Impact Projects Grant Program

The Impact Projects grant program, administered by the California Arts Council (CAC), provides funding to support collaborative, artist-centered projects aimed at addressing critical social issues in under-resourced communities across California. Through this initiative, the CAC continues its mission to strengthen arts, culture, and creative expression as vehicles for social impact and community well-being. The 2026 Impact Projects grant cycle reflects the Council’s commitment to equity, access, and healing through the arts. This program specifically prioritizes California-based artists and organizations engaging in culturally rooted forms of expression that reflect the histories, values, and voices of the communities they serve. Applicants must propose projects developed in collaboration between local artists and community members to address a community-defined need. The types of social issues eligible for funding are broad and include systemic marginalization, incarceration and justice reform, economic disparities, health inequities, accessibility for people with disabilities, housing insecurity, climate-related challenges, food insecurity, and issues faced by veterans, immigrants, refugees, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Projects funded through Impact Projects must meet several key criteria. They must be collaboratively developed and use artistic practices to promote positive social change. The lead artists must be based in California and may not be full-time students receiving academic credit or compensation for the funded work. Projects must ensure accessibility for all community participants, including individuals with disabilities, and any public components must be free or affordably priced. Grantees are expected to pay fair, competitive wages to artists and arts workers and meet all applicable accessibility standards. Eligibility is restricted to nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status, municipal, county, or tribal government units, and fiscally sponsored entities operating within California. Applicants must have at least two years of continuous arts programming experience and meet other regulatory requirements, including registration with the California Secretary of State. Organizations with annual total revenues of $3 million or more are ineligible. Additionally, applicants may only apply to either the Impact Projects program or the Arts & Youth program—not both—in the same funding cycle. Applications for the 2026 cycle opened on March 17, 2026, and will close on May 12, 2026, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. The grant activity period runs from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, with funds expected to be disbursed between January and March 2027. Key evaluation criteria include centering equity and accessibility, program design, artistic merit, and social impact. Applications will undergo peer panel review in June and July, with final decisions expected in August. Reporting requirements include submission of a detailed final report within 30 days of the grant period’s end. The CAC encourages participation from first-time applicants, organizations serving high-need areas as defined by the Healthy Places Index, and small organizations with annual revenues below $250,000. Applicants are also invited to attend virtual office hours for application support. For questions, applicants can contact Arts Program Specialists Natalie Peeples and Leslie Giovanini via email at [email protected]. Full program guidelines and additional resources are available at the CAC’s SmartSimple online application portal.

Clearly tie artistic activity to community-identified needs; prioritize access, equity, and collaboration