Community Arts Grants

Community Arts Grants is sponsored by City of Santa Barbara Cultural Affairs. Supports arts projects and programs that serve youth, low-income residents, and historically underserved communities within Santa Barbara. Funding increases access to the arts and fosters inclusive participation.

City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grants - Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grants Grant Timelines & Resources Resources for 2026-27 City Grants Resources for 2025-26 City Grants Funded by the City of Santa Barbara and administered by the Office of Arts & Culture, the City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grant Programs support nonprofit arts and culture programming within city limits, with applications opening annually in the summer for projects taking place January through either December or the following June, depending on the grant program.

2026–2027 City Cultural Arts Grants Are Now Open Applications must be submitted by August 17, 2026, at 5:00 p. m. (PT).

Everything you need to apply—including the grant guidelines, reference applications, budget templates, mandatory workshop information, and the Community Grants Portal—is available in the 2026–2027 Grant Cycle Resources below.

Resources for 2026-27 City Grants City of SB Cultural Arts Grant Programs The Community Arts (CA) grant program supports arts projects and programs that serve youth, low-income residents, and historically underserved communities within Santa Barbara. Funding is intended to increase access to the arts and foster inclusive participation across neighborhoods and populations that face barriers to engagement.

CA Grant Maximum Grant Request: $6,000 Grant Activity Period: Projects must take place between January 1 and December 31 (12 months). Organizational Development The Organizational Development (OD) grant program supports Santa Barbara-based arts organizations in building sustainability, expanding capacity, and improving overall performance.

Funding may be used for operational and marketing expenses, including efforts to grow audiences, strengthen infrastructure, and increase earned income over time. OD Grant Maximum Grant Request: $15,000 Grant Activity Period: Projects must take place between January 1 and June 30 of the following year (18 months).

The Community Events & Festivals (EF) grant program provides funding to Santa Barbara organizations for the promotion and production of arts and cultural events. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to produce public events or festivals that enhance the City’s cultural vitality, attract broad audiences, and reflect community diversity.

EF Grant Maximum Grant Request: $15,000 Grant Activity Period: Projects must take place between January 1 and June 30 of the following year (18 months). Events & Festivals photo courtesy of Mathew Goldsoll. Grant Timelines & Resources Explore current and recent grant cycle timelines, application materials, recipient information, and reference resources for the City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grants.

Apply for the 2026-2027 Grant Cycle 2026-2027 Grant Cycle Resources Everything you need to prepare and submit your application is available below. Expand each section to access mandatory grant workshop information, the application timeline, grant guidelines, reference applications, budget templates, and the Community Grants Portal. Applicants must attend one mandatory grant workshop to be eligible to apply.

2026-27 City of SB Grant Timeline 2026-27 City of SB Grant Timeline July 16, 2026 12:00-1:30 pm August 5, 2026 4:00-5:30 pm August 17, 2026 by 5:00pm January 1, 2027-December 31, 2027* Organizational Development: January 1, 2027-June 30, 2028* January 1, 2027-June 30, 2028* *Please note: Grant activities and expenses may only be incurred during the grant activity period, and after the contract is fully executed.

All activities must be completed and final reports and payment requests submitted no later than the end date of that period. 2026-27 City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grant Guidelines 2026-27 Reference Applications These sample applications are provided for reference and to help you draft your responses. All final applications must be submitted through the grant portal.

2026-27 CA Reference Application 2026-27 OD Reference Application 2026-27 EF Reference Application Applicants must use the provided budget template and upload a PDF version with their grant application. Please save the completed budget you submit, as it will be used to create your revised budget if funding is awarded.

2026-27 CA Budget Template 2026-27 OD Budget Template 2026-27 EF Budget Template 2026-27 Reference Final Reports These sample final reports are provided for reference and to help you draft your responses. All completed final reports must be submitted through the grant portal.

2026-27 CA Reference Final Report (coming soon) 2026-27 OD Reference Final Report (coming soon) 2026-27 EF Reference Final Report (coming soon) Logo and Credit Guidelines Logo and Credit Guidelines Grantees are required to acknowledge the City of Santa Barbara as a funding sponsor in all materials related to their funded project. This recognition helps demonstrate the City’s investment in arts and culture.

Where to Include Credit (as applicable): Newsletters and email communications Event signage and printed programs You can download the official City logo here: As space allows, please include the following credit line in your materials, using the name of the specific grant program you were funded through (Community Arts, Organizational Development, or Events & Festivals): “Funding support was provided by the City of Santa Barbara’s [Community Arts / Organizational Development / Events & Festivals] Grant Program.

” 2025-2026 Grant Cycle Resources These resources support the 2025–26 City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grant Cycle and apply to grantees funded in this cycle through the Community Arts, Organizational Development, and Events & Festivals programs (application deadline: August 2025; grant activities begin January 2026).

While intended for funded grantees in this cycle, these materials may also be useful to prospective applicants in future cycles.

2025-26 City of SB Grant Timeline 2025-26 City of SB Grant Timeline July 10, 2025 12:00-1:30 pm August 5, 2025 3:30-5:00 pm August 15, 2025 by 5:00pm January 1, 2026-December 31, 2026* Organizational Development: January 1, 2026-June 30, 2027* January 1, 2026-June 30, 2027* *Please note: Grant activities and expenses may only be incurred during the grant activity period, and after the contract is fully executed.

