Arts Council Santa Cruz County Support Grants

The Support Grant is a general operating support program provided annually by Arts Council Santa Cruz County. It offers unrestricted funding to nonprofit or fiscally sponsored arts organizations based in Santa Cruz County, California. Designed to strengthen the region’s arts ecosystem, the program supports organizations of all budget sizes that focus on creating, presenting, and expanding access to the arts. Grants of $3,000 to $7,000 are awarded through a competitive process. The highest-scoring applicants may receive two-year awards with automatic renewal for the second year, though the funding amount may vary. This year, additional funds have been made available through the City of Santa Cruz and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, allowing for more awards and the renewal of some prior grantees. All awarded funds must be used within one year unless an extension is approved. To qualify, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, operate primarily in Santa Cruz County, and provide arts or cultural programming to the public. They must also maintain a board-approved non-discrimination policy and have completed all reporting requirements for prior Arts Council grants. Ineligible applicants include government entities, schools, universities (unless the funds support one specific arts program), social services, political or religious groups, and organizations focused on culinary or healing arts. Applications are evaluated based on two equally weighted criteria: Artistic Excellence & Relevance and Equity & Accessibility. Applicants must submit narrative responses, financial documents, and up to five total work samples or supporting materials. Equity is assessed based on organizational representation, access strategies, and clearly defined future equity goals. Additional attention is given to applicants serving neighborhoods identified as high-need via the California Healthy Places Index. Applications are accepted once annually. For the FY26 Cycle 1 (December 2025 awards), the application period runs from September 3 through September 30, 2025, closing promptly at 5:00 PM. Late submissions are not accepted. Notifications will be sent by December 5, 2025. Application assistance includes a Zoom orientation, office hours, and individual support available by request. Grantees are required to acknowledge the Arts Council in promotional materials and fulfill final reporting requirements either by attending a cohort meeting or submitting a written report. Contact Tamara Liu, Grants Program Manager, at grantsprogram@artscouncilsc.org for further information or assistance.

Attend the orientation or drop-in Zoom office hours. Focus on equity impact and audience engagement. Submit before the 5pm deadline to avoid system delays.