Equity Action Plan of The National Endowment for the Arts (2022)

 The NEA, established by Congress in 1965, is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. The NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. The NEA’s primary activities include grantmaking to nonprofit arts organizations, public arts agencies and organizations, and individual writers and translators. The NEA also conducts research on the value and impact of the arts in order to share that information with stakeholders and the public. 

The NEA is committed to supporting equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice for all Americans in the United States. This commitment is reflected in the NEA’s equity action plan, which is in alignment with the 2022-2026 agency strategic plan. Activities described in this equity action plan include: 

• Arts Participation in Underserved Communities 

• Community Engagement 

• Accessibility 

• Data 

• Contracting and Procurement