SFAC’s Cultural Equity Initiatives Grant Program

Deadline: 3-Nov-21

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is seeking applications for its Cultural Equity Initiatives Grant Program to support San Francisco-based arts organizations that are deeply embedded in their communities through multi-year, core support grants.

Purpose and Funding Categories

The CEI grant program supports small and mid-sized arts organizations deeply rooted in San Francisco communities with core support grants.

Funds may be used for general operating expenses including but not limited to administrative/staff salaries, utilities, rent, office supplies, technology maintenance, as well as for project costs, professional development, artistic planning and programming.
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.

Funding Information

The maximum grant request amount for a Cultural Equity Initiatives grant is $100,000 based on current budget availability and organization’s budget size. Should additional City funding become available, grant amounts could be increased.
A grant funded pursuant to these guidelines will have a grant term of two years.

Eligibility Criteria

The applicant organization or fiscal sponsor must be tax-exempt and in good standing under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).
The applicant organization (and its fiscal sponsor, if applicable) must be San Francisco-based, and must demonstrate a history of consistent programmatic history and public benefit to the City of San Francisco, its neighborhoods and communities over the last two years.
The applicant organization’s mission statement must be clearly focused on the development, production, presentation and/or support of arts activities and/or youth arts activities in San Francisco.
The applicant cannot be part of another City agency or department.
The organization’s annual operating revenue must not exceed $1,500,000.
Applicants must not be in default on any grants or loans from:
- SFAC;
- other City departments (including but not limited to the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, Grants for the Arts);
- Northern California Grantmakers Arts Loan Fund;
- Community Vision Capital and Consulting;
- Community Arts Stabilization Trust; and/or
- the Center for Cultural Innovation. This default clause was expanded due to the fact that SFAC has fiduciary relationships with these particular organizations.
The proposed project must take place in San Francisco between July 2022 – June 2024.
The organization must be willing and able to meet the requirements associated with receiving funds from the City and County of San Francisco. In order to receive a grant payment from the San Francisco Arts Commission, the organization must become a registered, compliant supplier and meet the City of San Francisco’s insurance and business tax requirements.
Fiscal Sponsors
- Fiscal sponsors must be based in San Francisco and register as a compliant City supplier.
- If the applicant plans to work with a fiscal sponsor, a contractual arrangement between the applicant and the fiscal sponsor must be confirmed prior to the San Francisco Arts Commission’s grant application process.
- Organizations may not act as a fiscal sponsor for employees or artists contracted by that organization; a third-party fiscal sponsor is required.
- Applicants cannot retroactively work with or change fiscal sponsorship after a grant application is approved for funding.
- If an applicant is approved for funding, the fiscal sponsor is the legal grantee and receives the funds on behalf of the applicant who is the subgrantee.
- The fiscal sponsor/grantee is required to work with the subgrantee to complete and submit financial documentation of the disbursement of funds with the grant’s final report.
- All funds must be paid to the subgrantee in advance of the final disbursement of the grant.
- Copyright: If the applicant receives funding, the fiscal sponsor and the applicant must decide who will hold the copyright to any materials or work created during the grant period. This should be discussed in advance of signing the grant agreement, as it includes language regarding copyright, which is approved and initialed by the fiscal sponsor.
- Financials: The applicant organization’s Profit and Loss Statements and Balance Sheets for the two most recently completed fiscal years are required at the time of application, and should be provided by the fiscal sponsor for the organization to upload to the online form.