Membership

To join or renew, use the online form, or contact us at gia@giarts.org or download our Membership Form (.pdf).

All memberships are based on the calendar year. To join or renew and pay dues later in the year, simply indicate on the form when you wish to be invoiced.

Join or Renew Online

Member Benefits

Organizational members may select staff or board representatives to receive the following benefits:

  • Advance notice and discounted rates for GIA's annual conference
  • Access to the annual snapshot of arts funding, Foundation Grants to Arts and Culture and Public Funding for the Arts and other research and articles
  • Free access to GIA online learning tools, including webinars
  • Weekly electronic Member Bulletin featuring the latest news and information
  • Invitations to national or regional convenings of arts funders reflecting current trends in arts grantmaking
  • Members-only section of the GIA website and online Member Directory
  • Opportunity to submit news items for possible inclusion in GIA news
  • Opportunity to vote for GIA's board of directors

Membership Eligibility

Private foundations, public agencies, and corporate giving programs

Organizations whose primary activity is grantmaking and who are legally incorporated as private foundations, community foundations including donor-designated funds within community foundations, corporate giving programs, and government entities are eligible for membership.

Nonprofit grantmakers

Nonprofit organizations whose primary activity is grantmaking must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. Grantmaking represents at least 15% of the organization's total budget
  2. Grants are made to benefit the nonprofit arts sector, individual artists and the general public and not solely to organizations or individuals connected to the grantmaking organization (example: individual artists to exhibit in the nonprofit organization's gallery space; performing artists to produce product for the grantmaking organization)
  3. Grantmaking as a program is prominent in the organization's mission, literature and website

National partners

Nonprofit organizations that serve and provide programs for a national arts constituency and are concerned with public arts policy and nonprofit sector funding are eligible for GIA membership as National Partners. Please note that board members of National Partners are not eligible for all member benefits. Organizations wishing to apply for National Partner status should contact the GIA office at gia@giarts.org.

For organizations whose policies prevent membership, staff and trustees may still be able to participate in GIA. For more information, contact gia@giarts.org.

Membership Dues

New Dues Announcement

Member dues are part of the income that allows GIA to provide our services to our members.

GIA recognizes that non-profit organizations face the burden of using the funds they raise to pay member dues. Therefore, nonprofit funders’ membership dues, and National Partners’ membership dues are lower than those of our foundation members.

Nonprofits and Public Agencies:

Arts Grantmaking Budget Dues
Up to $999,999 $500
$1,000,000 – $1,999,999 $1,000
$2,000,000 – $4,999,999 $1,250
$5,000,000 – $9,999,999 $2,500
$10,000,000 – $19,999,999 $3,500
$20,000,000 or more $4,500

Dues for National Partners are $600, regardless of budget size.

Family and Independent Foundations, Corporate Foundation/Giving Programs:

Arts Grantmaking Budget Dues
Up to $999,999 $550
$1,000,000 – $1,999,999 $1,100
$2,000,000 – $4,999,999 $1,400
$5,000,000 – $9,999,999 $2,800
$10,000,000 – $19,999,999 $3,800
$20,000,000 or more $5,000

Funding Partners are members who make grants to GIA above the standard dues structure. Visit Funding Partner Levels and Benefits or contact Sylvia Jung, Senior Development Manager; at sylvia@giarts.org.