Grants for Arts Organizations

The FY 2023 -24 Santa Monica Arts Transportation Grant (ATG) Program is no longer accepting applications. Please check back soon for 2024-25 ATG application updates!

The City of Santa Monica Arts Transportation Grant Program funds transportation to and from arts and culture destinations throughout Los Angeles County. Any Santa Monica school or nonprofit organization wishing to visit a cultural destination in L.A. County may apply. 

Review the 2023-24 Arts Transportation Grant guidelines. 

Applications Available: Annually in September - October. 

Deadline: Rolling until available funds are depleted. Most funds are assigned by mid-November, but cancellations do occur, so applicants are encouraged to contact the City to find out if applications are still being accepted through the winter. 

Overview: This is a reimbursement program; grant funds may be used only to reimburse the costs incurred by transporting Santa Monica residents and students to and from cultural destinations, such as performing arts venues and museums. Destinations must be accessible to people with disabilities. Support comes from the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Proposition A Local Return funds. The MTA requires that program services be made available to all members of the public in an age-appropriate manner, not limited to a specific group. For example, a third-grade class trip to the Getty Museum must be reasonably prepared to accommodate any Santa Monica third-grader who requests a seat, if seats are available. All excursions approved in this program will be listed on the City website with contact information so that a parent from another school, for example, may reserve a place for a child to participate in the funded activity. 

Approved FY 23/24 Excursions: Please click here to view the list of excursions and contact information for each trip. 

Questions about this program should be directed artsgrants@santamonica.gov. or 310-910-0828

The 2023-25 Organizational grant Program (OSP) is now closed. Deadline for submission of applications was 11:59 PM, Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Program guidelines for the 2023-25 OSP are downloadable here.

Santa Monica’s Organizational Support Program (OSP) was created in 1996 to provide multi-year support to the City’s resident nonprofit arts and heritage nonprofits. The program makes grants of up to ten percent of local organizations’ budgets. Grants are awarded after an application process, currently on a two-year cycle. Resident organizations are defined as those whose primary administrative office and primary location of programming (more than 50% of program activities) are within Santa Monica city limits. Prospective applicants must read the OSP program guidelines before beginning an application.

Organizations receiving grants are expected to:

• Provide Santa Monica’s diverse communities with opportunities for creativity, artistic participation, and a better understanding of cultural heritage.
• Increase and sustain world-class artistic production and exhibitions in Santa Monica. 
• Highlight the city as an international creative center.
• Open avenues of discourse among the public to broad topics of human creativity and learning. 

Questions about this program should be directed to artsgrants@santamonica.gov or 310-905-0828

Applications to the 2024-25 Community Access & Participation (CAP) grant program are now open!

PROGRAM TIMELINE:

Applications Open: Monday, September 23, 2024

Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 16, 2024, 11:59pm

Arts Commission Approval: Monday, November 18, 2024

Award Announcements: December, 2024

Project Term: January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025

2024-25 CAP Guidelines

2024-25 CAP Application  

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

The City of Santa Monica’s Community Access & Participation (CAP) program provides grants to City-based nonprofit arts and culture organizations to provide Santa Monica residents and visitors increased access to high quality arts and culture programs.  

WHAT’S NEW

We have updated the eligibility requirements, guidelines and application processes for the 2024-25 Community Access & Participation (CAP) program:

• The CAP application and process has been shortened, simplified and will be completed on a simple online application form.   
• Current or last cycle (2023-24) grantees of The City of Santa Monica’s OSP and CAP program are not required to submit supplemental financial materials as part of the CAP application. (Please note, it is still required that organizations complete and maintain financial information annually, [SMU DataArts, 990s, etc.], but it is no longer a requirement to submit them as part of the CAP application.)  
• Organizations that are not funded currently through the OSP program, or were funded in the last CAP grant cycle (2023-24) must submit both an SMU DataArts Funder Report and 990 for their most recently completed fiscal year.
• Organizations may submit one application per CAP application cycle. Grant award amounts will range between $3,000 - $6,000, depending on the organization's budget size and total 2024-25 CAP funds available.
• Applications will be internally reviewed by City of Santa Monica Arts Commission staff and will not be subject to a panel review process. NOTE: OSP applications will still be reviewed by an external panel.
• CAP Project categories have been updated to reflect the City of Santa Monica’s 2023-25 Priorities.

APPLICATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES

• On October 1st, Cultural Affairs staff hosted an info session to provide information and answer questions about the CAP application, guidelines and process. If you weren’t able to attend and would like to review the PPT presentation, please find it here.  
• Office Hours: Book a 20-minute one-on-one online appointment with Cultural Affairs staff to discuss CAP application, guidelines and process.

QUESTIONS?

Contact: artsgrants@santamonica.gov or 310-905-0828