The initiative aims to increase Oregon’s cultural visibility and vitality while also supporting unique opportunities for Oregonians to experience innovative arts and culture.

Creative Heights grants are for the creation and/or presentation of new and innovative performances, exhibitions, programs, and other works of art and culture. Up to $1 million in projects will be funded annually with grants from $10,000 to $100,000 per project.

Application Guidelines & Eligibility

Letters of inquiry (LOIs) will be accepted online starting January 5, 2021. The due date for LOIs is February 16, 2021. 

2021 RFP

Please review our 2021 Request for Proposals and Creative Heights FAQs for information on the scope of proposals sought, eligibility, application process and review criteria. An informational webinar outlining the program and application process for 2021 was offered on January 15th, please review the presentation or transcript for more details.

Letter of Inquiry Process

Interested applicants must submit a brief LOI via our online system. You may answer the LOI narrative questions in writing or in a 2-3 minute video (upload). LOIs should describe the proposed project idea, the lead artists/curators/collaborators involved, and how the project idea is distinct or different from previous work. Applicants must also indicate the preliminary grant request ($10,000-$100,000) and include a letter of support from the executive leadership at the lead nonprofit. After review by the OCF Arts Committee, strong proposals that fit with program guidelines will be invited to submit a full application.

Please note: We are not accepting work samples or project/organization budgets as part of the LOI. OCF reserves the right to request financial information from an organization before inviting a project to apply.

Full Application (By Invitation Only)

Full applications will be invited in early April. Invited applicants will submit a full application in May, including a detailed project budget, project plan, bio from lead collaborators, work samples and tentative timeline. Full applications will be reviewed by a panel of peer experts. Panel recommendations are subject to approval by the OCF board annually in early August. Funding will be disbursed by late August.

Past Grantees

For information on past grantees and documented findings on the initiative, please visit the Creative Heights Community Impact page.

Staff Assistance

Before contacting us, please review our Creative Heights FAQs, the informational webinar and Tips for Nonprofits Communicating with OCF.

• If you have questions about the online application portal or your attachments, please contact Chey Kuzma at (503) 227-6846 or ckuzma@oregoncf.org.
• For questions on your proposed project plans, eligibility or general questions on Creative Heights, please contact Jerry Tischleder at (503) 227-6846 or jtischleder@oregoncf.org.