GRANTMAKING

WHAT WE FUND

AE&E Fund prioritizes giving in the arts and education sectors in the Greater Pittsburgh region. Grant applicants must be classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or have valid a fiscal sponsorship agreement.

We prioritize grants for the following types of initiatives:

Exhibitions/Performances – We provide financial support for professional arts organizations/schools/artists to present a body of work in a museum, school, community space, or theater. We prioritize partnerships with professional visual and performing arts organizations.
Fellowships/Residencies – We support professional arts organizations that host fellowship and residency programs. The fellowship or residency should immerse artists or young professionals in a career path or artistic practice. These opportunities must offer an intensive series of mentoring and studio sessions with professional artists or curators.
Scholarship/Education – Our scholarship and education-related grants provide equitable advancement for underrepresented populations. The primary focus is for independent schools to develop scholarship opportunities for students in grades K-12.

AE&E Fund evaluates our grantmaking focus consistently. Therefore, previous grants may vary from current funding priorities.

We find that building a broad base of donors is one of many strategies to include in a development plan so we may offer matching grants to help energize your outreach and encourage others to support your organization.

We encourage your organization to apply for AE&E Fund funding as a springboard to seek matching donations, seed unique initiatives or help achieve an organizational milestone. Our preference is to work together for a 2 to 3 year period, after which a pause will take place.

AE&E Fund grants typically range between $10,000 – $25,000. On occasion, larger grants are established for programs requiring long-term funding. We welcome ideas that span two or more organizations or demonstrate partnership potential.

We do not fund: afterschool programs, workforce development, medical research, mental health, healthcare, government grants, grants to individuals, scholarships to individuals, start-up organizations, political or lobbying grants, community gardens, humanitarian grants, literary arts.

WHAT WE ASK OF OUR PARTNERS

Clear Goals and Success Metrics
Express ideas and desired outcomes with clarity

Good Stewardship
Direct funds to the agreed upon programming

Relationship Building and Consistent Communications
Help us keep our grantee network vibrant and informative by regularly sharing information about your organization’s activities, challenges, and events.

2025 FALL CYCLE

With all the uncertainty surrounding funding in the arts and education ecosystems, AE&E Fund is focusing our Fall Cycle exclusively on critical support for professional arts organizations and independent schools in the Pittsburgh region. We want to support initiatives that are already underway or struggling to get off the ground because of lost funding or sudden budget changes. Now more than ever, we believe it’s important to work together and stay rooted in our shared values.

Grant requests for critical support should not exceed $20,000 and must be for Exhibitions/Performances, Fellowships/Residencies, or Scholarship/Education. Current AE&E Fund partners with an active grant are not eligible to apply at this time.

All AE&E Fund grant applicants must complete an online application through our grant portal.

The Fall 2025 Grant Cycle opens on September 1, 2025, and closes at midnight on September 26, 2025. After the application is submitted, our team may reach out for additional information or clarifications.

*Fall 2025 Application Question List

All applicants will be informed of their status by October 15, 2025.
Organizations selected for funding will receive funds by October 31, 2025.

*Please note: dates may be subject to change.

GRANT PORTAL

As of August 6, 2025, our grant portal interface has been updated. Please visit GLM Applicant Tutorial to learn more about the changes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do you have a minimum grant amount?

Our grants range from $5,000 to $25,000 with select multi-year commitments.

Can I submit more than one application a year?

We limit grant awards to one per year per organization. If an initial grant proposal does not receive funding, organizations may submit a second request within the same calendar year.

If I was funded last year, can I apply for funding for the same project this year?

We welcome you to apply once annually. AE&E Fund is unlikely to fund commitments at the same organization for more than 3 consecutive years without a 1-2 year break.

How can I apply with a Fiscal Sponsor?

Please refer to our Fiscal Sponsorship Guide.