Applicant Portal

The South Dakota Arts Council (SDAC) helps make quality arts accessible throughout the state by providing grants to South Dakota nonprofit organizations and artists. These grants are funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and the State of South Dakota.

Grant Application Cycle

  • Funding Period: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
  • Application Deadline: March 1, 2025, at 11:59 pm Central
  • Draft Review Deadline: February 10, 2025, at 11:59 pm Central.
    SDAC review your application and provide feedback.
  • Apply Online: https://sdac.gosmart.org

"Ask the Arts Council" Chats

Description: Bi-weekly conversations hosted by SDAC staff to answer questions and provide tips on grant applications.

First Session: Jan 16, 2025 03:00 PM Central Time at 3 pm Central via ZOOM
Join Zoom Meeting [linked here]

NEXT Session: Jan 30, 2025 03:00 PM Central Time at 3 pm Central via ZOOM

[Click to register] or email Kathryn.Vandel@state.sd.us

Webinars

Description: Arts South Dakota hosted SDAC staff to discuss grants available to individual artists and organizations. Schedule and registration available from Arts South Dakota [linked here].

Webinar Recordings and Slides:

  • Application Changes: session will covers overall shifts in the application, focusing on the budget and work sections. [linked here]
  • Project Grant Info Session. [linked here]
  • Artist Grant Info Session. [linked here]

Applicant Resources

General Requirements

  • All Applicants: Submit this South Dakota Tax Form when you apply. Instructions and form [linked here]
  • All Applicants: Everyone must include samples of their past work. Applications without samples won’t be reviewed. Limit the number of samples to 20 items (like documents, links, or files). Suggestions and tips, PDF linked here.
  • All Organizations: Must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) from the System for Award Management (SAM) to apply. Keep an active SAM registration throughout the grant period. [https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei] (instructions linked here) (PDF Instructions).

Grant Guidelines

Application Process

Copies of Full Applications

Application Help

  • Tips for applicants: Webinar recordings and slides [linked here]
  • How to use GoSmart: Step-by-step instructions through videos online [linked here]
  • SDAC Strategic Plan: Review priorities, goals, and strategies [linked here]

Staff Support & Additional Resources

Contact SDAC Staff

Available: Monday to Friday, 8 am - 5 pm Central Time

Additional Resources

Annual Fiscal Notices

Fiscal Sponsor Notice

Eligibility: Fiscal Agents for regranting to organizations without 501(c)(3) status are not eligible.

Indirect Costs Notice

Details: Applicants can recover Indirect Costs with a federally negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. Identify these costs under "Overhead and Administrative Costs" and calculate them accurately. Applicants cannot use “Overhead and Administrative Costs” as part of their match. Applicants should calculate actual indirect costs associated with the proposal and not simply use a percentage of their project budget. Be sure that you are not “double dipping,” costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs, not charged as both. Grantees must be able to easily document the specific expenses that fit within this line item on their final report.