California Humanities Grants

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Jurupa Valley to deliver essential services for low- and moderate-income residents, focusing on areas such as elderly care, youth services, homelessness support, and mental health.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations and community groups that deliver direct services to residents of Camarillo, enhancing the quality of life in the community.

This grant provides funding to public libraries and nonprofit friends groups to create innovative cultural programs that engage and support immigrant communities across the United States.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit arts organizations in Santa Ana for creative projects that promote community engagement and economic development through the arts.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and individuals working on documentary projects that highlight California's diverse stories and cultures, requiring collaboration with humanities advisors and matching funds.

This grant provides funding for nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and individuals to develop nonfiction media projects that highlight California's diverse cultures and histories, requiring collaboration with humanities experts.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to independent filmmakers based in Santa Barbara County to help bring their film projects to life.

This grant provides funding for Orange County public school teachers to enhance their students' educational experiences through projects, materials, and field trips.

This funding opportunity supports projects that preserve and share California Indian culture, art, and traditional practices, prioritizing initiatives that promote knowledge transmission across generations.

The Kiwanis Club of Los Altos Foundation annually offers grants to organizations operating within the greater Los Altos area. Focused on supporting initiatives that align with their mission of “Serving the Children of the World,” the foundation grants financial aid to projects and programs benefiting the community, particularly youth and seniors. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations, with past recipients including diverse beneficiaries such as Tech Trek, Mentor Tutor Connection, and the Living Classroom. Application acceptance period is from October 1 to January 31 each year.

The Charles and Ruth Billingsley Foundation awards grants for a variety of charitable causes. Donor Name: Charles and Ruth Billingsley Foundation State: California County: San Diego County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  06/30/2024 Size of the Grant: Not Available Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The trust has a practice of primarily supporting organizations located in San Diego County, California. Program Areas Arts, Culture, and Humanities Education Environment, Animals Health Human Services Public/Society Benefit Religion Requirements To be eligible, organizations must qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. For more information, visit Wells Fargo.

This new multi-year grant program intends to create local community connections to California’s rich and diverse cultural history and natural areas outside of California’s state park boundaries. Eligible projects will enhance connections to local cultural history, local parks, open space or natural areas through community events, programming or installations that help to build sustainable community connections, health and well-being. The Local Parks Grants Program will be managed and administered by Parks California. This program supports the “Outdoor Access for All” initiative led by Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, along with the Natural Resources Agency’s “Outdoors for All” initiative, and California State Parks’ Reexamining Our Past Initiative.

This grant provides financial support and resources to nonprofit organizations in Del Mar for projects that enhance community pride, preserve open spaces, and improve local cultural programs and events.

The James C. Stewart Charitable Foundation supports a variety of charitable causes to organizations primarily located in Tucson, Arizona and Southern California. Donor Name: James C. Stewart Charitable Foundation State: California County: Imperial County (CA), Kern County (CA), Los Angeles County (CA), Orange County (CA), Riverside County (CA), San Bernardino County (CA), San Luis Obispo County (CA), Santa Barbara County (CA), Ventura County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Program Areas Arts, culture, and humanities Education Environment, animals Health Human services Public/society benefit Religion Funding Information Average grant size: $10,000 Average total giving per year: $50,000 Geographic Limitations There are no geographic limitations; however, the foundation has a practice of primarily supporting organizations located in Tucson, Arizona and Southern California. Requirements To be eligible, organizations must qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Applications must be submitted through the online grant application form or alternative accessible application designed for assistive technology users. For more information, visit Wells Fargo.

The C. J. Stafford and Dot Stafford Memorial Trust is seeking applications to support a variety of charitable causes through grants to charitable organizations located in and serving the residents of San Diego County, California. Donor Name: C. J. Stafford and Dot Stafford Memorial Trust State: California County: San Diego County (CA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/01/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Program Areas Arts, culture and humanities Education Health Human services Funding Information Average grant size: $5,000 to $7,500 Average total giving per year: $50,000 Geographic Limitations San Diego County, California Requirements Grantees must be qualified as public charities under IRC section 501(c)(3). Applications must be submitted through the online grant application form or alternative accessible application designed for assistive technology users. No other application formats will be accepted. For more information, visit Wells Fargo.

This program provides financial assistance to small businesses in San Mateo County that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, helping them cover operating expenses and recover from revenue losses.

Community Arts Grants are being offered to small nonprofit arts organizations in Monterey County. These grants provide support for public arts and culture projects/programs with funding of up to $5,000 per year. Eligible organizations may receive one grant per year, provided they have submitted the final report for their previous grant before applying for a new one. Program Description: Community Arts Grants are available to small nonprofit arts organizations seeking support for public arts and culture projects/programs up to $5,000 per year. Organizations may only receive one grant per year and must have completed their previous grant’s final report before submitting a new application. Definition: An arts and cultural organization is defined as an entity with a primary purpose of providing arts, creative, or cultural programming/services. Assessed by Arts4MC staff, this purpose is determined by the organization’s mission, purpose statement, and/or by its summary of core organizational programs and services. Funding provided by The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. If you need assistance, call Klara Hickmanova: 831-622-9060 ext. 103 or email klara(at)arts4mc.org Eligibility Criteria: Grant Program staff determines the eligibility of the applicant based on the following criteria: Monterey County-based nonprofit organizations whose budgets are $250,000 or less and seeking support for public arts and culture projects in Monterey County. An applicant without nonprofit status may use a California-based Fiscal Sponsor with a federal 501(c) (3) designation to conduct work on a nonprofit project. (contact Action Council.) Planned project/program must be completed in Monterey County within one year of grant award; and Fiscal sponsor letter, letter of approval from your Board President/Chair or Group Leader and letters of recommendations need to be within 60 days of the application; and Reporting requirements for previous Arts4MC Community Arts grants have been met. Restrictions: Universities and colleges are limited to providing fiscal sponsorship for one arts program only. Grants may not support operating costs for the university or college, but must be applied to program and overhead costs of the applying entity. Grants may not be applied toward support for political or religious purposes, fundraisers for other organizations or causes, capital improvements, the purchase of equipment or real property, or projects already completed. Deadline: Submit anytime; reviewed monthly. Until funds expended or June 30, 2024, 11:59 pm. Review Process: Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. The Arts Council appoints a panel comprised of five community members with diverse perspectives, representing our County’s five districts to review all applications. The highest scoring grant applications will be complete and accurate, attaching only required documents. They will also substantially demonstrate: The overall strength of the organization, including the evidence of community support and leadership. Quality of the program or project, scope of service and potential impact for Monterey County residents. Evidence of unique contribution(s) to the region.

COVID-19 Relief Fund in California is offering ongoing operating grants to nonprofit organizations and public agencies supporting vulnerable populations affected by the pandemic. Grant requests will be considered for basic needs assistance, program support, mental health impact programming, and proactive COVID-19 recovery efforts. Grants are expected to range from $5,000 to $30,000 and will be reviewed continuously.

This grant provides financial support to arts organizations in California to help them recover from the pandemic while promoting accessibility and engagement in the arts for the Simi Valley community.

This grant provides funding for individual artists, arts organizations, and small businesses in Chula Vista to create free cultural events and projects that promote community engagement and inclusivity in various artistic disciplines.