Unrestricted Operating Grants

The organization must have been performing, producing or presenting in Santa Clara County a minimum of 3-years prior to the term of the grant. (July 2020 for the current cycle)

Note: We understand that programming over the past three years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, might have been at reduced levels or in an alternative format

The organization must be a California non-profit corporation with a 501c3 tax-exempt certification.

• Applicants with annual budgets under $750,000 may use a fiscal sponsor with 501c3 tax-exempt status.
• Applicants with budgets over $750,000 must be 501c3 nonprofits.
  

• 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.

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.