The Community Investments program supports San Francisco-based artists, arts organizations, and communities with an equity lens through grants, technical assistance, arts education initiatives, and community-based Cultural Centers. 

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Veronica Blair | The Rain is Enuf (TRIE) | Photo by Austin Forbord

Upcoming Opportunities & Important Dates

San Francisco Artist (SFA) Grantseeker Webinar

See Grant Information Sessions
Work Sample Webinar See Grant Information Sessions
Fiscal Sponsor Webinar See Grant Information Sessions

FY24 Artistic Legacy Grant and Cultural Equity Initiatives (CEI) Grantseeker Webinar

See Grant Information Sessions

 

 

 

List of Current Grantees

FY23 Grantees

Past Grantees

FY22 Grantees

FY21 Grantees

FY20 Grantees
 

Grant Review Panel Scores

2023-2024 Grant Review Panel Scores


Helpful Hints

Grant Information Session Recordings

Grant Categories

The Artistic Legacy Grant (ALG) acknowledges the impact of an artist who has been living and practicing their craft in San Francisco for the last 25 years or more. This grant category aims to uplift and celebrate an artist who has contributed to San Francisco’s diverse arts and culture ecosystem.

NEW: ALG is an individual artist grant category. Applicants do not need to be associated with an arts organization to be eligible.

Through their artistic practice, the applicant artist is a vital member of their respective community(ies), has a history of deeply engaging with one or more of the historically underrepresented communities prioritized in the 1993 Cultural Equity Endowment Legislation, has a history of working to educate the broader community on the importance of their culture and/or artistic genre, and seeks to preserve their artistic legacy.

For questions about this grant category, please contact Program Officer, Jennifer Chu at jennifer.chu@sfgov.org or (415) 535-7305.

2024 Artistic Legacy Grant Guidelines and Application

PAST AWARDEES

In 2022-2023 AIE focused on reaching organizations and individuals who have historically been unable to access City arts funding (SFAC & GFTA) through the First-Time Grantees Initiative. This year AIE will be focusing on the project-based specific artistic works that demonstrate originality, vision, and benefit or interest to the community. Individuals may apply to arts education/creative exploration, space/capital, or individual artist support priority funding areas. Organizations may apply to arts education/creative exploration, space/capital, or core project support priority funding areas.   

The AIE Project-Based Initiative prioritizes small and mid-sized organizations AND individual artists who are deeply rooted and connected to Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Asexual, Intersex, and more (LGBTQIA+), People with Disabilities, Women, and other communities that are identified in the Cultural Equity Legislation. 

The anticipated maximum amount for an Arts Impact Endowment (AIE) grant is $50,000 for Individuals and $100,000 for Arts Organizations based on current budget availability. Should additional City funding become available, grant amounts could be increased. 

The proposed project must take place in San Francisco between July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026. It is anticipated that successful proposals will be for a term of 2 Years (24 months) beginning in fiscal year 2024 with a possible extension for up to one additional year based on extenuating circumstances as determined by the Arts Commission in consultation with the grantee.

For questions about this grant category, please contact Program Officer, Jonell Molina at jonell.molina@sfgov.org or 415-539-9843.

2024 Arts IMPACT ENDOWMENT (AIE) | PROJECT-BASED Initiative Guidelines

 

The Creative Space (CRSP) grant program is currently on hiatus. Please use the Artist Impact Endowment (AIE) or Cultural Equity Initiatives (CEI) category to apply for projects and general operating support related to space, planning and facilities.

For questions, contact Program Officer Anne Trickey at anne.trickey@sfgov.org or (415) 806-5884.

The CEI grant program supports small and mid-sized arts organizations deeply rooted in San Francisco communities with core support grants up to $100,000 over two years. 

  • Funds may be used for general operating expenses including but not limited to administrative/staff salaries, utilities, rent, office supplies, technology maintenance, space planning as well as for project costs, professional development, artistic planning and programming and sabbaticals..
  • Prioritizes organizations deeply rooted and connected to BIPOC, LGBTQ, People with Disabilities, women and other communities that are identified in the Cultural Equity Endowment legislation.
  • Fosters artistic expression and arts leadership reflective of San Francisco’s rich cultural heritage and legacy. 
  • • Provides flexibility and addresses bandwidth challenges in critical sustainability areas including operations and staff development. 

