on the application. The lead applicant does not need to be the exhibiting or presenting venue; applicants should choose the organization most closely connected to the project or best equipped to receive and administer the grant funds.The application should describe how each curator and/or organization contributes expertise, resources, and networks. Collaborative applicants should include related expenses in the project budget, as well as the projected award distribution across organizations.
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Independent curators
I'm an independent curator. Can I apply? Which grant categories are available to me?
Yes, but Teiger Foundation funds organizations, not individuals, so independent curators must apply with a host institution that holds 501(c)(3) status. Independent curators may apply to the Single Project or Research categories. For many independent curators, the Research grant is typically the best fit.Independent curators may also apply to the Single Project category, but because each institution may submit only one application per Call for Proposals cycle, independent curators should begin conversations with potential host institutions early and confirm that the institution is committed to applying with the project.
What do I need from the host institution to apply?
As an independent curator, you will need a written commitment from the institution that will host your project. This commitment can be either a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a formal contract. In the application section that asks for proof of 501(c)(3) status, please submit one PDF that includes both the host institution’s 501(c)(3) proof and the written commitment. If you're awarded a grant, a formal contract will be requested before we disburse funds.How are the funds disbursed to independent curators?
Funds are disbursed to the host institution identified on your application, not to individual curators. If you are preparing the application as an independent curator, remember to include appropriate compensation for your work in the project budget. Consider referencing industry standards for curators who are permanently employed by art institutions. If your partnering organization lacks salaried staff whose roles are similar to yours, you can check the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for regional rate standards. The College Art Association Guidelines for Guest Curators also provide insights on best practices and contract terms.Can I apply with a fiscal sponsor instead of a host institution?
No. Independent curators must apply with a host institution, not a fiscal sponsor. A host institution is an active partner that receives the grant funds and provides support such as space, staff, expertise, and other resources to help realize the project. A fiscal sponsor provides 501(c)(3) status and financial oversight but does not serve as an active project partner.*
Budgets and financial eligibility
Is there a minimum organizational budget size?
Yes. An organization's total annual operating expenses must be $170,000 per year or above. This includes organizations with fiscal sponsors.Can I apply with a fiscal sponsorship?
Only organizations–not individuals–are eligible to apply with fiscal sponsorship. Your organization must have total annual operating expenses of at least $170,000.If your organization chooses to apply through a fiscal sponsor, you will need to submit a single PDF document that includes proof of your fiscal sponsor's 501(c)(3) status and your fiscal sponsorship agreement. You should provide the operating budget of your organization, not the overall budget of the fiscal sponsor. However, you will need to submit your fiscal sponsor's EIN when prompted.
Your fiscal sponsorship agreement should clearly outline the following:
+ The fees charged by the fiscal sponsor
+ Their duties related to financial accounting and oversight
+ Their responsibilities for grant reporting
+ Whether they have sponsored your organization in the past and if so, when
My visual art venue is part of a university. Whose budget do we use to apply?
You should use the budget for your visual arts venue. Do not submit the university's overall budget. However, you will enter the EIN for the financial entity receiving the funds.My visual art venue is part of a larger organization (multi-arts presenting organization, social service provider, etc.). Whose budget do we use to apply for the organizational budget?
You may apply using the budget of your visual arts program rather than that of the larger organization if the program has dedicated staff or leadership, a distinct curatorial and programmatic identity, and an operating budget that can be separately identified. Otherwise, please use the budget of the larger organization. If you are unsure which budget to use for the organizational budget, please contact us before applying.What qualifies as indirect costs?
Indirect costs are shared administrative and operating expenses that support your organization as a whole and cannot be directly assigned to a specific project. Examples include non-project administrative staff salaries and benefits; occupancy costs such as rent, utilities, property insurance, and routine maintenance; shared technology and communications systems; office supplies; and general legal, accounting, audit, or other professional services.Costs that are specifically related to the proposed project may be included as direct costs. For example, a proportionate share of a staff member’s salary and benefits may be counted as a direct cost when that person’s time is dedicated to the project.
Can we include in-kind donations in our revenue when creating our organization's annual budget?
