Neighborhood Organization Grant Program

This page has been updated as of August 11, 2026.

On September 30, 2025, the City Council reformed how the City distributes funding to neighborhood organizations and established a new Neighborhood Organization Grant Program. The Council created a new, opt-in program with specific guidelines governing allowable uses of City funds, designed to ensure funding is promoting transparency and accountability and that public funds not be used to take positions on political candidates.

A total of $49,000 is budgeted for the FY 2026-27. Individual grant award amounts are determined based on the number of households represented within each participating organization’s boundaries, as outlined in the chart below.

Grant funds are intended to support various community-building events and activities consistent with the goals and requirements of the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program.

To qualify for the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program, an organization must:

Represent a commonly recognized neighborhood in Santa Monica.
Possess current tax-exempt nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) organization.
Publicly post organizational bylaws on its website.
Have an active board of directors or officers who meet regularly, with meetings open to the public.
Maintain an active board of directors elected in accordance with organizational bylaws.
Hold at least one general membership meeting annually.
Maintain a membership of at least 50 active members (residing at separate addresses) or 10% of eligible households within the organization’s boundaries, whichever is less.
Request and submit demographic data for board composition. This is strictly voluntary and City will provide online form on website to submit information.
Submit a complete Neighborhood Organization Grant Program Application.

All funds awarded during the fiscal year 2026-2027 grant cycle are to be expended by June 30, 2027. Organizations will be required to provide a Final Closeout Report and return any remaining grant funds in accordance with the Grant Reporting Requirements section of this fiscal year 2026-2027 Neighborhood Grant Application. Final Close Out Reports for the 2026-2027 Grant are due July 15, 2027.

Applications for the fiscal year 2026-2027 Grant Program are available below:

Neighborhood Organization Grant Application

Applications are due by August 31, 2026.

For a list of frequently asked questions and answers, see FAQ below.

2025-2026 Neighborhood Organization Grant Recipients:

FAQ

What are the requirements to form a new City grant-eligible neighborhood organization?

Represent a commonly recognized neighborhood within Santa Monica.
Submit a complete Neighborhood Organization Grant Program Application, including a Proposed Use of Funds Plan approved by the City Manager’s Office prior to expenditure of funds.
Possess tax-exempt status as a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) or Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, or Section 23701(d) or 23701(f) of the California State Franchise Tax Code.
Have an active board of directors or officers elected in accordance with organizational bylaws. All board meetings shall be open to the public in compliance with applicable laws. If meetings are held virtually, access information shall be publicly posted and made readily available as required by applicable law.
Publicly post its current organizational bylaws on its website and maintain such posting throughout the term of this Agreement.
Hold at least one general membership meeting annually.
Maintain a membership list of at least 50 active members (residing at separate addresses) or 10 percent eligible households within the neighborhood boundaries as defined in the bylaws, whichever is less.
Submit demographic data (age, income, housing tenure (renter or homeowner).

What is the City Council’s policy regarding the use of public funds for political activities?

Public funds provided through the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program may not be used to support or oppose political candidates. Further, groups participating in the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program are not allowed to take an official position to either support or oppose political candidates. This reflects the City Council’s unanimous direction from September 30, 2025.

Are the program application materials and guidelines aligned with City Council direction?

Yes. The application, guidelines, and all related materials have been reviewed and updated to ensure they are fully consistent with City Council direction.

Can Neighborhood Organizations provide information about ballot measures?

Yes. Organizations may conduct education and outreach related to ballot measures, as long as the information is neutral, factual, and informational, and does not advocate for or against a position.

Can grant funds be used for communications like newsletters or mailers?

Yes. Funds may be used for communications that inform members about meetings, events, and programming, including mailers and similar outreach materials. However, funds can not be used for membership list building.

Do organizations need approval for every expense?

No. Organizations must submit a proposed annual budget at the start of the grant period, consistent with prior practice. However, they are not required to obtain pre-approval for each individual expenditure.

Can Neighborhood Organizations host candidates running for office?

Yes. Organizations may host meetings with candidates, provided the events are conducted in a neutral, nonpartisan, and informational manner.

Is providing demographic information mandatory?

No. Any requests for demographic information from board members are strictly voluntary and the City will provide an online form on the grant program website to collect information.

Can Neighborhood Organizations engage in political activities through another entity?

Yes. Organizations may form or operate separate affiliated entities to conduct political activities.

Can affiliated political entities receive grant funding?

No. Any affiliated entity that engages in political activities—such as endorsing candidates—may not receive taxpayer funds or participate in the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program.

What types of organizations are eligible for the program?

Eligible organizations must be engaged in civic community-building activities, consistent with the purpose of the grant program.

Who is recognized as an official Neighborhood Organization under the program?

Only groups that qualify, apply, and are formally approved will be identified by the City as official participants in the Neighborhood Organization Grant Program.

Can City officials meet with organizations that endorse candidates?

Yes. Elected officials and City staff are not prohibited from meeting with such groups in their official capacity to provide briefings or answer questions.

Will there be additional changes to the program?

Yes. The City will continue to evaluate the program and may provide additional recommendations to improve clarity, accessibility, and consistency.

What happens if all $49,000 in funding is not used?

Remaining eligible funds may be requested and distributed to newly formed neighborhood organizations or current NOGP participants that meet program eligibility requirements and request funding to support community-building events and activities consistent with NOGP objectives, subject to approval by the City Manager.