ABOUT

Established through the Daniel and Barbara Chapman Trust, the Chapman Prize annually recognizes and honors the efforts and achievements of charitable individuals and organizations who contributed most significantly to the improvement in the quality of life in the U.S. during the previous year.

Applicants must prove the relevance of their work to the 2026 Arts and Culture focus area:

Awarded to a charitable individual or organization who has contributed most significantly to the improvement of cultural life and/or significantly aided the growth and availability of the arts in the United States during the previous year. By way of example, contributions may include programs bringing arts to underserved communities and populations, programs creating opportunities for the arts and artists to thrive, and/or programs that use the arts to build bridges and partnerships.

The Chapman Prize is awarded to one charitable individual or organization annually.  The amount is normally between $80,000 - $100,000.

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Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust Company serves as the trustee of the Daniel and Barbara Chapman Trust. 

 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

 

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Are either a Charitable Individual [U.S. citizen] or U.S.-based Charitable Nonprofit Organization [501(c)(3)] who operate exclusively in the U.S.

2. Organizations engaged in Political Campaigns or Lobbying Activities are ineligible.

3. Have been conducting charitable work in the U.S. for at least the last three years. 

4. Can show demonstrated impact during the previous year in the focus area of Arts & Culture.

 

REVIEW / SELECTION PROCESS

 

• Initial Screening – the selection committee will screen each application to see if it (1) meets all eligibility requirements and (2) is complete with all required attachments.  If the application does not qualify, it will not move forward for consideration.

• Merit Review – the selection committee will evaluate all applications that pass the initial review using the criteria below:

  • 50% - Breadth of Impact 

  • 20% - Quality of Project Concept

  • 15% - Collaboration Among Partners

  • 15% - Organizational Sustainability