Sacramento County’s Office of Economic Development has partnered with the City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts and Culture to offer grants to nonprofit organizations located in Sacramento County that are focused on the arts, collections and exhibits, to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The “Arts and Cultural Nonprofit Recovery Program,” launched in 2022, aims to support arts and cultural nonprofits in the region.
“We know that cultural organizations are still feeling the effects of the pandemic,” said the City’s Arts Grant Manager, Melissa Cirone. “This is an opportunity for organizations that haven’t yet received a nonprofit recovery grant to secure vital operating support.”
To date, the program has supported 91 organizations Countywide with $3.75 million. The grant program is funded through City and County federal American Rescue Plan dollars.
Eligible organizations include nonprofit theaters, performing arts groups, community arts organizations, historical sites, zoos and botanical gardens, visual art galleries, and film or cultural festivals. Organizations must have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status through the IRS and provide evidence of incorporation prior to March 1, 2020.
“Sacramento County’s local arts and nonprofit cultural institutions are an indispensable part of what makes our community so vibrant and special,” said the County’s Director of Economic Development Crystal Bethke. “We are glad that this funding is available to support the recovery and sustainability of this critical sector and encourage all eligible organizations to apply.”
Applicants must produce, promote or engage in live performances, events, or exhibits intended for public viewing and those that preserve and exhibit objects of historical, cultural or educational interest.
Grant can be used for operating expenses such as salaries and benefits for employees, fees for artists and contractors, mortgage/rent, utilities, insurance and marketing.
Award amounts will be based on the total size of the grant pool and the organization’s submitted annual operating revenue for fiscal year 2021-22 or calendar year 2022. The total grant amount will be awarded over two years.
Grant applications must be submitted by Oct. 30 at 11:59 p.m. Only new applicants can apply. Find more information and eligibility criteria on the City’s website.