Free Fall Grant - Small Arts Organizations

The Free Fall Baltimore grant program provides funding to individual artists and small arts organizations to produce arts & cultural events throughout Baltimore City during the month of October that are free and open to the public.

Free Fall showcases the importance of accessible arts programming with a month of free concerts, dance and theater performances, festivals, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, artist talks, special events, and more. 

Small arts organizations can apply for this grant if:

• They are based in the Baltimore area
• They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
• Their annual operating budget is less than $500,000
• Their event is free without contingencies
• The event is open to the public, and
• The event/program is located in a venue or public space in Baltimore City.

Individual artists are also eligible to apply for grant funds to produce a Free Fall event. Individual artists can apply for a Free Fall grant here: https://www.eventeny.com/events/vendor/?id=49977

Baltimore area nonprofit arts & cultural organizations with operating budgets over $500,000 are not eligible to apply for grant funds; however, Create Baltimore provides an opportunity for these entities to participate in Free Fall by promoting their events and incorporating them into the Free Fall calendar.

Small Arts Organizations - Eligibility Requirements

Small arts organizations can apply for this grant if their event is free, open to the public, and located in a venue or public space in Baltimore City.

The organization must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an annual operating budget less than $500,000.

Events can be one day or multiple days and take place indoors or outdoors. For an organization to be eligible for a Free Fall grant, their event/program must: 

• Occur in a public space or venue within Baltimore City limits
• Occur between October 1–31, 2026
• Be free of charge and open to the public without contingencies (requiring participants to register is permitted)
• Be accessible to participants who may have physical limitations, such as those who use wheelchairs, walkers, and canes.
• Must be family-friendly — No events with nudity, extreme profanity, or violence.

Priority will be given to events that provide outreach, access, and experiences to youth, families, seniors, and/or underserved audiences.

Grant Award

Grants will be awarded in the amount of $1,500 to all selected grantees.

A clear, detailed budget for your event/program is required at the time of application. Applicants may not be awarded if their budget is not scored highly by the panelists. Create Baltimore can provide a blank budget template for any applicant who needs one.

Your event can cost more than the grant amount ($1,500), however, if your event budget exceeds the grant amount, you must indicate or explain how you will secure the remaining funds in order to successfully produce the event.

Eligible Expenses

• Artist stipends
• Materials/supplies
• Space rental* 
• Permits
• Food

Free Fall grants may NOT be used for:

• Alcohol
• Regranting
• Capital construction costs
• General operating support
• Fellowships and/or scholarships
• Events/programs that exceed $1,500 with no additional funding sources identified.

*Funds cannot be used for a space that is owned or managed by the organization.

If you have a question about eligible expenses, contact:

Grants, Competitions, & Exhibitions Manager

Troy Jennings, tjennings@promotionandarts.org 

Application Timeline

All applications must be submitted via Eventeny. Materials submitted outside Eventeny will not be considered. There is no fee to apply.

• Applications open — Tuesday, June 23
• Free Fall info session — Tuesday, July 7, 6:00 p.m. (this session will be recorded)
• Applications close — Thursday, July 23, at 5:00 p.m.
• Grantees notified — Wednesday, August 19
• Contracts and final event details due — Wednesday, August 26
• Marketing materials pickup (hours TBD):
  • Tuesday, September 8, at The Cloisters
  • Thursday, September 10, at Bromo Arts Tower
  • Sunday, September 13, at The Baltimore Farmers' Market

Grantees should receive 100% of funding within 30 days (net) of their Grant Agreement being fully executed and the receipt of any additional required documents. “Fully executed” is defined as signed by both Grantee and a representative of Create Baltimore.

Additional Support

Artists who need additional guidance on their application can attend the Free Fall info session, watch the info session recording, and/or make an appointment during office hours for assistance prior to the application deadline.

INFO SESSION

Wednesday, July 7, at 6:00 p.m., via Microsoft Teams
Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/27ce1c9d-a3e8-47a0-8c15-a74c2bd6a11a@3ed6fe82-e5a2-481c-8a4c-51ef090cf925

This info session will be recorded.

OFFICE HOURS

By appointment only. Sign up here: https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/28819df37c5844f895074ae7ab4cbba6@promotionandarts.org?anonymous&ismsaljsauthenabled&ep=plink

POINT OF CONTACT

For questions about the Free Fall application process, contact Create Baltimore's Grants, Competitions, & Exhibitions Manager, Troy Jennings, at tjennings@promotionandarts.org. 

This info session will be recorded.

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Adjudication Process

Panel Review — All Create Baltimore grant programs are adjudicated using independent panels of arts and cultural professionals from the region who evaluate and score applications. Panelists are appointed through open nominations and serve for specific grant programs and cycles.

Rubric — A panel review team will consider the following factors when scoring applications:

• Artistic and/or cultural and programmatic merit
• Accessibility to underserved communities and a wide range of diverse audiences
• Programmatic quality
• Clear, detailed, and complete budget

Staff — Create Baltimore grant programs are administered by professional staff responsible for ensuring an objective, equitable, and transparent granting process that meets Create Baltimore’s mission and core values. Create Baltimore staff members provide pertinent and uniform information to the public regarding the grant application process and ensure that program guidelines and requirements are applied consistently.

Program Timeline

Free Fall Baltimore Events: October 1–31, 2026
Final Reports Due: Thursday, December 31, 2026

Failure to submit a final report will deem you ineligible to apply for any Create Baltimore grant within FY27-FY28, and Create Baltimore may request that the grant be repaid.