Field-of-Interest Grant Program - Arts and Culture Fund

The Field-of-Interest Grant Program, established in 2016 by the Community Foundation of Mendocino County, offers funding opportunities for local nonprofits focusing on arts and culture, disaster relief, and community resilience. With grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,500, the program supports initiatives that enhance public engagement in the arts, provide accessible programming, and foster historical appreciation. This program aims to nurture Mendocino County's unique cultural heritage and support diverse community needs.

NOTE:
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply at least five days in advance of the deadline.If you received a Field-of-Interest Fund Grant in the prior year, your organization is not eligible to apply for this round of funding, unless it is a school or community services district.
The Field-of-Interest Grant Program offers grant opportunities for local nonprofits with proposed projects or initiatives in the fields of arts and culture, children and youth, disaster relief, recovery, and resilience, economic development the environment, and healthy and inclusive communities.
Established in 2016, the Field-of-Interest Grant Program is a collection of funds established to make grants in specified areas of interest (e.g., the environment or human services), or specified geographical areas, or both. The grant program is offered annually with funding provided by individual Field-of-Interest funds.
Purpose
The goal of the program is to provide grants to Mendocino County nonprofit organizations around specified areas of interest (e.g., the environment or human services), or specified geographical areas, or both. Available funding and grant guidelines are provided annually. Not all funds run every year.
The Fund for Arts and Culture is comprised of private donors and the A.D. Abramson Endowment Fund for the Visual Arts, the Arts in the Schools Endowment Fund, the Community Endowment Fund, the Fund for Visual and Performing Arts, the Jonathan Gibbs Memorial Fund, the Judy Pruden Fund for Historical Preservation, and the Textile and Fiber Arts Endowment Fund.
The Fund for Arts and Culture was established to provide grants that nurture artistic and cultural organizations and initiatives in Mendocino County, including those that honor the region’s unique history and sense of place.
Funding priorities include, but are not limited to:
Supporting efforts that bolster the delivery of performing and visual art experiences and/or grow local audiences.Making arts programming accessible to Mendocino County residents and visitors of all ages.Facilitating high-quality arts education in K-12 classrooms, such as providing artists with training and/or additional resources.Supporting community groups or accomplished local artists in creating high-quality art that will be displayed in public spaces. Please note: Permission for public art installation must be secured with an MOU from the entity where it will be installed (e.g., park, civic building, library, hospital, city, etc.)Supporting projects encouraging the practice, appreciation, and/or education of traditional and contemporary textile and fiber arts, such as special projects, speakers, publications, exhibitions, community or school education programs, etc.Supporting impactful projects that enrich the public’s understanding and appreciation of Mendocino County’s history, such as historical publications and exhibits, marketing materials for historical tours, and historical information/plaques/interactive media.
Grant range: $1,000-$5,500
Grant proposals for $5,000 or more may have two stages of review: an initial review and a site visit. Site visits may be made in-person, by phone, or virtually.