State-Local Partners

State-Local Partners is sponsored by CA Arts Council. The State-Local Partners (SLP) program provides general operating support and technical assistance for county-designated local arts agencies. The purpose of the program is to foster cultural development on the local level through a partnership between the State and the counties of California.

A local arts agency is defined as the official county-designated organization that supports arts and cultural activity in service to individuals and communities throughout an entire county. Local arts agencies provide financial support, services, and/or other programming to a variety of arts organizations, individual artists, and the community. A local arts agency can be a unit of local government or a nonprofit organization.

The CAC’s Strategic Framework, adopted in 2019, indicates two aspirational areas regarding the agency’s relationship with its SLPs, both of which have been addressed by Council action in the last year and are furthered in these program guidelines: State-Local Partner Funding Conduct a review to determine a timeline and process for increasing the amount of funding granted to the SLPs.

This timeline should include a detailed process for assessment, capacity building, bolstered support, and compliance checks, as well as a plan for establishing participation by and benefits for all 58 counties. State-Local Partner Capacity Building Increase technical assistance and training to SLPs that meets the unique needs of each organization, as identified by research and evaluation.

Ensure that SLP contracts are written to require adherence to key CAC policies and expectations, clearly outlining the role of the state-county partnership. Develop strategies to align SLP priorities with the priorities of the CAC, while allowing for flexibility and self-determination. Support the development and implementation of local plans that result in consistent quality and equity of service across counties.

In 2023, the Council voted to increase the annual maximum request amount for the SLP grant to $75,000, in recognition of the outcomes of the SLP Equity Impact Assessment and the need for increased ongoing funding to support SLP work.

State-Local Partners serve as Poetry Out Loud partners and will receive financial support of $5,000 through this grant program (also included in the maximum request amount) to facilitate an annual Poetry Out Loud program throughout their county, either through direct programming or in partnership with another local organization/agency. Poetry Out Loud funds will not be based on panel ranking.

General Operating Support - California Arts Council General Operating Support Before applying, please review the full program guidelines for detailed information on program requirements and eligibility.

Application Deadline: May 12, 2026, 11:59 PM Grant Request Amount: Up to $30,000 Grant Activity Period: October 1, 2026 — September 30, 2027 Estimated Arrival of Funds: January — March 2027 The California Arts Council’s Strategic Framework prioritizes racial equity and broad geographic reach into communities of all sizes and needs.

Recent data and community input demonstrate the need for greater access to general operations funding in support of maintaining California arts and cultural organizations during times of uncertain economic growth. The General Operating Support grant program provides direct funding to arts and cultural organizations in support of ongoing operations.

Arts organizations defined : An arts and cultural organization is defined as an entity with a primary purpose of providing arts, creative, or cultural programming/services. Assessed by CAC staff, this purpose is determined by the organization’s mission, purpose statement, and/or by its summary of core organizational programs and services.

Organizations eligible to apply include : Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), California organizations Units of municipal, county or Tribal governments Fiscally sponsored organizations Arts service/network organizations with total revenue of $5 million or below Arts producing or presenting organizations with total revenue (TR) of $1.

5 million or below Organizations who apply for the 2026 State-Local Partners grant are not eligible to apply for the General Operating Support grant. Arts service/network organizations can only apply if they have a total revenue (TR) of $5 million or below .

Arts service/network organization defined: An organization with the primary purpose of providing practical services for artists, creators, culture bearers, and/or arts and cultural organizations (ex. professional association, coalition, etc). Arts producing or presenting organizations can only apply if they have a total revenue of $1.

5 million or below . Arts producing or presenting organization defined: An organization with the primary purpose of creating or exhibiting artistic or cultural work and/or cultivating arts learning (ex. theatre, gallery, music studio, etc).

Virtual office sessions are available to provide technical assistance for the General Operating Support grant. Join Arts Program Specialist Arielle Rubin as she answers general questions regarding this program. Office hours are structured to be a ”drop–in” format.

Audience members are welcome to join and exit as needed; advanced registration is required to participate. The schedule for office hours is listed below: Monday, March 30, 2026, 12-1pm – Register Here Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 10-11am – Register Here Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 9-10am – Register Here Online Application Portal: calartscouncil. smartsimple.

com Frequently Asked Questions Grant Review Panel Process 2025-26 Grantee Information: Application Opens March 17, 2026 Application Deadline May 12, 2026, 11:59 P. M. Panel Review Approx.

June — July 2026 Funding Decision August 14, 2026 Funding Notification Approx. August 2026 Grant Activity Start October 1, 2026 Estimated Arrival of Funds Approx. January — March 2027 Grant Activity End September 30, 2027 Final Report Deadline October 30, 2027 Before contacting staff, check FAQs to see if application questions can be answered.

If staff assistance is still required for guidance or clarification, email is the best way to contact Program Specialists. We recommend that you contact staff well in advance of the deadline to ensure you can be accommodated. Please note: Staff assistance is not available after 5:00 p.

m. on the day of a grant deadline. People who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf Blind, or have difficulty speaking may dial 711 to reach the California Relay Service (CRS).

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