Programming & Capacity Building Project Grants

Programming & Capacity Building Project Grants (PCBPG) are available to arts and/or humanities organizations and groups located in Montgomery County, MD that may or may not be incorporated as non-profit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Grant awards support projects for organizations and groups that work in a wide array of arts and humanities disciplines including performing arts, media arts, visual arts, literary arts, folk and traditional arts, history, and philosophy. Grants for FY24 will be awarded for activities occurring between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.

Award amounts range from $1,000 up to $10,000. Requests for over $5,000 require the applicant to submit proof of 501(c)(3) status.

By awarding Programming & Capacity Building Project Grants, the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) seeks to:

  • Encourage organizations/groups to maintain an active, two-way, ongoing relationship with the community in the planning, participation, and evaluation of public activity/activities, which include intentional strategies for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA);
  • Promote stability and healthy growth for arts and humanities organizations/groups by supporting enhanced capacity needs;
  • Help ensure diverse arts and humanities experiences for constituents of Montgomery County, MD;
  • Stimulate local support and involvement in the arts and humanities, including volunteer participation, audience development, and financial contributions;
  • Strengthen the scholarly and artistic capabilities of arts and humanities organizations/groups; and
  • Improve and/or stabilize the management infrastructure and effectiveness of arts and humanities organizations/groups.
    Back to Grants Homepage

    Important Dates

    Application Deadline
    Friday, March 17, 2023 - 11:59 pm

    Questions?

    Ana-Alicia Feng
    Grants Assistant Manager
    (301) 565-3805 ext. 21
    Karen Judson
    Grants Manager
    (301) 565-3804
    Takenya LaViscount
    Grants Director
    (240) 839-4519
    Dates + Deadlines

    FY24 Important Dates

    • Guidelines Published – Friday, December 23, 2022
    • Application Deadline – Friday, March 17, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

    New applicants are highly encouraged to contact AHCMC grants staff. All applications and relevant materials must be submitted online through AHCMC’s grants portal, SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply).

    Late applications and relevant materials will not be accepted.

    Additional Dates Post-Application

    • Panel Review (virtual) – April 2023
    • Award Announcement – late June 2023
    • FY24 Final Report Due – July 31, 2024
      Webinars

      Webinars

      • Monday, February 6, 2023 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
      • Thursday, February 9, 2023 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
      • Click here to register!

        All AHCMC webinars will be hosted through the Zoom platform. Visit to our Workshops & Webinars page to see upcoming workshops and webinars for all open grant categories.

        Webinars allow grant-seekers to ask AHCMC grants staff specific questions about the grant guidelines, application, and online grants portal.

        At each webinar, AHCMC grants staff review eligibility requirements and offer technical assistance for both the application process and the online grants portal.

        AHCMC Project Budget Tutorial

        FY24 PCBPG Application Webinar

        Guidelines + Eligibility

        Guidelines


        Required Application Materials for Organizations:

        1. A Completed Narrative
        2. Organizational Support Materials
          • IRS Letter of Determinations;
          • List of Board of Directors;
          • Bios of Key Staff and Volunteers;
          • Current Strategic Plan, if available; and
          • Organizational Chart, if available.
        3. Financial Support Materials
          • FY22 990, 990EZ, or 990N, or letter of extension (990 must be received by AHCMC no later than June 1, 2023);
          • Profit & Loss Statement for the most recently completed fiscal year;
          • Current Fiscal Year’s Operating Budget with Actuals Year-to-Date; and
          • Current Balance Sheet or Balance Sheet for the most recently completed fiscal year.
        4. Programming Support Materials
        5. Work Sample(s)

        Required Application Materials for Groups:

        1. A Completed Narrative
        2. Group Support Materials
          • List of Group Members;
          • Bios of Key Staff and Volunteers;
          • Current Strategic plan, if available; and
          • Organizational Chart, if available.
        3. Financial Support Materials
          • Previous fiscal year’s end-of-year revenue and expenses (Profit & Loss Statement);
          • Current Fiscal Year’s Operating Budget with Actuals Year-to-Date; and
          • Current Balance Sheet or Balance Sheet for the most recently completed fiscal year.
        4. Programming Support Materials
        5. Work Sample(s)