All activities must be completed and final reports and payment requests submitted no later than the end date of that period. Guidelines, Reference Documents, and Templates Guidelines, Reference Documents, and Templates 2025-26 City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grant Guidelines 2025-26 Reference Applications These sample applications are provided for reference and to help you draft your responses.

All final applications must be submitted through the grant portal. 25-26 CA Reference Application 25-26 OD Reference Application 25-26 EF Reference Application Applicants must use the provided budget template and upload a PDF version with their grant application. Please save the completed budget you submit, as it will be used to create your revised budget if funding is awarded.

2025-26 Reference Final Reports These sample final reports are provided for reference and to help you draft your responses. All completed final reports must be submitted through the grant portal.

25-26 CA Reference Final Report: Coming soon 25-26 OD Reference Final Report: Coming soon 25-26 EF Reference Final Report: Coming soon Logo and Credit Guidelines Logo and Credit Guidelines Grantees are required to acknowledge the City of Santa Barbara as a funding sponsor in all materials related to their funded project. This recognition helps demonstrate the City’s investment in arts and culture.

Where to Include Credit (as applicable): Newsletters and email communications Event signage and printed programs You can download the official City logo and full credit guidelines here: Download Logos and Credit Guidelines As space allows, please include the following credit line in your materials, using the name of the specific grant program you were funded through (Community Arts, Organizational Development, or Events & Festivals): “Funding support was provided by the City of Santa Barbara’s [Community Arts / Organizational Development / Events & Festivals] Grant Program.

” 2025-26 City of SB Grant Recipients Community Arts Grant Recipients: Gateway Educational Services, Hillside House, Mental Wellness Center, MOXI- The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, Music Academy of the West, SB Asian Pacific Islander Solidarity Network, SB Chamber Players, SB Dance Institute, SB Symphony Orchestra, SB Transgender Advocacy Network, SB Trust for Historic Preservation, SB Vocal Jazz Foundation, Tomato Theatre Company Organizational Development Grant Recipients: Center Stage Theater, Children’s Creative Project, Creative Netwerk, Explore Ecology, Flamenco Arts Festival, Gunpowder Press, Notes for Notes, Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Santa Barbara Choral Society, Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus Community Events and Festivals Grant Recipients: Brandwell Arts, Ceylon International Film Festival Foundation, Eji Event Company, Elings Park Foundation, Grace Fisher Foundation, La Piazza Inc., Park and Recreation Community Foundation, Santa Barbara Chinese School, Santa Barbara Police Activities League 2024-2025 Grant Cycle Resources These resources are for the 2024–25 City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grant Cycle, for which applications were due in August 2024 and grant activity periods begin in January 2025.

They are designed to support grantees of the City of Santa Barbara’s Community Arts, Organizational Development, and Events & Festivals programs, and may also be helpful resources for future applicants 2024-25 City of SB Grant Timeline 2024-25 City of SB Grant Timeline July 18, 2024 12:00-1:30 pm July 30, 2024 3:30-5:00 pm August 18, 2024 by 5:00pm January 1, 2025-December 31, 2025* Organizational Development: January 1, 2025-June 30, 2026* January 1, 2025-June 30, 2026* *Please note: Grant activities and expenses may only be incurred during the grant activity period, and after the contract is fully executed.

All activities must be completed and final reports and payment requests submitted no later than the end date of that period. 2024-25 City of Santa Barbara Cultural Arts Grant Guidelines 2024-25 Reference Applications These sample applications are provided for reference and to help you draft your responses. All final applications must be submitted through the grant portal.

Applicants must use the provided budget template and upload a PDF version with their grant application. Please save the completed budget you submit, as it will be used to create your revised budget if funding is awarded. 2024-25 Reference Final Reports These sample final reports are provided for reference and to help you draft your responses.

All completed final reports must be submitted through the grant portal. CA Reference Final Report OD Reference Final Report EF Reference Final Report Logo and Credit Guidelines Logo and Credit Guidelines Grantees are required to acknowledge the City of Santa Barbara as a funding sponsor in all materials related to their funded project. This recognition helps demonstrate the City’s investment in arts and culture.

Where to Include Credit (as applicable): Newsletters and email communications Event signage and printed programs You can download the official City logo and full credit guidelines here: Download Logos and Credit Guidelines As space allows, please include the following credit line in your materials, using the name of the specific grant program you were funded through (Community Arts, Organizational Development, or Events & Festivals): “Funding support was provided by the City of Santa Barbara’s [Community Arts / Organizational Development / Events & Festivals] Grant Program.

” Community Arts Grant Recipients: AHA!

, Foundation for the Arts, Gateway Educational Services, Music Academy of the West, Notes for Notes, Performing and Visual Arts Camp, Santa Barbara Asian Pacific Islander Solidarity Network, Santa Barbara Chamber Players, Santa Barbara Dance Institute, The Arts Fund Organizational Development Grant Recipients: American Dance and Music, Amplify Arts Project, Boxtales Theatre Company, NewGrit, Opera Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Arts Collaborative, Santa Barbara Youth Performing Arts Center (Marjorie Luke Theater), Slingshot/Alpha Art Studio, State Street Ballet Community Events and Festivals Grant Recipients: Ensemble Theatre Company, Foundation for Santa Barbara City College, Lobero Theatre Foundation, Pacific Pride Foundation, Santa Barbara Blues Society, Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, Santa Barbara Revels, The Brazilian Cultural Arts Center of Santa Barbara, UCSB Arts & Lectures