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.

2025 LAP Grant Applications were due on September 13, 2024.

Follow the links below for the grant guidelines and application:

2025 LAP Grant Request for Application (RFA) Guidelines

2025 LAP Grant Application (Word)

2025 LAP Application Finance Charts (Excel)

LAP Re-Grantees by Year

The Mount Airy Road Overpass Mural was supported in part by a 2020 LAP grant.