What is CAEF?
The Connecticut General Assembly established this fund to:
- Stimulate the development of private-sector funding
- Ensure the long-term stability of Connecticut’s arts industry by providing funding to organizations
CAEF grants provide general operating support that organizations use for programming, administrative or operational costs, capital projects, or equipment. They can also add the grant funds to their own endowment.
The fund is managed by the Office of the State Treasurer and the program is administered by the Connecticut Office of the Arts.
Calculating Grants
Each year we distribute interest earned on the fund's principal to selected arts organizations. This means that organizations apply for a grant, but not a specific amount. The award amounts are based on how much money you have already raised:
- Most recent fiscal year: For the portion of the total donor contributions that exceed the total donor contributions for the prior fiscal year, there shall be a match of 100%, capped at $1 million.
- Prior fiscal year: For the portion of donor contributions which is equal to $15,000 or more but does not exceed the total donor contributions for the prior fiscal year, there shall be a match of 25% of such amount, capped at $250,000.
If the total amount of grants to be paid exceeds the investment earnings of the Arts Endowment Fund, all grants are proportionally reduced.