Community Festival Program Grant

The Community Festival Program (CFP) Grant, offered by the City of Pittsburgh’s Office of Special Events, supports neighborhood-based, one-day festivals designed to foster community togetherness. In operation since 1977, the CFP aims to provide financial assistance to local community groups to help them initiate or sustain annual public events that benefit and bring together Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The 2025 festival season runs from June 1 to October 31. To be eligible for a CFP Grant, applicants must be nonprofit, tax-exempt, community-based organizations located in Pittsburgh that have been operational for at least three years. Proposed festivals must be free, open to the public, and intended to benefit the wider community. While multi-day events may apply, priority is given to single-day events in alignment with program goals. The CFP grant is not affiliated with any other city funding initiatives. The CFP grant operates on a reimbursement model. A total of 30 grants are available in 2025, each offering up to $1,000 in reimbursed expenses for qualifying items. These include rentals for tents, tables, chairs, stages, port-o-johns, performer or entertainment fees, and audio-visual equipment. Items that will not be reimbursed include alcohol, perishables, promotional goods, paper products, and capital purchases intended for use across multiple events. All reimbursements must be supported with itemized receipts, submitted within 30 days of the event’s conclusion, using the required reimbursement form. Organizations approved for funding and hosting their event in public spaces (such as streets or parks) are required to submit a Special Event Permit application through the Office of Film & Event Management. While final permit fees are waived for CFP grantees in 2025, the $25 application fee and costs for city services such as EMS or police are not waived. A minimum notice of 14 business days is required for public space usage. Additional options such as reserving park shelters or staging equipment from the Department of Public Works are also available at no cost under the CFP grant, though applicants must still complete the appropriate reservation procedures. The application for the 2025 CFP grant opens March 1, 2025, and is due by 11:59 PM on Sunday, April 13, 2025. The application is available online. Following approval, applicants will receive detailed instructions for next steps, including any permitting or reservation needs. All questions related to the CFP grant should be directed to the Office of Special Events at cfpgrant@pittsburghpa.gov or by phone at 412-255-2493.