Operating support for arts and cultural organizations in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties.
A partnership between The Kresge Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, and Hudson-Webber Foundation.
For over 10 years, the Detroit Arts Support (DAS) initiative has provided unrestricted operating funding to arts and cultural organizations in the metro Detroit region. The program aims to strengthen the sector broadly through consistent support for a diverse set of organizations that contribute to the quality of life in metropolitan Detroit, and provide opportunities for creative expression to people of all backgrounds.
View the funding decisions and reporting process.

Updates
The Detroit Arts Support partners are proud to announce the FULL list of DAS grantees.
Please note: Throughout the DAS cycle, organizations will be pushed notifications via email from the address grants@culturesource.org.
The Process
For the 2022 cycle of the Detroit Arts Support program, 86 applications for general operating funding were submitted.
After a summer of focus group dialogues about applications with arts patrons and advocates and explorations of applicant organizations’ financial health by TDC, the funding partners of Detroit Arts Support Art began making announcements.
In 2023, we will share data about the full scope of the program and insights gleaned from the collaborative application process.
Though a key characteristic of DAS is the shared applications process, individual partner foundations make funding decisions based on their foundation’s geographic and eligibility criteria. The Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation and Hudson Webber Foundation began sharing funding decisions in September, followed by the Kresge Foundation’s announcements in December.
Reporting
Report Submission Timeline
- First Interim Report Due – 6/30/2023
- Second Interim Report Due – 6/30/2024
- Final Report Due – 9/30/2025
- A brief organizational description: history, mission, vision, values, etc.
- An overview of last year’ s programming and operations. Use this as an opportunity to celebrate your success and share your challenges.
- Anticipated changes for the coming year. You may address programming, internal capacity, partnerships, etc.
- A story about something you learned in the previous year. What did you learn, how did you learn it, and how did it change your organization? [Note: we find qualitative insights gleaned through interacting with constituents or debriefing with colleagues to be equally as valuable as quantitative data.]
- Describe your organization’ s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. How does it manifest in the work of your organization?
- Describe significant leadership changes your organization has experienced, if any
Requested Attachments
- Your organization’s budget to actual figures for the most recently completed fiscal year, current fiscal year, and a projected budget for the next fiscal year.
- A brief narrative accompanying the attached financials describing major drivers of the organization’s budget, budget trends over the three fiscal years presented, and any significant challenges and your actions to meet these challenges.
- Your organization’s most recently completed fiscal year audit. If you cannot obtain an audit, submit a Form 990 or qualified financial review from your most recently completed fiscal year.
Contact
CultureSource is helping DAS partners administer this initiative. CultureSource is not making funding recommendations or making funding decisions.
For questions regarding the application, please email grants@culturesource.org.
For additional questions about funding geographies and priorities, please explore the funding partner’s details and contact information below.
Eligibility
Be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service or operate under a public college/university or government entity.
Not be classified as private foundations under Section 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Be headquartered and incorporated in the State of Michigan, located in and serving Wayne, Oakland or Macomb counties. Please note that some participating foundations may have narrower geographic restrictions (more detail below).
Have a mission primarily dedicated to arts, culture and creativity. Organizations that are a subsidiary or division of a larger 501(c)(3) organization must demonstrate an independent identity and governance structure. (Please see FAQ for additional attachments required for subsidiaries.)
Have a record of presenting programs for at least two years.
Employ the equivalent of at least one full-time person (please see the FAQ for how to calculate the full-time employment for your organization).
Have a current (no older than FY 2019) financial audit conducted by an independent certified public accountant. Organizations with annual budgets of less than $250,000 may provide a qualified review or IRS Form 990.
Have revenues of at least $100,000 from their most recently completed fiscal year.
Process
Step 2 | Foundation Eligibility Review
Applications are shared with program staff of the Detroit Arts Support funding partners (The Kresge Foundation, Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation, and Hudson-Webber Foundation), who will each individually review applications for eligibility aligned with their foundation’s specific funding criteria.
Step 3 | Focus Groups
- Louis Aguilar
- Racheal Allen
- Rachel Bendit
- Annmarie Borucki
- Sandy Burnley
- Cézanne Charles
- Mark Clague
- Shamyle Maya Dobbs
- Khalilah Burt Gaston
- Mia Khim
- Dustin McClellan
- Peter Robinson
- Buzz Thomas
Step 4: Financial Health Assessment
Step 5: Decisions and Notification
Each DAS funding partner works with their internal staff and board to finalize their funding decisions. Individual grant sizes will range from $5,000 to $100,000 per year. All grants will be made in three-year commitments. Foundations will collaboratively announce these decisions in the fall of 2022. Applicants will be notified by email and CultureSource will post funding plans on this website.
Note: Not all organizations will be selected for funding by each funding partner, and selection is not merit based.
Get Started Here
Applications Due By Thursday, July 28th at 5:00pm EST
Please watch the recording of the Detroit Arts Support Info Session below
Contact
CultureSource is helping DAS partners administer this initiative. CultureSource is not making funding recommendations or making funding decisions.
For questions regarding the application, please email grants@culturesource.org.
For additional questions about funding geographies and priorities, please explore the funding partner’s details and contact information below.