Window of Opportunity (WOO)
The Window of Opportunity (WOO) grant provides financial assistance of up to $1,500 to Leeway grant and award recipients to help them take advantage of imminent, time-sensitive opportunities to support their art for social change practice.
Grant Overview
WOO Grants support:
- Opportunities that have a deadline or occur within 90 days of when you apply
- Training, learning, and development opportunities at workshops, conferences, and residencies
- Travel associated with opportunities to share and distribute your artwork and art practice (e.g. - an exhibition, book tour, performance, panel, or screening)
- Documentation costs for a performance, workshop, or installation (e.g. - video or photography of an upcoming project; accessibility work for documentation like audio descriptions or captioning; etc.)
- Archival costs for preserving your artistic practice/an ongoing project (e.g. - digitizing analog media or documents; buying supplies needed to house archival materials; paying for web hosting or storage; etc.)
- Rental of equipment, purchase of materials, or payment of services to fulfill an already-established (not self-initiated) opportunity that has a plan for outreach or distribution
Read more about what WOO does and does not fund in the WOO Guidelines.
Monthly Deadlines
The grant deadline is the 15th of every month from February to November, and decisions are made within four weeks of the deadline by a panel of community based artists and cultural producers.
Defining “Imminent, Time-Sensitive” Opportunities
WOO Grants exist to help past Leeway grant and award recipients take advantage of time-sensitive opportunities to support their art for social change practice. The opportunity you are applying for must have a deadline or occur at least one month after the deadline (the 15th of the month) but no more than 90 days after that deadline.
The opportunity cannot occur during the grant cycle you apply in (from the 15th to 15th of each month). For example, if you are applying for the February 15 deadline, your opportunity cannot occur before March 15 – and must occur before May 15.
Eligibility
You are eligible to apply if you are:
- A Leeway Foundation grantee; and
- A current resident of Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia County
You are not eligible to apply if you:
- Are a full-time student in an arts degree program
- Have an open Art and Change Grant project
- Have an overdue report from previous Leeway grants and awards
- Have received a Transformation Award in 2024
- Have received WOO grants totaling $1,500 in the current calendar year (2025)
FAQs
Click here to visit the Frequently Asked Questions for the Window of Opportunity (WOO) Grant.
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FAQs
What grants are only open to past Leeway grantees?
In addition to the three funding streams listed above, Leeway grantees are eligible to apply for the following funding opportunities:
Window of Opportunity Grant (WOO) provides financial assistance of up to $1,500 to Leeway grant and award recipients to help them take advantage of imminent, time-sensitive opportunities to support their art for social change practice. Deadline: The 15th of every month (February-November)
Community Care Fund (CCF) provides financial assistance of up to $2,500 to Leeway grant and award recipients to support with immediate and essential emergency needs, including but not limited to the pandemic's impact. Deadline: Rolling – or until the maximum amount of funding per quarterly cycle is reached.
Leeway x Fleisher Visual Artist Residency offers a residency to a past Leeway grantee at Fleisher from January 2025 through December 2025. Residents receive a $2,500 stipend and access to Fleisher facilities, equipment, and classes. Deadline: June 30.
Leeway x NextFab Art + Technology Residency offers a residency to a past Leeway grantee at NextFab from January 2025 through September 2025. Residents receive a $2,500 stipend and a Standard Membership to NextFab’s facilities, equipment, and classes. Deadline: October 14.
How does Leeway define Art for Social Change?
Art with a vision and an intentional analysis. Find out more here.
Who decides who receives funding?
An independent review panel – consisting of community-based artists from different ranges, breadths, and depths of art for social change work – decides who gets funded. Leeway staff does not make these decisions.
Applications will be reviewed monthly, from February through November, or until funds are depleted.
How long does it take to hear back from the panel?
Grant notification letters are emailed within four weeks of the monthly deadline.
Do applicants receive feedback on their applications?
To keep our process transparent, every applicant receives feedback, based on the panel’s deliberations. This offers a view into the process and gives information applicants can use as they think about their work and future applications to Leeway or other funders. Applicants may opt out of receiving feedback — and can always request it at a later date.
We offer feedback with the understanding that grantmaking is a reductive process, where there is never as much money as qualified applicants, so please consider if you are prepared to receive this feedback.
Does the application include a budget?
Yes, the application includes a short budget, listing the expenses associated with the opportunity for which you are requesting funds. Be as specific as possible about amounts or estimates, as you will be required to provide copies of receipts associated with your final report, should you receive funding – and any funds not used must be returned with that report.
How are applications evaluated?
An independent peer review panel will evaluate applications. Panelists will evaluate applications based on the following criteria:
- Is the imminent, time-sensitive opportunity clear? Is it a fixed, pressing, and finite happening?
- Is it clear how the opportunity connects to the applicant’s art for social change practice?
- Is it clear how this opportunity will benefit the artist’s development, increase their visibility, and/or deepen their community relationships and networks?
- Does the opportunity reflect some aspect of Leeway’s criteria for art with vision or social impact?
Can I apply for WOO + another Leeway grant at the same time?
Yes, you can apply for a Window of Opportunity (WOO) Grant and another Leeway grant at the same time.
I need help with my application. How do I get help?
Leeway staff are here to support! You can:
- Register for an Applicant Support Session where you can meet one-on-one with a Leeway representative to get direct feedback on your application
- Contact Leeway staff to set-up a one-on-one appointment at info@leeway.org or 215.545.4078