Fort Myers OKs $150,000 in FY26 arts grants: recipient list and rules

Fort Myers City Council unanimously approved $150,000 in FY26 Arts & Culture Grant Program awards during the June 15, 2026 meeting. City grants staff said 47 organizations, groups, and individual artists submitted applications totaling $286,500 in funding requests.

The City has since posted the FY26 recipient list (with award amounts) and the program rules that applicants and funded projects must follow.

FY26 recipients: who received awards

The City’s FY26 Arts & Culture Grant Program recipient list shows the following organization awards (each at $8,000):

• Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida
• ArtFest Fort Myers Inc.
• Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School PTA/PTO
• Florida Repertory Theatre
• Fort Myers Symphonic Chorus dba Fort Myers Mastersingers
• Holiday House and Stroll of Fort Myers, Inc.
• The Laboratory Theatre of Florida
• Alliance for the Arts
• LARC, Inc.
• Downtown Management Corp of FM dba RDA
• Fort Myers Mural Society
• Sally J. Pimentel Deaf & Hard of Hearing Center
• All Veterans Memorial/ Fort Myers Veterans Memorial
• Fort Myers Philharmonic
• Florida Arts, Inc.
• Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. DBA Arts for ACT Gallery
• Community Cooperative, Inc.
• Theatre Conspiracy Inc.

The City also lists the following individual/group artist awards:

• Isreal Coover — $1,000
• SWFL Writers and Creatives — $5,000

For the full names and award amounts, refer to the City’s “FY26 Arts & Culture Grant Program Grant Recipients” page.

What the FY26 grant caps and eligibility rules require

The FY26 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) spells out maximum awards and the eligibility and location requirements that applicants—and funded projects—must meet.

• Maximum award caps (FY26): up to $1,500 for individual applicants; up to $5,000 for group applicants (at least 2 individuals); up to $8,000 for organizational applicants.
• Where applicants are based: applicants must reside or be located in Fort Myers (individuals must reside in the city; a group’s main applicant must reside in the city; organizations must have an established business located in Fort Myers).
• Direct Fort Myers impact: projects must directly affect Fort Myers; the NOFA states that projects that only affect other municipalities/counties will not be considered.
• Project location requirement: the NOFA says the project must occur within the City of Fort Myers.

What to watch next (if you’re an artist, parent, or local nonprofit)

If you’re a Fort Myers resident, creative professional, or run an arts/culture organization, the City’s published FY26 recipient list is the fastest way to see who received awards this cycle. And if you’re planning ahead for future grant rounds, the NOFA is the checklist: confirm your eligibility and make sure your proposed work is designed to occur within Fort Myers.

Sources

• City of Fort Myers News Flash: City Awards $150,000 in Arts & Culture Grants