New England Presenter Travel Fund — Rolling Grant
The New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) supports travel by curatorial or programming staff of eligible New England arts presenters to see artistic work that may later be presented in the region. This is competitive financial assistance to eligible presenting organizations, not a vendor contract or artist performance fee. The funding program currently accepts applications on a rolling basis.
Individual Applicant Funding
Eligible applicants may request $500 to $1,000 toward qualifying travel costs. NEFA may reimburse up to 100% of eligible transportation, mileage, economy airfare, lodging, meals, registration, performance admission and similar costs, capped at $1,000 for a presenting organization. The official program does not publish an overall funding pool or require a standard cash match. One award per organization is permitted in each NEFA fiscal year, June 1 through May 31.
Who Can Apply
Eligible organizations must be located in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont and be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, schools, federally recognized tribal governments, or units of state or local government. Arts-only status is not required, but the organization must actually present and compensate independent artists or ensembles. A SAM.gov Unique Entity ID and evidence of ADA and Section 504 compliance are required. Fiscal agents and organizations solely producing their own performers are ineligible.
Rolling Deadline and Required Preparation
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The official instructions state applications are due no later than 30 days before the planned departure; another section states at least three weeks, so applicants should follow the stricter 30-day requirement. Priority is given to applications submitted a month or more before departure. There is no single fixed calendar deadline. NEFA normally makes funding decisions within three weeks after receipt.
Allowable and Excluded Activities
Eligible travel involves attending showcases, festivals, conferences or other settings where presenting staff can view performances or work they may bring to New England. Conferences without opportunities to see artistic work, personal performance travel by artists, multiple staff for the same organizational trip, and more than one organizational grant in the same fiscal year are excluded. Federal travel rules apply, including Fly America Act carrier restrictions, approved economy travel, and federal per diem limits. Any required final report and receipts are due within 40 days after return; reimbursement is subject to required documentation.
Application and Official Source
Review the official NEFA Presenter Travel Fund guidelines, confirm your planned trip’s eligibility with the funder, prepare a travel budget and artist-research itinerary, verify the organization’s federal registration and accessibility documentation, and use NEFA’s official online grant application. Official source reviewed November 6, 2026; applicants should recheck current funder terms before submission.