For questions, contact Program Officer Jennifer Chu at jennifer.chu@sfgov.org or (415) 535-7305.

2024 Cultural Equity Initiatives Guidelines and Application

The Dream Keeper Initiative is a new, citywide effort to reinvest $120 million over the next two years from law enforcement into San Francisco's Black and African-American communities. This initiative is part of Mayor London N. Breed's roadmap for reforming public safety and addressing structural inequities in San Francisco.

The Arts Commission is investing $2.1 million in arts and culture organizations to anchor support for the cultural assets and economic vitality in historically Black and African-American communities facing rapid change. 

For questions about this grant category, please contact Program Officer, Coco Duhon-Kelley at coco.duhon-kelley@sfgov.org or 415-471-4707.

FY24 Dream Keeper Initiative (DKI) GUIDELINES

The Ebony McKinney Community Stewards Grant (EMCS) is a regranting opportunity that supports the collaborative development and release of the Ebony McKinney Arts Leadership Grant with a focus on reimagining and centering racial equity, addressing harm, and the ideals embodied by Ebony: vision, determination, and advocacy for the arts as social practice.

SFAC seeks a very small to mid-sized arts organization to utilize a restorative justice lens for understanding the background and history of the Ebony McKinney Arts Leadership Grant among the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), Emerging Arts Professionals San Francisco Bay Area (EAP/SFBA), and Ebony’s Community who include members from EAP/SFBA and Arts for a Better Bay Area. Funds will support the administrative costs associated with revitalizing the process and criteria for the next Ebony McKinney Arts Leadership Grant including, launching the guidelines and application, selecting the grantee, and administering $20,000 to the grantee.

For questions about this grant category, please contact Program Officer Anne Trickey at anne.trickey@sfgov.org.

PAST AWARDEES

The Native American Arts and Cultural Traditions Special Grant (NAACT-SPX) is a regranting program created to address emerging and existing needs within the arts ecosystem of the San Francisco Native American communities.

For questions about this grant category, please contact Program Officer Jonell T. Molina at jonell.molina@sfgov.org or 415-252-2218. 

2023 NAACT-SPX GRANT GUIDELINES AND APPLICATion
 

San Francisco Artist Grants (SFA) are for individual artists and fund works of art made by artists living in San Francisco. Artist projects and activities must take place in San Francisco and benefit a San Francisco audience. This grant category considers proposals for projects in all artistic genres and at any stage of an artist's career. Grant requests can be up to $30,000. Priority funding goes to artists that are deeply rooted in and reflective of communities listed in the Arts Commission's 1993 Cultural Equity Endowment Legislation and informed by current best practices in racial equity.

For questions, contact Program Officer Anne Trickey at anne.trickey@sfgov.org or (415) 806-5884.

2024 San Francisco Artist Grant Guidelines and Application

Each year at the beginning of the new fiscal year in July, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors releases a list of budget amendments, commonly known as "addbacks." These are funds that elected officials allocate to various City departments for citywide programs as well as in services and resources in their respective districts.

The San Francisco Arts Commission conducts an open and transparent request for proposals for allocations that we receive through the addback process. This competitive process is utilized throughout the City for the allocation of public funds.

The allocations in Fiscal Year 2023-24 address a wide range of arts activities related to neighborhood and/or community-focused engagement and arts access. Many of these allocations align with the legislative mandates of the Cultural Equity Endowment.

Applicants may only apply for funding specific to those geographic areas or communities outlined within these guidelines. For questions about this grant category, please contact Senior Program Officer, Anne Trickey at anne.trickey@sfgov.org or 415-806-5884.

2024 SPX GRANT GUIDELINES AND APPLICATion Round 1 - CLOSED
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2025

 

2024 SPX GRANT GUIDELINES AND APPLICATion Round 2 - CLOSED 
April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025

 

What's Coming Up

Public Meeting

Visual Arts Committee Meeting

March 20
/
3:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online
Public Meeting

Executive Committee Meeting

December 18
/
1:00 PM to 2:30 PM

Hybrid: 401 Van Ness | Rm 125 and Online
Public Meeting

Community Investments Committee Meeting

April 16
/
1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online
Public Meeting

Civic Design Review Committee Meeting

March 18
/
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Hybrid: City Hall | Rm 416 and Online