PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:
The National Endowment for the Arts provides national recognition and support to significant projects of artistic excellence in the visual, literary, media, design, and performing arts, thus preserving and enhancing our Nation's diverse cultural heritage. This mission will be accomplished under the Access program goal in fiscal year (FY) 2003, designating Challenge America grants to provide the best of the arts in communities throughout the nation, including projects to benefit people in underserved areas or whose access to the arts is limited by factors such as age, disability, ethnicity, educational or economic level. (Access projects have been funded traditionally under the Grants to Organizations guidelines, a component of 45.024 Grants to Organizations and Individuals. The Access goal was included in those guidelines for FY 2003, published before the goal was reassigned to the Challenge America program.) FY 2001 and 2002 Challenge America funding cycles supported arts activities as positive alternatives for youth and community arts development in rural or underserved areas. (In FY 2003, these categories will be subsumed respectively by Arts Learning in 45.024 Grants to Organizations and Access in this program.) Future funding cycles may feature other priorities. The Endowment may initiate pilot grant categories under this program. (See also 45.025 Partnership Agreements for information about Challenge America funding to States and regional arts organizations.)

ELIGIBLE FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES:
1. CULTURAL AFFAIRS;
- Promotion of the Arts;

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM:
- Local;
- Public nonprofit institution/organization;
- Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments;

WHO CAN APPLY:
- Local (includes State-designated Indian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Public non-profit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals);
- Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments;