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City's Initiative (CI)

Houston Arts Alliance

Funding Amount

Up to $10,000

Deadline

April 21, 2026

13 days left

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

City's Initiative (CI)

Funder: Houston Arts Alliance (HAA), administered through City of Houston Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA)

Geographic Scope: City of Houston, TX

Funding Source: Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT)

Purpose: Provides funding to individual artists, creatives, and nonprofits for strategic and creative opportunities to engage visitors and residents while building upon Houston's cultural identity and tourism.

    Eligibility

  • Individual Artists and Creatives
  • Organizations
  • Fiscally Sponsored Projects

    Funding Categories

    Grant funding falls into three categories:
  • Art + Neighborhood Cultural Destinations
  • Art + Disaster Resilience Awareness
  • Art + Conference Tourism

MOCA also awards a small number of special community initiatives each year.

    Award Amount

  • Up to $10,000 per award
  • Historically between $5,000 - $10,000

    Application Cycles (2026)

    Round 1:
  • Application period: March 23, 2026 9 A.M. – April 21, 2026 11:59 P.M. CST
  • Grant term: August 1, 2026 – August 1, 2027

Round 2:

  • Application period: May 25, 2026 9 A.M. – June 23, 2026 11:59 P.M. CST

  • Grant term: October 1, 2026 – October 1, 2027
  • Round 3:

  • Application period: August 28, 2026 9 A.M. – September 26, 2026 11:59 P.M. CST

  • Grant term: January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027
    • Contact Information

      Houston Arts Alliance
    • Address: 5280 Caroline St Ste 100, Houston, TX 77004
    • Email: info@haatx.com
    • Phone: 713.527.9330
    • Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

    How to Apply

    How to Apply

    • Access the HAA Grants Portal at haatx.com
    • Book a meeting with Grants Staff for assistance

    Support Resources

    HAA offers workshops and informational sessions:

  • In-person workshops

  • Zoom workshops with Grants Staff

  • Instagram Live sessions

  • Virtual Grants Lab
    • Required Materials

    • Follow 2026 CI Grant Guidelines
    • Complete application through HAA Grants Portal

      Review Process

    • Competitive peer panel process
    • Reviewed by community-based panels of diverse identities, perspectives, and areas of expertise

    Creative Impact Boost

    Qualifying applicants who have been historically marginalized receive a 45% increase in their awards.

    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    artsnonprofits

    Categories

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