Atlantic City Offers Grants For Free-To-The-Public Events

If you have a cultural program that you think would benefit Atlantic City then it’s the perfect time to take advantage of 150,000 in grant money from the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA).

The CRDA’s Atlantic City Community Development Program Grants are entering their third round, and will reimburse the applicant up to thirty percent for the cost of the program. The other stipulation is the event must be free to the public.

Kim Butler explains in the past, awards were given out to performances that dealt with free performances for multi cultural programs.

“For jazz on the beach at Kennedy Plaza for instance.”

However the grants aren’t just for musical events, Butler notes they have a variety of entertainment planned for the fall and winter.

“We’re seeing a couple of different sporting events that will be coming up so it should be an exciting and interesting round for the grant process.”

Butler says there are rolling deadlines on a first come first serve basis and applicants can fill out a form on the CRDA’s website.

The CRDA is the governor’s brainchild for revitalizing Atlantic City into a year round resort destination. Their efforts to improve the shopping, dining, and entertainment options are largely the catalyst for the new “DO AC” campaign which touts the cities non gambling entertainment options. Butler notes the grants are there to continue expanding the entertainment options available to visitors.

“You can come to Atlantic City on a Thursday evening; enjoy a fabulous program of jazz on the beach from the chicken bone beach foundation, which is a historic foundation that’s rooted deep in Atlantic City history.  Then get a double feature as soon as the jazz series is done around 9:30-10 o clock at night, the 3-d sound and light show Duality starts. So it means a great opportunity and great night of free entertainment on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. “

Funding for the event is capped at 25 thousand dollars, and a selection committee will decide which applications get accepted. Prior rounds of the funder were for 150 and 200 thousand dollars.