Local Arts Program (LAP) Grant

The Local Arts Program (LAP) Grant enables the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (NJSCA) to support local arts development within each of New Jersey’s 21 counties through a competitive grant application process by awarding funds to officially designated county arts agencies (CAAs).  The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission (SCC&HC) is the agency officially designated in Somerset County to apply for, receive and administer this annual Local Arts Program Grant.

Though a small percentage of the annual total grant award supports local arts development through planned programming and other services provided by the Cultural & Heritage office, the greater percentage of the grant award (generally 75% ) is set aside for re-grants, through a formal application/independent peer review panel process to support eligible local arts organizations and other non-profit organizations within Somerset County that provide public art projects, programs, services and development to benefit diverse public audiences. Grant awards are competitive and seek to encourage artistic excellence at the local level.

Local Arts Program Grant applications were due September 12, 2025

Follow the links below to see the grant guidelines and application for the 2026 LAP Grant and view a list of LAP re-grantee organizations by year:

2026 LAP Grant Request for Application (RFA) Guidelines

2026 LAP Grant Application (Word)

2026 LAP Application Finance Charts (Excel)

LAP Re-Grantees by Year

The SCC&HC offers free virtual technical assistance workshops to help local organizations feel comfortable and prepared to submit an application for funding through the LAP grant. Technical assistance workshops discuss the grant guidelines and application process. 

Pictured Above: The Mount Airy Road Overpass Mural, supported in part by a 2020 Local Arts Program Grant.