2021 Organizational Support Grants

In keeping with our mission, the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts (MKFA) supports arts organizations that exemplify critical thinking, risk taking, and provocation in the arts through our grants program.  The program furthers Mike Kelley’s philanthropic work and honors his legacy by awarding funds to arts organizations that embody the spirit of his practice.

Since 2016 this work has been carried out through our Artist Project Grants (APG) which have provided awards of up to $50,000 to arts organizations for innovative projects with artists. To date, MKFA’s APG program has awarded $1,814,000 to 45 Los Angeles based nonprofits and/or fiscally sponsored organizations for projects involving more than 350 artists.  This grant was created to benefit artists and arts organizations alike, and to support compelling, inventive and risk taking work in any medium.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on the LA Arts Sector, the Foundation is pausing our APG program to address more immediate needs of arts organizations in Los Angeles County as they confront financial challenges to maintain operations. By providing unrestricted funding, MKFA supports the innovation and resilience of these organizations, many of whom are APG awardees, as they continue to engage with artists and their communities during this period of uncertainty.

For the 2021 grant cycle, the Foundation will offer Organizational Support Grants (OSG) that will support Los Angeles based, small and mid-size arts organizations that have been fiscally impacted by the pandemic.  The OSG offer unrestricted grant funding to nonprofit arts organizations and fiscally sponsored arts organizations that demonstrate need and whose programming portfolio and mission align with MKFA’s core values of critical thinking, risk taking, and provocation in the arts.  These grants may cover costs including but not limited to rent, staff salaries, retaining employees, utilities, and artist fees.  

Awards of up to $30,000 will be granted to nonprofit arts organizations and fiscally sponsored organizations.  Award size will depend on need and operating budget.