EDMONDS—Community Accelerator Grant program awarded a total of $320,000 to 35 Snohomish County art organizations. The program is a partnership between ArtsFund and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.
This is the second consecutive year the ArtsFund has partnered with the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to deliver $10 million total of unrestricted funding to arts and cultural nonprofits across Washington State through the Community Accelerator program.
The grant prioritizes communities with less access to mainstream funding. Its primary mission is to produce or support arts and cultural activities.
Since the Community Accelerator Grant program was founded in 2023, it has delivered a total of $20 million to more than 900 organizations across 38 counties in Washington. Grantees from the previous year reported that for every dollar they received they are able to triple the value in additional funds.
“We are proud to continue to provide support to arts and culture organizations throughout Washington,” said Michael Greer, president & CEO of ArtsFund. “The unrestricted funds granted through the program help organizations to better deliver on their missions which adds immense value to the communities they serve, making them healthier and more livable for everyone.”
The creative economy in Washington accounts for nearly $120 billion annually to the state’s GDP; however, state investment is among the bottom two-thirds in the nation at $0.87 per capita.
“In the last two years of this program, organizations have demonstrated how flexible funding can accelerate their stability and growth,” said Lara Littlefield, executive director for partnerships and programs, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. “Not only does the Community Accelerator Grant help reinforce needed infrastructure in the arts and culture sector across the state, but everyone benefits as a result, from the programs, performances, and dialogues generated through these experiences.”
Snohomish County recipients of the grant include:
- All Aboard: $17,500
- Bluegrass and Country Music Association: $2,500
- Ballyhoo Theater: $25,000
- Camp Jitterbug: $12,500
- Cascade Symphony Orchestra: $12,500
- Cascadia Art Museum: $2,500
- DeMiero Jazz Festival: $7,500
- Edmonds Center for the Arts: $7,500
- Edmonds Driftwood Players: $17,500
- Everett Music Initiative: $2,500
- Everett Philharmonic Orchestra: $12,500
- Hibulb Cultural Center: $17,500
- Imagine Children’s Museum: $7,500
- KSER Foundation: $12,500
- Mari’s Place for the Arts: $25,000
- Monroe Arts Council: $2,500
- Northwest Art Alliance: $7,500
- Washinton West African Center: $17,500
- Tulalip Tribes Education Divison: $17,500
- The Everett Chorale Association: $2,500
- The Dance School: $7,500
- Teen Storytellers Project: $2,500
- Steel Magic Northwest: $2,500
- Stanwood Camano Arts Advocacy Commission: $2,500
- Sno-King Community Chorale at Edmonds Community College: $2,500
- Sky Valley Arts Council: $2,500
- Seattle Wind Symphony: $2,500
- Schack Art Center: $12,500
- Rhapsody Winterguard: $17,500
- Red Curtain Foundation for the Arts: $7,500
- PugetBrass: $2,500
- Pongo Poetry Project: $12,500
- Phoenix Theater: $12,500
- PawsWithCause: $25,000
- Olympic Ballet Theater: $2,500
About ArtsFund
ArtsFund supports the arts through leadership, advocacy, and grantmaking in order to build a healthy, equitable, and creative Washington. ArtsFund was originally founded to bring corporate and civic leaders together to help establish and sustain our region’s arts and cultural institutions. Over its grantmaking history, ArtsFund has granted approximately $130M to over 1,000 organizations in 38 out of 39 Washington State counties. Through ArtsFund’s advocacy work, including its longstanding arts impact research reports, which provide essential research on the value of the arts; and its leadership programs, like Board Leadership Training, which grow skills and build capacity among arts and cultural organizations, ArtsFund supports the health and wellbeing of our communities. Learn more at www.artsfund.org.
About the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
Founded in 1988 by philanthropists Jody Allen and the late Paul G. Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, the foundation works to enhance the arts and culture experience, mobilize young people to drive change, and advance science and technology solutions that address wildlife conservation, ocean health and climate change. The foundation also funds cutting-edge research in all areas of bioscience through the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