Yes. Non-monetary contributions such as goods or services can be incorporated into your overall revenue figure if these donations are properly documented and valued according to standard accounting principles. A summary or note detailing how you arrived at these figures should also be included.Does Teiger Foundation require matching funds?
No. We do, however, set limits on the percentage of a project or organizational budget that our funding may support. Please refer to the grant category pages for specific limits related to each program.*
Applying and evaluation
Can I apply to more than one category in a single Call for Proposals cycle?
No. You must choose one category. We will only accept one application per institution per Call for Proposals cycle. This does not apply to the quarterly Hosting program, which operates separately. You may apply to both the Call for Proposals and Hosting grant in the same year.Who should be the contact person on the application form?
The application has separate fields for the names of the lead curator and the submitter. While the application is designed to be written from the perspective of the lead curator directing the proposed program or project, we recognize that curators collaborate with their colleagues in development departments to submit grant applications!I applied to the last Call for Proposals but did not receive funding. Can I apply again in the next cycle?
If you previously applied to the single project or hosting categories, you may not reapply with the same proposal. Applicants to the curatorial research and development or three years of programming categories may reapply with the same project in any category.Can I discuss my application with Teiger Foundation staff before the submission deadline?
We will not offer feedback on applications or drafts of applications. We will offer a virtual information session in webinar format with an opportunity to submit questions in advance. We will also offer online office hours before the application deadline, but please note that appointment slots will be limited.How are applications evaluated?
Applications are evaluated by a rotating jury of peers, including past grantees, curators, artists, and arts professionals, led by Teiger staff.Proposals are evaluated using six equally weighted criteria: innovation; alignment with the project's context; potential impact on the visual arts field; opportunities for the artist(s) to grow or expand their legacy; equity and inclusion; and engagement with audiences and communities as defined by the applicant.
Across all categories, successful applications clearly articulate the curator's role in shaping the project, program, or line of inquiry. Strong proposals communicate a distinct curatorial perspective, explain why specific artists, collaborators, formats, or sites were chosen, and situate the work within a broader artistic, curatorial, historical, social, and/or community context. Applications are evaluated on the basis of curatorial, and not just artistic, merit.
How competitive is Teiger’s Call for Proposals?
We receive between 400 and 500 applications and fund approximately 30 to 40 grants each cycle across our categories. While we anticipate a similar number of applications in future cycles, we do not require a certain number of awards to be granted in each category. The total number and distribution of grants across categories may change in future grant cycles.*
Awards, reporting, and reapplying as a grantee
How will funds be distributed?
For single project, research, and hosting grants, funds are typically disbursed within two months of notification. Three years of programming grants are disbursed in three equal annual installments over the grant period.What are Teiger Foundation’s reporting requirements?
Reporting requirements vary by grant category, but generally include a final budget and a short project, programming, or research report. Curators are also invited to submit an optional curator report reflecting on their experience and learning.Reporting timelines and detailed instructions are shared with grantees after awards are made.
I received a Teiger Foundation grant through the last Call for Proposals. Can I apply again?
Yes. Because the Call for Proposals now takes place every two years, all past grantees may apply in the next Call for Proposals cycle if otherwise eligible.We encourage institutions with multiple curators to consider whether there are opportunities to support a different curator on your team in a future cycle. However, if the proposal that best aligns with Teiger Foundation’s priorities is led by a past grantee, that curator remains eligible to apply.
My organization received funding for three years of programming. Can I apply?
Organizations with an active three years of programming grant may not apply to the Call for Proposals. They may, however, apply to the quarterly hosting program.I received a curatorial research and development grant. Can I later apply for a single project grant for the same project?
Yes.If I’m awarded a hosting grant, when can I next apply?
You can receive only one hosting grant per calendar year, determined by the year you’re notified of your award.For example, if you apply to the December 10, 2025, deadline and are awarded in March 2026, your award counts toward 2026. You may apply again to any round with a notification date in 2027 or later, for instance, the December 2026 deadline (notified with a potential award in March 2027).
If my organization receives a hosting grant, can we still apply to the 2027 Call for Proposals?
Yes. Receiving a hosting grant does not affect eligibility for the Call for Proposals, and vice versa.*
Scroll down to the bottom of the pages linked here for questions and answers specific to the single project, three years of programming, hosting, and curatorial research and development categories.
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