Town of Los Gatos Community Grants

The Town of Los Gatos Community Grant Program offers one-time funding to support projects, events, or services that directly benefit the residents within the incorporated boundaries of the Town of Los Gatos. For nearly three decades, this program has provided assistance to nonprofit organizations aiming to implement initiatives that enhance community life in the town. The grants are designed to enable the launch or completion of specific efforts and are not intended for ongoing operational support or indirect expenses. The grants are highly competitive and evaluated using a standardized scoring rubric by a panel of Town Commissioners. Only nonprofit organizations that did not receive a Community Grant in the previous fiscal year (July 2024 – June 2025) are eligible to apply during this cycle. Projects must take place entirely within the incorporated boundaries of the Town of Los Gatos. While applicants do not need to be headquartered in Los Gatos, the proposed project activities must be local to the town. Only one application per organization is allowed per cycle. The maximum funding request is not strictly capped, but applications requesting over $10,000 are unlikely to be fully funded. Most previous grant awards have ranged between $5,000 and $10,000. Funds may not be used for general operations, lobbying, political endorsements, alcohol purchases, or indirect expenses. Eligible uses include direct costs associated with the approved project and may include staff costs if timekeeping records are submitted. Funds may reimburse expenses incurred after July 1, 2025, but all spending must be completed by June 30, 2026. Unspent funds must be returned to the Town. Applicants are required to complete the online form in a single session, as there is no save-and-resume function. It is strongly recommended that applicants prepare their responses in advance using the application preview provided. Required application fields include organization and contact information, a detailed project plan, target audience, community benefit, a budget breakdown, alternate funding sources if applicable, evaluation strategies, and alignment with the Town’s equity, diversity, and inclusion principles. Applicants may also indicate alignment with specific Council priorities, such as transportation safety, environmental conservation, and support for older adults or unhoused residents. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, October 3, 2025, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. The application is available online via Microsoft Forms at the designated link provided on the Town’s official website. Selected recipients will be required to obtain or renew a Town of Los Gatos business license before funds are disbursed and must retain all expense records for five years for potential audit by the Town.

Review scoring rubric; prepare responses offline before applying; ensure your organization meets all eligibility rules