Community Action Grants - Arts and Culture

The Community Action Grants - Arts and Culture program by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation aims to empower organizations focused on racial justice and community-based solutions. It supports arts organizations that nurture creativity and civic engagement in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. This initiative recognizes the crucial role of artists and cultural workers in driving social change, thereby fostering a vibrant, equitable Silicon Valley. Eligible organizations must demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and community leadership.

Alongside community partners and donors, we use tools such as grantmaking, advocacy, research and policy work to drive lasting, positive change and create a future where every community member can thrive.
SVCF Community Action Grants
Using an equity lens, the Community Action Grants Program identifies and supports organizations across issue areas that foster creativity and help build the community’s power to promote an equitable, economically secure and vibrant Silicon Valley.
SVCF awards grants under the Community Action Grants program through an open Request for Proposals (RFP). Through this RFP, nonprofits may apply to multiple strategies through one application. The application is designed to recognize the important intersectional and intersectoral work of nonprofits in the region and provides organizations one entry to be considered for grants across the multiple focus areas.
This application is open to organizations engaged in the following focus areas:

• Arts and Culture
• Environment
• Faith and Neighborhoods
• Health
• Local Journalism
• Movement- and Power-Building
• Community Action Grants - Arts and Culture

Across sectors, artists, cultural workers and arts organizations – are increasingly being called upon to activate social change. This work is critical to engage communities in creative processes to broaden the spectrum of community voices.
SVCF’s Arts and Culture: Community Action Grants Program aims to support arts organizations that are working to strengthen the social fabric of communities and deepen civic engagement. In this focus area, SVCF will support arts organizations that nurture artistic and cultural expressions, and partner to create community-driven solutions and catalyze social change.

Eligibility

Organizations applying should have a clear focus on racial justice and a plan to prioritize community-based solutions, centering the populations they serve in leadership, design and implementation of programs.This RFP will only consider funding organizations with annual budgets under $3 million.Budgets for FY 2025 or FY 2024-2025 are required in the application.Organizations must serve San Mateo and/or Santa Clara counties.Organizations headquartered outside the two-county region may apply but should demonstrate significant service to these areas or partner with a local organization that does.Organizations with a 501(c)(3) designation, those that have a fiscal sponsor with a 501(c)(3) designation, public agencies, collaborations of nonprofit and public agencies, or other entities that have a designated charitable purpose will be considered.
Organizations must not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, citizenship status, creed, religion, religious affiliation, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.
Organizations with religious affiliations will be considered for funding only if the project for which they seek support addresses the needs of the wider community without regard to religious beliefs.Funding is primarily for general operating support.

Ineligibility

The following organization types are not eligible to apply for this RFP:Fiscally sponsored projects that are established solely to support the work of one individual.Foundations with the sole purpose to raise funds to support a public entity (such as education foundations).Funding will not be provided for:Capital improvements or budget shortfalls
Event sponsorship or fundraising events
Funding gaps due to organizational emergencies, such as office vandalism, the resignation of an executive director, or sudden loss of funding
If your organization received funding of $10,000 or more in the previous Round 1 grant round, it will not be considered for funding in the current round