Grants for the Arts

Grants for the Arts

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: City & County Of San Francisco
Amount: US $10,000 - US $450,000
Last Updated: March 12, 2026

Summary

The Grants for the Arts program provides significant financial support to arts and culture organizations in San Francisco, with grants ranging from $10,000 to $450,000 over two years. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 501(c)(6) nonprofits, focusing on capacity building and public arts programming. This initiative aims to foster community engagement and promote vibrant cultural experiences through performances, exhibits, and festivals, ensuring access to the arts for all residents.

Overview

Grants for the Arts We provide general operating support for arts and culture organizations, and fund re-granting to individual artists and groups. We offer General Operating Support (GOS) grants to San Francisco arts nonprofits to support: Arts Programming: Choose this grant type if you plan to fund a season or series of Public performancesExhibitsOther arts activities in San Francisco Arts Services: Choose this grant type if you plan to fund programs or services providing capacity building for other San Francisco-based arts and culture organizations and/or artists. This is formerly known as Capacity Building & Regranting. Parades and Festivals: Choose this grant type if you plan to fund art and cultural experiences in the form of parades and/or festivals in San Francisco public spaces that have free admission and are open the public. Focus areas can include celebrating: cultural heritagea community, a neighborhood, or a shared cultural interest. Grant Amounts Grant amounts range between $10,000 to $450,000 for each year of a two-year grant. We base the amount on the applicant's: General operating budget size Application score (you must score 75 points or more)GFTA’s FY25 and FY26 budget availabilityGrants awarded to organizations receiving GFTA funding for the first time will not exceed $10,000 per year. Grants awarded to organizations who have received grants from GFTA previously, but whose application did not score high enough to receive an award for the last application will also not exceed $10,000 per year. If you are awarded a two-year grant, GFTA will calculate your award amount for the first year of the grant, FY25.GFTA will not allocate an award amount for the second year, FY26, until the City’s budget has been approved in July or August of 2026.The award amount for the second year may be equal to, less, or more than what you were awarded in the first year depending on the city’s budget health. GFTA may in its sole discretion increase or decrease an organization’s FY26 grant amount.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. GFTA only provides GOS grants to 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations or to organizations fiscally sponsored by 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), or 501(c)(6) nonprofits.  GFTA strives to be a stable, dependable resource for organizations who successfully meet its funding criteria and align with GFTA’s goals of promoting vibrancy, transparency, accountability, and equity in the City and County of San Francisco (City); and is committed to supporting the full spectrum of arts organizations in the City. Applicants may only apply to one General Operating Support (GOS) grant type, unless they are a fiscal sponsor applying on behalf of other organizations.