Two people staring at a decorative entrance that says “hello” and “festival” over the opening.
Still from "The Water" an independent feature film by Matthew Appleby, a March 2021 Creativity Grant awardee. (Montgomery County)

Payment Processes

Understanding payment timelines

Though payments originate with MSAC, all State of Maryland payments are centralized and go through a process of checks and balances before being released. We distribute the majority of our budget as grants to Maryland non-profit organizations, government entities, and artists, with additional spending on non-grant activities like paying grant panelists, program editors, and other service providers that help us support the arts sector. 

Timelines vary between two types of processes: grant and non-grant. You can find more information about each type below, including answers to frequently asked questions.

If you have additional questions after reviewing the timelines, contact our staff.  

View the payment process for grants, which are funds provided to Maryland organizations and artists.

View the payment process for non-grants, which are funds spent on administrative costs that support agency operations for the benefit of our constituents.