Creative Youth Development Program in the US

Deadline: 16-Jun-22

The California Arts Council (CAC) is currently seeking applications for its Creative Youth Development Program.

The Creative Youth Development program is rooted in the CAC’s belief that arts learning is an essential tool for healthy human development and that it should be available to all young people throughout California. The CAC envisions that all of California’s young people are provided with meaningful, culturally responsive arts-learning experiences so that they can reach their full potential.

Beneficiaries of Creative Youth Development projects include youth from infancy to 24 years of age. All projects occur outside of traditional school hours, taking place in arts venues, community centers, school sites, and other youth-oriented settings.

Children ages 0-5 and school-age youth are a priority for this program, with successful projects demonstrating the ability to cultivate positive social and emotional development, as well as promote artistic expression and creativity.
Support for transitional individuals, ages 18 to 24, are an additional priority, with successful projects demonstrating the capacity to engage with transitional youth in relevant, dynamic, and innovative ways.

Program Goals

Projects should address one or more of the following Creative Youth Development program goals:
- Provide social-emotional creative experiences in safe and nurturing environments.
- Foster creative abilities of youth through culturally and linguistically responsive arts learning.
- Support arts programs that seek to activate youth voices, narratives, and perspectives.
- Utilize cultural assets of the local community to support positive self-identification and respect for diverse cultures.
- Empower youth through the preservation, revitalization, and/or reclamation of cultural practices.
- Cultivate the development of transferable life skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and collaboration.

Funding Information

Grant Request Amount: Up to $40,000
Estimated Total Number of Grant Awards: 400
Grant Activity Period: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024 (2 years)
Matching Funds: Not Required
Applicant organizations can request up to $40,000 for the two-year grant period.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must comply with the requirements below. All applications must include the listed items at the time of submission in order to be considered for funding.
Racial equity statement – Description of the organization’s commitment to equitable policies and culture.
California-based – Documentation of having a principal place of business in California.
Arts programming – Applicants must have a minimum two-year history of consistent engagement in arts programming and/or services prior to the application deadline.
501(c)(3) organization as applicant or fiscal sponsor – Non-governmental (municipal, county, or tribal) applicant organizations must demonstrate proof of nonprofit status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or section 23701d of the California Revenue and Taxation Code.
Fiscal sponsors – An applicant organization without nonprofit status must use a California-based fiscal sponsor with a federal 501(c)(3) designation to apply for funding.
- The fiscal sponsor will provide the fiscal oversight and administrative services needed to complete the grant
- A Letter of Agreement between the fiscal sponsor and the applicant organization must be signed by a representative from both parties and submitted with the application. A blank signature field will not be accepted. If a grant is awarded, the fiscal sponsor becomes the legal contract holder with the California Arts Council.
- A fiscal sponsor change is not permissible during the Grant Activity Period, with rare exceptions.
- Fiscal sponsors must have a minimum two-year history of consistent engagement in arts programming and/or services prior to the application deadline. (Acting as a fiscal sponsor to arts and cultural organizations is considered an arts service.)
Certificate of good standing – Nonprofit organizations and fiscal sponsors (if applicable) must have “active status” with the California Secretary of State (SOS) showing evidence of “good standing” at the time of application. You can verify your organization’s status by conducting a search using the SOS online Business Search tool. An indication of “active” (versus “suspended,” “dissolved,” “cancelled,” etc.) confirms that your nonprofit corporation exists, is authorized to conduct business in the State of California, has met all licensing and corporation requirements, and has not received a suspension from the Franchise Tax Board.