        Eligibility Requirements

        An organization/group eligible to apply must have met all the following requirements by the published application deadline:

        • Has its primary mission or objective as the exhibition, presentation, production or performance of, and/or education in, an arts and/or humanities discipline, and/or provides support services to artists and/or scholars and/or arts and/or humanities organizations;
        • Has been in operation for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the application deadline;
        • Has had its primary location and/or a verifiable mailing address in Montgomery County, MD for at least 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the application deadline;
        • Operates as a non-profit:
          • The organization or group may or may not be incorporated and may or may not be formally recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a public charity or otherwise officially established as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) institution. However, the applicant must operate in the manner of a non-profit (the organization’s/group’s net earnings cannot be distributed to those who control it); and
        • Has met all outstanding requirements for any grant(s) received from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County in prior years.

        Project Eligibility Requirements

        Eligible project-types include any of the following:

        • The creation of new work
        • A public event or program
        • Capacity building

        Eligible activities must:

        • Take place between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
        • Take place in Montgomery County, MD.
          • Activities that include events or programs must be open to the public with or without an admission fee, in person or virtually. In-person activities must follow current COVID-19 guidelines as required by the Montgomery County Health Department.
        Application + Templates

        Ready to apply? Click here to access the SM Apply application portal.

        Applicants are highly encouraged to use the application templates to prepare the narrative and supplementary materials. Need to review or download your application? Access SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply) here: https://artsandhumanities.smapply.io/

        FY24 PCBPG Templates:

        *Know that these are templates for your reference only – all applications and relevant materials must be submitted online through SM Apply.*

        Previous Grants Awarded

        FY23 Programming & Capacity Building Project Grants (PCBPG)

        $343,908 awarded for July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023

        Programming & Capacity Building Project Grants provide support to non-profit arts and/or humanities organizations or groups that may or may not have 501(c)(3) status. Grants support high-quality programs open to the public and capacity-building projects. Forty-five organizations received FY23 awards within this category.

        Click here to review grants awarded for Programming & Capacity Building Project Grants from previous fiscal years, and all grants awarded from our other grants categories.

        Amazing Theatre Company Inc., dba AmaZing Theatre Company

        Gaithersburg, Maryland ($9,500)

        The Harriet Tubman History Project will be a four-part virtual film accompanied by a study guide. The project is a new work influenced by two successful in-person plays, written and directed by Amazing Theatre’s Artistic Director, Percy W. Thomas; Harriet Tubman: Defender and Harriet Tubman: Fight for Freedom.

        Anatolian Artisans, Inc.

        North Bethesda, Maryland ($4,275)

        Anatolian Artisans will present Turkish ceramicist Elif Uras, who will give a lecture at Sandy Spring Museum. Her talk will explore the historic references in her work, including prehistoric goddess figurines, Islamic ceramic traditions, and Western modernism. She will discuss how her work examines east and west, tradition and modernity, and reflects shifting notions of gender and class.

        Association of Russian Speaking Theaters of America, dba Association of Russian Speaking Theaters

        Potomac, Maryland ($7,920)

        The Association of Russian-Speaking Theatre’s international online festival of literary creativity, CONSTELLATION, will feature contestants participating in competitive recitation of poems or prose.

        Best Medicine Rep, Inc.

        Gaithersburg, Maryland ($4,750)

        Best Medicine Rep will create and produce an original holiday musical in the style of British Pantomime. Panto is a type of performance wherein a traditional fairy tale is presented in an exaggerated manner, employing comedy, music, people dressed as animals, and two actors in drag. Audience involvement is actively encouraged, creating a communal experience.

        Bethesda Blues & Jazz Foundation, Inc

        Bethesda, Maryland ($9,000)

        The Bethesda Blues & Jazz Youth Orchestra will perform two concerts at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club in Bethesda, Maryland. Each concert will feature a nationally recognized jazz artist.

        Bethesda Little Theatre Incorporated, dba Bethesda Little Theatre

        Olney, Maryland ($9,000)

        Stephen Sondheim formed a close friendship with playwright Oscar Hammerstein II, who influenced him profoundly and developed his love of musical theater. Sondheim is also noted for mentoring Jonathan Larson and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Bethesda Little Theatre’s project will explore the evolution of musical theatre through these great composers.

