The State-Local Partner (SLP) Designation opportunity in Butte County, California, is a competitive local grant-like process administered by the Butte County Board of Supervisors. It serves as a gateway to the California Arts Council’s State-Local Partners program, which provides up to $75,000 in general operating support, technical assistance, and capacity-building resources to designated local arts agencies. This designation process ensures that one qualified agency per county serves as the local liaison for delivering arts support in alignment with state goals for cultural equity and access.
Organizations eligible to apply for the designation must provide arts services countywide and have their principal place of business in California. They must show at least two years of continuous arts programming history and meet one of the following criteria: be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; apply with a California-based 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor; or be a municipal, county, or tribal government entity. Applicants must be in good standing with the California Secretary of State and must provide incorporation proof for themselves or their fiscal sponsor, as applicable.
Applicants with total annual revenue of $1,000,000 or more are required to demonstrate the ability to match state funding on a 1:1 basis if selected. A complete application includes the California Arts Council’s SLP Application for Butte County and a Statement of Interest for Designation (no more than 500 words). Completed submissions will be reviewed publicly by the Butte County Board of Supervisors during a scheduled meeting on April 14, 2026. The selected designee will then become eligible to apply for CAC’s grant funding through the state’s SLP program.
Applications are due by March 15, 2026, and may be submitted via mail, email, or in person. The application materials must be sent to the Butte County Administration, located at 25 County Center Drive, Suite 200, Oroville, CA 95965. Submissions may also be emailed to [email protected]. For questions, applicants can contact the Clerk of the Board's office at 530.552.3300.
It is important to note that while the designation process itself does not directly provide funding, it is a necessary competitive step to unlock subsequent eligibility for state-level grants. The State-Local Partner program operates on an annual cycle, and similar designation opportunities are expected in future years. As such, this local opportunity constitutes a valid and competitive entry into a broader state funding framework.
