Unrestricted Operating Grants

2025 Guidelines and Application Instructions

Overview

SVCREATES operating grants, offered in partnership with the County of Santa Clara, provide general operating support for small nonprofit arts and culture organizations that:

Reflect the dynamic, diverse, and innovative character of Santa Clara County
Demonstrate commitment to equity, inclusion, and artistic vibrancy and relevance
Positively impact the County’s cultural ecosystem through active and sustained engagement with audiences, volunteers and artists
Pursue organizational sustainability in service to the local community

Note: please see SVCREATES’ Grant Program Glossary for words in italics.

Two-Year Application Cycle

In 2022, SVCREATES established a two-year application cycle for this grant program. In alternating years, current grant recipients may have the opportunity for grant renewal, dependent on the completion of their grant report and funding available to SVCREATES. Current grantees should refer to their 2024 award notification for details.

In 2025, we will accept new applications for funding from organizations with annual operating budgets between $10,000 and $250,000 only. This application will open on February 28, 2025. In 2026, we will accept new applications from organizations with annual operating budgets between $250,000 and $1.2 million.

If you have questions about your eligibility for this grant program, contact Alyssa Erickson, SVCREATES Program Director at [email protected]

Eligibility

For-profit organizations are not eligible.
Institutions of primary and secondary education are not eligible.
Local governments are not eligible.
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, lobbying, or projects already completed.

Preview the Application

A PDF of the application is available for review and download in the sidebar to the right. Note, this is for preview only, applications must be completed on our online platform.

Application Support

Attend our Applicant Information Session on Tuesday, March 11 from 1:00 - 2:00pm.

Office Hours: You may also schedule a one-one video call with SVCREATES staff here.

If language, access to technology, or other factors present a barrier for your organization, please reach out to Alyssa Erickson to arrange specialized support.

Application Requirements

Narrative and data collection questions include:

Mission, programming, and audience details
Staff and Board demographics
Artistic/Program Work samples
Financial and budget data, including a financial statement for your most recently completed fiscal year

Funding Categories for 2025

Operating grant applicants do not request specific grant amounts. Rather, grant awards are determined by the following factors:

Panel ranking and funding recommendation
Organization’s annual operating budget
The amount of funds allocated for organizational support by the County of Santa Clara

The grant award amounts represented in the chart below are based on projections for the grant cycle; changes in external economic factors impacting available County funding could shift these amounts.

Budget Category	Award Range	"Middle" Award	Award Increments
$10K - $100K	$2,000 - $4,000	$3,000	$2,000; $3,000; $4,000
$100 - $250K	$4,000 - $6,000	$5,000	$4,000; $5,000; $6,000

Review Process

Applicants are grouped by budget size, since organizations with similar sized operating budgets share more organizational characteristics.

A panel consisting of four to six individuals – chosen for their experience with arts and culture organizations of similar size to that budget cohort being evaluated, as well as expertise in the field – is selected. At least two panel members of each will be BIPOC/ALAANA individuals. The panel will review and score each application based on the review criteria. The panel meets virtually to discuss each application.

Evaluation Criteria

This criterion reflects an organization’s ability to meaningfully engage and inspire its community through arts and culture in order to achieve its mission.

An organization demonstrates this by:

Showing a commitment to craft in their artistic artform. (work sample)
Having a clear relationship between programming and mission.
Being able to define the geographic area and communities they serve.
Demonstrating that the organization understands, works with, and is responsive to its community through its programming.
Being accessible and inviting to its community and open to the public.

This criterion reflects the ability of an organization’s board and staff to manage resources, plan, evaluate, and - when necessary - creatively pivot their organization and their programming now and for years to come.

An organization displaying strong Organizational Resilience and Ingenuity will:

Have a diverse board and staff that is demographically reflective of the community being served by the organization.
Clearly articulate how their organization functions and the context of their financial information.
Demonstrate understanding of their organization’s challenges and engage in short and long-term planning using processes commensurate with the size and capacity of the organization.
Have evidence of community support, through volunteer participation, in-kind support, individual donors, etc

Exhibit practices that are inclusive and welcoming of all people in their defined community, including those who have been historically and/or continuously marginalized and underrepresented, e.g., immigrant groups, BIPOC/ALAANA communities, rural populations, aging populations, people living in poverty, people who are homeless, people with disabilities, and communities recovering from trauma or disaster.
Show that staff at a variety of levels, as well as board, artists, and key collaborators, include those in the community who have been historically and/or continuously marginalized and underrepresented, in both their public-facing programming and administrative work.

Timeline

Application Opens: February 28, 2025
Application Deadline: April 11, 2025
Panel Review Period: May-June, 2025
Award Notification: Late June-Early July 2025
Payments Made: July-August 2025
Grant Period: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

Application opens February 28, 2025

Applicant Information Session on Tuesday, March 11 from 1:00 - 2:00pm.

Key Dates for the 2025 Application Cycle:
Application Opens: February 28, 2025
Application Deadline: April 11, 2025
Grant Period: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026

Resources:
Preview the Application
Grant Program Glossary

2024 Grantees
Click here to view the 2024 Unrestricted Operating Grantees

2023 Grantees
Click here to view 2023 SVCREATES’ Unrestricted Operating Grantees

2022 Grantees
Click here to view 2022 SVCREATES' Unrestricted Operating Grantees

Questions?
If you have questions about this program or application, please contact SVCREATES Program Director, Alyssa Erickson.

Alyssa Erickson
408-998-2787 ext. 204
[email protected]