$375,000 will be distributed in cycle 2 to local non-profits focused on youth culture, sports and performing arts programs
Today, Events DC, the official convention and sports authority of Washington, DC, announced that cycle one of the Fiscal Year 2026 Community Grants Program is open for applications from local non-profits with youth sports, cultural and performing arts programming.
“The Events DC Community Grants program is guided by our commitment to elevate our community,” said Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates. “We have witnessed firsthand the positive impact our community grants have on youth across all eight wards. In Fiscal Year 2026, Events DC looks forward to partnering with local non-profit organizations to ensure even more youth have the opportunity to thrive.”
Each fiscal year, the Events DC Community Grants Program provides grants to local non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting District youth through programming in the areas of sports, performing arts and cultural arts.
After a rise in applications, in cycle two of fiscal year 2024, Events DC increased the funding amount to $750,000 per fiscal year, distributed in two cycles. In fiscal year 2025, Events DC received the most applications since the program began.
“The Theatre Lab is honored to be a longtime grantee of Events DC. Through this partnership, we have been able to elevate the voices of young people whose stories often go unheard, helping them create and perform original dramatic works based on their lived experiences,” said Deb Gottesman, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director at The Theatre Lab School, a previous Events DC community grantee. “Events DC understands that the arts are more than just a ‘nice to have.’ They are a ‘need to have’ for a healthy community.”
Virtual informational sessions for this cycle will be hosted every Tuesday in January 2026 at 12:00 and 6:00 p.m. The application submission deadline is February 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
This year, Events DC launched SmartSimple, a new grant management software that makes it more accessible for non-profits to complete the application.
For more information on eligibility, informational sessions and the upcoming grant cycle, please visit www.eventsdc.com/community/community-grants.