        Boulanger Initiative

        Takoma Park, Maryland ($9,200)

        Women Composers Festival (WoCo Fest) is at the core of Boulanger Initiative’s (BI) performance year. Building on the success of BI’s past three festivals, their 2023 festival will feature performances, panel discussions featuring composers and musicians. The project culminates with a one-day conference for industry leaders to discuss gender equity issues that pervade the music industry.

        C&O Canal Trust, Inc.

        Potomac, Maryland ($9,200)

        The program Canal For All allows the C&O Canal Trust to work in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) to provide opportunities for education, stewardship, and volunteerism that are safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all. The project involves partnerships with community organizations to diminish barriers to participation, creating opportunities to play, learn, serve, and work in the C&O Canal National Historical Park (NHP).

        DC Beauty of Beijing Opera, Ltd.

        North Potomac, Maryland ($9,408)

        DC Beauty of Beijing Opera will perform a fully-costumed Beijing Opera and offer associated workshops to broaden the cultural horizon of local residents.

        DC South Asian Arts Council, Inc.

        Gaithersburg, Maryland ($9,500)

        The 11th annual Washington DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF) will showcase independent cinema by South Asians located in the U.S., South Asia, and other geographic locations. DCSAFF will screen feature, documentary, and short films with South Asian content created by South Asian artists. The festival will also include post-screening and panel discussions with filmmakers, film production workshops, and other cultural programs.

        Ebong TheatriX

        Bethesda, Maryland ($8,800)

        In remembrance of lives lost to COVID, Ebong Theatrix will host a two-day, in-person theatre and folk festival in May 2023. The festival will include performances by award-winning and internationally reputed theatre personalities and residents of Montgomery County.

        F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference, Inc., dba F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival Inc.

        Rockville, Maryland ($9,800)

        The F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Conference celebrates Fitzgerald’s work by honoring an American writer at a literary festival. The annual festival includes speakers, workshops, films, and panels. The honoree provides the public with a master class in writing. Nominated Fitzgerald student scholars from Montgomery County Public Schools are also invited to a session with the honoree.

        FocusMusic

        Rockville, Maryland ($4,750)

        FocusMusic will present eight shows in Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Sandy Spring, live or virtual, depending on current health conditions associated with the pandemic. Live shows will be streamed for accessibility. Funds will also be used to update FocusMusic’s Strategic Plan.

        Four Seasons Dancers, Inc.

        Rockville, Maryland ($9,500)

        Four Seasons Dancer’s Dances of the World is a globally inspired annual performance featuring original choreography inspired by a diversity of traditional cultures. The program presents a sample of dances from around the globe and features vivid couture costumes that enhance the visual experience.

        Institute of Musical Traditions, Inc.

        Silver Spring, Maryland ($3,951)

        Institute of Musical Traditions (IMT) will purchase recording equipment that will allow them to present concerts in multiple venues, expanding their outreach and increasing their audience.

        interPLAY Orchestra

        Bethesda, Maryland ($9,500)

        interPLAY hosts an artistic platform where people with disabilities are celebrated for their abilities. Funding will cover production costs as well as the costs associated with weekly hybrid rehearsals held throughout the year in preparation for two hybrid concert performances and/or video productions.

        Kolot HaLev, Inc.

        Kensington, Maryland ($9,500)

        Buena Semana – Jewish Music Across the Americas is a concert featuring choral selections from North and South America. In collaboration with a Jewish choir from Mexico City, the program takes the audience across the Americas through song. The concert will feature composers working today as well as traditional melodies.

        Live Garra Theatre

        Silver Spring, Maryland ($9,200)

        Funds will be used for the creation and production of a new musical work, The Window King.

        Mayur Dance Company

        Potomac, Maryland ($9,500)

        This project will culminate in a stage production celebrating the 30th anniversary of Mayur Dance’s founding. The production will explore the themes of change and transition, incorporating traditional dance and contemporary contemplation on change (e.g., climate change).

        Montgomery Philharmonic, Inc.

