50 U.S. Grants to Relocate, Pay Your Bills, or Start a Creative Project
Where to Find Subsidies, Grants, and Free Money in the United States
The following grants, awards, and subsidies are either incentives for relocating to specific areas in each state, subsidies for living in the state, or other grants that provide a financial benefit to its residents. Some are generic grants and subsidies available to anyone, but some are intended for artists, writers, or other creatives. This is not an exhaustive list, but it gives you a starting point to begin researching grants in your state if that’s what you’re interested in.
Please also keep in mind that for many of the states below, we use the term artist loosely. This scope often includes musicians, visual artists, photographers, writers, and other creatives. Please see each individual grant/fellowship/program for detailed information on the type of applicant they’re looking to award.
Alabama
Program: Remote Shoals Program
Amount: Up to $10,000 to move to the Shoals region
How to Apply: Applications opening up again on March 1, 2025 at https://remoteshoals.com/
Alaska
Program: Permanent Fund Dividend
Amount: $1,000+ for Alaska residents
How to Apply: Must live there for at least a year. Apply at https://mypfd.alaska.gov/
Arizona
Program: Modest Needs
Amount: Unspecified amount for emergencies or monthly expenses
How to Apply: Apply at https://www.modestneeds.org/for-applicants/apply-for-help.asp
Arkansas
Program: Make My Move
Amount: Up to $10,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/fort-smith-arkansas
California
Program: CCI Quick Grant
Amount: Up to $600 for California artists and creatives
How to Apply: More information at https://www.cciarts.org/quick_grant.htm
Colorado
Program: Arts in Society Grant
Amount: $5,000–$35,000
How to Apply: More information at https://oedit.colorado.gov/arts-in-society-grant
Connecticut
Program: UniteCT Moving Assistance Program
Amount: Up to $1,500
How to Apply: Online at https://portal.ct.gov/DOH/DOH/Programs/UniteCT-Moving-Assistance-Program
Delaware
Program: Artist Opportunity Grant
Amount: Up to $1,000
How to Apply: Online at https://arts.delaware.gov/grants-for-artists/
Florida
Program: Florida DoS Grant for Artists
Amount: Unspecified
How to Apply: Online at https://dosgrants.com/
Georgia
Program: Make My Move
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/columbus-georgia
Hawaii
Program: LIFT Grant (Early Support for Native Artists)
Amount: $15,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.nativeartsandcultures.org/programs/lift
Idaho
Program: Writer-in-Residence
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: Online at https://arts.idaho.gov/grants/writer-in-residence/
Illinois
Program: Make My Move
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/mattoon-illinois
Indiana
Program: Make My Move
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/noblesville-indiana
Iowa
Program: Make My Move
Amount: $2,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/pocahontas-county-iowa
Kansas
Program: Make My Move
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: Online at http://makemymove.com/get-paid/ellsworth-county-kansas
Kentucky
Program: Make My Move
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/red-river-gorge-kentucky
Louisiana
Program: Community Arts Grant
Amount: Unspecified
How to Apply: More information at https://www.artsneworleans.org/grantmaking/community-arts-grants/
Maine
Program: Artist Project Grant
Amount: $2,500
How to Apply: Online at https://mainearts.maine.gov/Pages/Funding/Artist-Project-Grant-Guidelines
Maryland
Program: Creativity Grants for Projects
Amount: $1,000 to $4,000
How to Apply: More information at https://msac.org/programs/creativity-grants/creativity-grants-projects
Massachusetts
Program: Individual Artist Grant
Amount: $1,000
How to Apply: More information at https://www.socoarts.org/individual-artist-grant
Michigan
Program: Helen Zell Writers’ Program
Amount: $25,000+
How to Apply: More information at https://lsa.umich.edu/writers/graduate-students/prospective-students/financial-aid.html
Minnesota
Program: Creative Individuals
Amount: $2,000 to $10,000
How to Apply: More information at https://www.arts.state.mn.us/grants/creative-individuals.htm
Mississippi
Program: Artist Fellowship
Amount: Up to $5,000
How to Apply: More information at https://arts.ms.gov/grants/grants-for-individuals/artist-fellowships/
Missouri
Program: Make My Move
