FAQ
For nonprofit organizations seeking funding:
- Does the Arts Commission fund only San Francisco-based organizations and artists?
- Does the Arts Commission fund individual artists?
- What kinds of projects or institutions does the Arts Commission fund?
- What does “underserved” mean?
- Does the Cultural Equity Grants Program fund any organization that does not fall into the underserved definition?
- Are there any grants for small arts groups?
- When is the application deadline? Are these deadlines posted on the web?
- How are grants awarded?
- Where can I find funding guidelines and applications?
Does the Arts Commission fund only San Francisco-based organizations and artists?
Yes. Organizations and individuals must be residents of the City of San Francisco and be operating in a not-for-profit manner.
Does the Arts Commission fund individual artists?
Yes. The Cultural Equity Grants Program offers Individual Artists Commissions of up to $10,000 to San Francisco residents working in all artistic disciplines. Grants in each discipline are offered every other year—for example, the deadline for dance, music and theater artists was March 24, 2006. The deadline for literature, media and visual arts will be in March, 2007. If your project is multi-disciplinary, please contact the staff for advice.
What kinds of projects or institutions does the Arts Commission fund?
The Arts Commission’s Cultural Equity Grants Program funds arts organizations grounded in underserved communities, individual artists in all disciplines, and small to mid-sized arts organizations for specific projects.
The Programs in the Community Grants Program in the Arts Commission’s Community Arts and Education Program supports nonprofit, non-arts organizations that use the arts to better serve their constituents.
What does “underserved” mean?
Underserved populations defined by city legislation are African American, Asian American, Latino/a, Native American, Pacific Islander, Disabled, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered and Women.
Does the Cultural Equity Grants Program fund any organization that does not fall into the underserved definition?
Yes, our Organization Project Grants category accepts applications from all nonprofit arts organizations with budgets under $1,000,000 that are doing community-based projects.
Are there any grants for very small arts groups?
Volunteer arts organizations are eligible for Special Project Grants of up to $1,000 through the Cultural Equity Grants Program. This category has a rolling deadline and awards are given on a quarterly basis.
What are the application deadlines? Are these deadlines posted on the web?
Each category of funding has its own deadline date through the year. These are posted on the Cultural Equity Grants Program section of the website at the beginning of each fiscal year in July.
The Programs
in the Community grant deadline is in early winter and is posted
on the Community
Arts and Education section of the website.
All deadlines are firm.
How are grants awarded?
A panel of artists and administrators reviews all applications and support materials and makes recommendations to the Arts Commission, who then has the final vote.
Where can I find funding guidelines and applications?
The Cultural Equity Grants Program guidelines and applications are posted on the Cultural Equity Grants section of the website and available to be downloaded.
Programs in the Community guidelines and applications are posted on the Community Arts and Education section of the website.
We will also e-mail copies on request.