        Rockville, Maryland ($8,820)

        Montgomery Philharmonic will present five concerts that include music composed by women, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Events benefiting youth, adults, and seniors will also occur.

        Montgomery Symphony Orchestra, Inc.

        Takoma Park, Maryland ($5,577)

        Grant funds will be used to present a youth concerto competition and a free community concert in downtown Silver Spring. Three middle school and/or high school soloists will be selected to perform a movement of a concerto or a single-movement work accompanied by the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra (MSO). The MSO will also perform an additional orchestral work.

        NIH Community Orchestra

        Rockville, Maryland ($4,655)

        The NIH Community Orchestra (NIHCO), an all-volunteer ensemble in its 25th season, will issue a Call-for-Scores for five to ten-minute orchestral compositions with the theme, Reflection and Rejuvenation. The selected composer will receive an honorarium and a professional recording when NIHCO performs the piece in Montgomery County in spring 2023.

        NIH Philharmonia

        Bethesda, Maryland ($4,750)

        NIH Philharmonia will present nine free concerts that present symphonic music to Montgomery County residents. Each concert will include music that is introduced to the audience with historical context to enrich the experience.

        Orfeia Vocal Ensemble

        Silver Spring, Maryland ($4,275)

        Orfeia Vocal Ensemble will lead up to four online and in-person intergenerational Balkan singing workshops. The workshops will be free of charge and will highlight musical themes that resonate with what many are feeling in the era of COVID-19; the need to reconnect with others through music, to feel communal belonging with a deeper awareness of our shared humanity.

        Printmaking Legacy Project®, Inc.

        Rockville, Maryland ($9,500)

        The Printmaking Legacy Project will create a documentary about Percy Martin’s career and his collaborative friendship with Michael B. Platt, including accounts of their history and involvement with the development of the print department’s studios. Denied access to the city’s galleries, museums, and universities, these artists experienced the D.C. art scene pre-/post-segregation. As mentors and teachers, they established major print studios, exhibition venues and after-school arts programs for the African American community.

        Rockville Brass Band, Inc.

        Silver Spring, Maryland ($7,600)

        Rockville Brass Band will offer a two-part series in Montgomery County, with the goal of expanding their audience and engaging the next generation of brass band musicians. The first program will consist of a joint concert with a youth music organization based in Montgomery County in fall 2022. The second program will consist of a clinic and concert in the spring with Montgomery County student musicians.

        Rockville Little Theatre

        Rockville, Maryland ($3,150)

        Grant funds will be used to produce Stick Fly, a drama that shows the joys and struggles of family and the power of connection. The characters’ relaxing weekend takes a turn as family members clash during conversations about privilege, class and secrets unravel.

        Sherwood Community Chamber Choir Incorporated

        Damascus, Maryland ($4,750)

        The Sherwood Community Chamber Choir (SCCC) is forming the Sherwood Community Youth Choir for 30-40 Olney-area middle school students. SCCC will give two concerts; the final will be with the Children’s Choir.

        Six Degree Singers

        Silver Spring, Maryland ($9,500)

        Six Degree Singers will offer live choral events in conjunction with virtual rehearsals. The goal is to maximize the potential for in-person services that can be shifted to virtual services at a moment’s notice.

        Symphony of the Potomac

        Glen Echo, Maryland ($9,500)

        Symphony of the Potomac will perform four orchestral concerts of classical music at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center (MCCAC).

        Tagore Music Group of Greater Washington, DC, Inc.

        North Potomac, Maryland ($8,211)

        Tagore Music Group’s drama tells the story of an intelligent young woman and how she overcomes adversity with her strength of character, power of observation, and the sheer force of her will.

        Takoma Park Folk Festival, Inc.

        Takoma Park, Maryland ($9,500)

        The Takoma Park Folk Festival is an annual community event held in Montgomery County. The event hosts local musicians from a variety of genres, local craft activities and vendors, and games to bring the local community together.

        The Civic Circle

        Silver Spring, Maryland ($4,750)

        The Civic Circle will create an interactive, online version of its arts-based curriculum for 3rd – 5th grade students. Student’s understanding of democracy will be enhanced through music, poetry, and storytelling. The grantee will build a multimedia web platform for eight lesson plans that currently take the form of unadorned text PDFs. The final product will seamlessly integrate teacher instructions, activities, handouts, slide decks, and educational song videos.

