Take Part Grants

Take Part Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs
Amount: US $2,500 - US $25,000
Last Updated: December 09, 2025

Summary

The Take Part Grants, offered by the City of San José Office of Cultural Affairs, support community-based arts projects that engage residents in cultural activities. Aimed at non-professional and small professional organizations, these grants foster creativity, cultural participation, and public value in the arts. Eligible projects should enhance community engagement and reflect the diverse cultural heritage of San José. Funding ranges from $2,500 to $25,000, promoting accessible arts experiences for all.

Overview

NOTE: Applicants are required to attend the appropriate pre-application workshop or review the recorded workshop before applying. See Letter of Inquiry Deadline above. First-time applicants are encouraged to consult with the program staff well in advance of the application deadline. Our Mission The San José Office of Cultural Affairs is a division of the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs, which is a part of the City Manager’s Office. The Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) awards grants to community-based organizations for the purpose of enhancing the cultural growth, resources, and vitality of San José. What We Do Invest in arts and cultural enterprisesFoster successful festivals and eventsSupport creative entrepreneurs and artistsBuild capacity of arts organizationsDevelop and sustain cultural venuesEnhance the built environmentPromote cultural tourismIncrease participation in the artsStimulate the creative economy take pART Grants Purpose take pART: Cultural Participation and Community Engagement Grants support arts activities offered by non-professional arts organizations and community service organizations with continuing arts programs, as well as small semi-professional and professional arts organizations seeking to secure City support for specific arts activities, rather than general operating support. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, community-based arts projects that involve San Jose residents directly in the artistic process, as well as projects by small artist-centered groups that do not have the need to build the kinds of institutional infrastructure required of Operating Grant applicants. take pART Grants support three guiding principles of Cultural Connection, San José’s plan for cultural development in the coming decade: Cultural Participation: Supporting residents’ personal, active participation in arts and culture.Cultural Pluralism: Using culture as a connector and fostering a “cultural commons” through arts and culture.Public Value of the Arts: Using personally meaningful arts experiences to help achieve community goals and create a better San José. take pART Grants are intended to encourage: Opportunities for public participation in arts and cultural activities;Life-long arts and cultural education programs outside the school setting;Expressions of culturally specific traditions of San Jose’s diverse population;Opportunities to experience and engage in the arts in neighborhood and community settings; andArts programs that serve the needs of the clients of health and social service institutions. Eligible Activities Types of activities that grants may support include, but are not limited to: Creative expression opportunities for San Jose residents who are not professional artists, through participation in the making and presentation of works of dance, literary arts, media and new media arts, music, theater, visual arts, and other art forms;Activities, in any arts discipline, that express the cultural values or heritage of culturally specific communities that make up the city of San José, especially communities that are economically underserved and communities that lack access to formal/conventional arts programs and/or arts venues;Arts programs, or individual arts projects, of small groups of artists who have organized to produce or exhibit work for public presentation in San José;Opportunities for the public to enjoy arts activities in San José neighborhood venues, such as community centers, libraries, community halls, and other non-traditional settings outside the downtown core;Single activities and extended projects that provide arts and cultural education opportunities for youth, special populations, or the community at large in neighborhood, community, and institutional-care settings. Such projects may include, but are not limited to, professional artists teaching in institutional-care settings, training programs for student or apprentice artists, and projects that introduce people to the arts of any culture. Funding Groups may submit take pART grant requests between $2,500 to $25,000. However, an applicant’s grant request may not exceed: 25 percent (25%) of the group’s entire organization-wide expenses in its most recent fiscal year; and50 percent (50%) of the project’s cost, whichever is less. Exception: The upper grant request limit for small groups - those with annual expenses of less than $50,000 in their last fiscal year – is not capped by 25 percent (25%) of their annual expenses; instead, small groups can apply for a grant of up to $15,000 or 50 percent (50%) of the project’s cost, whichever is less, as long as their total project expenses are $25,000 or over.

Eligibility

We've imported the main document for this grant to give you an overview. You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applications that are complete and submitted by the deadline will be accepted from groups that meet all the following conditions:The group has a principal place of operations in San José.Exception: A group that does not maintain a central place of business and consistently has had annual budgets below $150,000 can qualify if they offer a majority of their programming in San José.The group has 501(c)(3) nonprofit status or is the sponsored project of a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor.The group, in its current form, has at least a one-year history of providing arts programs in San José in venues that are accessible to people with disabilities.The group’s project: has expenses of at least $5,000; and takes place during the required timeline (see Guidelines) in the city of San José; and is not intended solely as a fundraiser nor to convey a religious message or advocate a political position.The group: is not a division/department within the City of San José; did not submit a Festival, Parade and Celebration Grant application for the project; and will not submit a Operating Grant applicationThe group is in compliance with requirements pertaining to any previous grant it has received through the Office of Cultural Affairs.One-Year and Two-Year Application Option:In addition to the criteria noted above, organizations are eligible for a two-year grant if they meet the following criteria:Have received a take pART or OCA grant award for three consecutive funding cycles.The project scope and budget does not change more than 15% for the second year.Have met the requirements of any current and previous grants administered by the Office of Cultural Affairs.

Ineligibility

Except as described above, in-school projects that benefit primarily students of a specific school or school district are not eligible.Outdoor festival and film festival applicants should apply to the Festival, Parade and Celebrations (FPC) Grants program, which is intended for these types of programs.take pART Grant awards are not intended to provide ongoing operating support to an organization.Groups interested in ongoing year-round program support or generally unrestricted support should review the information on Operating Grants.