Government support for the arts facilitates access to programs that strengthen the fabric of America’s communities, help our economy to flourish, improve education outcomes, contribute to good health and preserve our cherished traditions.
- The Arts and America’s Bottom Line An evidence based review of the impact of the arts on American communities
- Better Together How public and private arts investments work together to support a healthy arts sector
- Strategic Arts Messaging Attune your case for support to the current policy climate
The Federal Government, States and the Arts
NASAA offers resources to help you articulate the impact and importance of federal arts funding.
- Return on Investment: National Endowment for the Arts A succinct set of talking points that highlight what National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funding achieves
- The NEA and the States What makes the federal-state arts partnership special? Learn about it here!
- The Arts as a Nonpartisan Issue Get the facts on federal support for the arts across the political spectrum
- Explore some signature initiatives of the NEA, including Creative Forces, Blue Star Museums, the Citizens Institute on Rural Design, and the Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account
Follow NASAA’s Federal Legislative Updates to stay informed of actions by Congress.
Custom State Maps and Fact Sheets
NASAA members can request customized maps showing the distribution of NEA and state arts agency grants by a variety of geographies, including U.S. congressional districts. Used alone or in combination with the Return on Investment one-pager, these reports eloquently illustrate the reach of federal and state grant dollars.
Custom reports of grant awards and locations for each state’s house and senate districts also are available upon request. They include maps of grant awards by district and can include an accompanying list of grantees and award sites and amounts.
For additional state level data, see the Creative Economy State Profiles, NASAA’s data on state arts agency revenues and our dashboard of grant-making highlights.

