The Cultural Data Project (CDP) is a web-based tool that standardizes the collection of financial and organizational data for non-profit arts and cultural institutions. The CDP provides a streamlined grant application process for non-profit organizations through a standardized online form for submitting organizational data. Completed once each year, this single form can accompany multiple grant requests to partnering funders.

The CDP was created to strengthen the arts and culture sector by documenting and facilitating the dissemination of information. In addition to streamlining the grant application process for thousands of arts and culture organizations throughout participating regions, the CDP is generating a body of high-quality longitudinal data that supports fact-based decision-making in the sector.

The Cultural Data Project aims to enhance both individual organizational capacity as well as the overall effectiveness of the nonprofit cultural community. Cultural organizations will benefit from this project through an enhanced ability to track their individual data and trends over time and compare how they operate relative to their peers and to the sector at large.

The CDP was launched as a statewide data collection effort in Pennsylvania in September, 2004. Following its success in Pennsylvania, the CDP expanded to Maryland (in 2007) and California (in 2008), and is expected to be adopted in an additional five states in the coming years. Currently, over 40 funders (with nearly 80 grant programs) and nearly 3,000 organizations participate in the project.

Visit one of the CDP state sites for more information:

Pennsylvania Cultural Data Project

Maryland Cultural Data Project

California Cultural Data Project