        The Kentlands Community Foundation, Inc., dba Kentlands Community Foundation

        Gaithersburg, Maryland ($9,500)

        Funds will be used to produce a concert for Musica Viva Kentlands, to grow the online and physical presence of the Gaithersburg Artist Collective, diversify the cast and enhance the theater experience offered by the Kentlands Community Players.

        The Montgomery Playhouse, Inc.

        Gaithersburg, Maryland ($9,500)

        Montgomery Playhouse’s The Laramie Project, a play about violence instigated by homophobia, explores the depths to which humanity can sink and the heights of compassion of which it is capable.

        The National String Symphonia

        Germantown, Maryland ($9,500)

        The National String Symphonia (NSS) will present a concert series, featuring cornerstone pieces and new programming. The concerts are also part of an initiative to create a string music library that can be accessed by musical organizations worldwide.

        Trinity Chamber Orchestra

        Germantown, Maryland ($9,000)

        The Trinity Chamber Orchestra (TCO) will sponsor new musical compositions and participate in conducting competitions for musicians. To bolster its organizational capacity, TCO will add a staff assistant, create a strategic plan, provide professional development for staff, and upgrade its technology to provide online programming to improve recording and distribution.

        Unexpected Stage Company

        Gaithersburg, Maryland ($5,880)

        Unexpected Stage will present Fade, by Tanya Saracho, in person and streamed virtually. This comedic drama explores class and race within the Latinx community.

        Urban Artistry, Inc.

        Silver Spring, Maryland ($9,800)

        The annual International Soul Society Festival (ISSF) celebrates the full spectrum of Urban Arts and its many influences. Occurring in Wheaton, this year’s theme is The Collective Individual. Urban Artistry will highlight urban dance forms as traditional American culture and pay homage to those that have come before.

        Walking Shadow Readers Theatre

        Gaithersburg, Maryland ($7,200)

        Walking Shadow Readers Theatre will produce eight readings of new plays by both emerging and established playwrights, allowing playwrights to experience the greatest approximation of their work without the use of sets, props, or costumes. The readings of the plays will be streamed for a public audience and followed by a feedback session with Walking Shadow company members.

        Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra

        Rockville, Maryland ($1,136)

        Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) will celebrate video game music with a concert in the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring. WMGSO is dedicated to showcasing the emerging art form of video game music and highlighting the virtuosity of its composers. Concert programming includes music from video games old and new, popular and obscure. WMGSO will also stream the concerts online.

        Wheaton Wonders, Inc., dba Wheaton Arts Parade

        Wheaton, Maryland ($9,200)

        The Wheaton Arts Parade (WAP) Gallery brings artwork to the community. Emerging and established local artists exhibiting at the gallery represent diverse cultural backgrounds, including Latinx, African American, and Asian. WAP’s project is designed to help stabilize management and infrastructure.

        Wildwood Summer Theatre

        Bethesda, Maryland ($9,500)

        Area youth aged fourteen to twenty-five will present a production of The Lightning Thief, Wildwood’s summer 2022 musical.

        Word Dance Theater Inc., dba Word Dance Theater

        Bethesda, Maryland ($9,000)

        The Sophia Project is a series of events exploring areas of wellness that intersect with Word Dance Theater (WDT)’s philosophy of dance. Each event will involve a presenter in a “non-dance” field, such as psychology, collaborating with a presenter from WDT.

        Zemer Chai

        Kensington, Maryland ($4,400)

        Zemer Chai will produce a public virtual recording of a song for healing, chosen to memorialize the lives lost to COVID-19, promoting emotional healing.

        FY23 Grantees

        The FY23 PCBG cycle runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023.

        Important Dates Post-Application

        • Final Report – July 31, 2023

        For current FY23 grantees, all final reports must be completed online through AHCMC’s grants portal, SurveyMonkey Apply (SM Apply). Access SM Apply here: https://artsandhumanities.smapply.io/

        Need to make changes to your project? Fill out a grant change request form, available on our resources page: https://www.creativemoco.com/find-opportunities/resources/