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: Online at https://www.makemymove.com/get-paid/poplar-bluff-missouri
Montana
Program: Cultural and Aesthetic Projects
Amount: Unspecified
How to Apply: More information at https://art.mt.gov/ca
Nebraska
Program: Arts Project Grant
Amount: $2,000 to $7,500
How to Apply: More information at https://www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/arts-project-grant/
Nevada
Program: Artist Fellowship Award
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: More information at https://www.nvartscouncil.org/fy26-artist-fellowship-guidelines/
New Hampshire
Program: Artist-in-Residence Grant
Amount: Unspecified
How to Apply: More information at https://www.nharts.dncr.nh.gov/grants/find-grant/artist-residence-grants-air
New Jersey
Program: Folk & Traditional Art Grant
Amount: Up to $10,000
How to Apply: More information at https://nj.gov/state/njsca/assets/pdf/Grants2025/FY25-FTAP-guidelines-english.pdf
New Mexico
Program: Art Grant
Amount: Unspecified
How to Apply: More information at https://nmarts.org/grants/apply-for-a-grant/
New York
Program: Edward F. Albee Fellowship
Amount: No stipend; 6-week fellowship
How to Apply: More information at https://www.albeefoundation.org/guidelines--submitting.html
North Carolina
Program: Artist Support Grant
Amount: $500 to $3,000
How to Apply: More information at https://www.ncarts.org/grants-resources/grants/grants-artists/artist-support-grants
North Dakota
Program: Artist Growth and Development
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: More information at https://www.arts.nd.gov/individual-artists/artist-growth-and-development
Ohio
Program: Artists with Disabilities Access Program
Amount: $2,500
How to Apply: More information at https://oac.ohio.gov/grants/10-grant-opportunities/40-artists-with-disabilities-access-program
Oklahoma
Program: Grants for Artists
Amount: Up to $1,500
How to Apply: More information at https://www.ovac-ok.org/grantsforartists
Oregon
Program: Creative Heights
Amount: $10,000 to $100,000
How to Apply: More information at https://oregoncf.org/grants-and-scholarships/grants/creative-heights
Pennsylvania
Program: Creative Business Loan Fund
Amount: Unspecified
How to Apply: More information at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/coa/grants-and-loans/creative-business-loan-fund.html
Rhode Island
Program: Make Art Grant
Amount: Up to $5,000
How to Apply: More information at https://arts.ri.gov/grants/make-art-grant
South Carolina
Program: Arts Project Support Grant
Amount: $2,500
How to Apply: More information at https://www.southcarolinaarts.com/grant/aps/
South Dakota
Program: Artist Fellowship Grant
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: More information at https://artscouncil.sd.gov/grants/artistfellowship.aspx
Tennessee
Program: Individual Artist Fellowship Grant
Amount: $5,000
How to Apply: More information at https://tnartscommission.org/grants/individual/
Texas
Program: Nasher Artist Grant
Amount: $2,000
How to Apply: More information at https://www.nashersculpturecenter.org/programs-events/nasher-artist-grants
Utah
Program: Wake the Great Salt Lake Grant
Amount: $5,000 to $10,000
How to Apply: More information at https://saltlakearts.org/grants/wake-grants
Vermont
Program: Innovate Grant
Amount: $1,800
How to Apply: More information at https://www.vermontartscouncil.org/classified/winter-1800-00-innovate-grants-for-art-photo/
Virginia
Program: Jacques and Natasha Gelman Fellowship
Amount: $1,000 and up to one month of residency
How to Apply: More information at https://www.vcca.com/apply/fully-funded-fellowships/jacques-and-natasha-gelman-fellowship/
Washington
Program: Clayton Memorial Medical Fund
Amount: Unspecified
How to Apply: More information at https://osfci.org/clayton/
Washington, D.C.
Program: Artistic Research Fellowship
Amount: $4,000 to $5,000 per month
How to Apply: More information at https://www.folger.edu/research/the-folger-institute/fellowships/apply-for-a-fellowship/artistic-research-fellowships/
West Virginia
Program: Professional Development for Artists
Amount: Up to $5,000
How to Apply: More information at https://wvculture.org/agencies/arts/grants/
Wisconsin
Program: Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowship Program
Amount: Unrestricted
How to Apply: More information at https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/content/mary-l-nohl-fund-fellowship-program
Wyoming
Program: Jentel Residency
Amount: $300 stipend and residency
How to Apply: More info at https://www.jentelarts.org/apply