Your Government » Departments & Offices » Cultural Affairs » Grants Program

Operating Grants

Through the Office of Cultural Affairs, the City of San José offers several programs of financial support to ensure a continuing and rich variety of cultural opportunities for its residents as well as visitors to the city.

The City of San José awards Operating Grants (OpG) to a limited number of professionally-managed San Jose arts/cultural organizations with ongoing, year-round arts programming. The grant supports general operating needs.

2024-2025 OPERATING GRANTS

  • APPLICATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2024 by 4:59 PM
  • Grant Applications will be open for submissions on WebGrants after the pre-application workshop.

PRE-APPLICATION WORKSHOP (REQUIRED)

  • A required pre-application workshop was held on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 via Zoom. See below for the link to the recording of the workshop.
  • NOTE: Applicants who are considering submitting an Operating Grant are REQUIRED to attend the pre-application workshop OR review the recorded workshop before applying.

One-Year and Two-Year OpG Application Determination

Each year, certain organizations are eligible to file a two-year application. During the FY 2024-2025 funding cycle, the two-year application covers both FY 2024-2025 and FY 2025-2026 grant cycles.

Two-Year Application

Organizations that meet all the following criteria are eligible to file a two-year application in the FY 2024-2025 grant cycle:

  • Have annual operating expenditures averaging below $750,000 in the three most recently completed fiscal years (For non-arts organizations, substitute documented arts-specific expenditures in place of annual operating expenditures).
  • Received Operating Grants in the past two funding cycles, and
  • Did not incur an operating deficit at the end of FY 2022-2023 and are not projecting an
    operating deficit at the end of FY 2023-2024, OR incurred an operating deficit at the end
    of FY 2022-2023 or projects an operating deficit at the end of FY 2023-2024 but can
    demonstrate that the deficit did not or will not exceed 15 percent (15%) of its unrestricted
    fund balance (unrestricted net assets).

All other organizations will submit a one-year application for the FY 2024-2025 grant program cycle.

QUESTIONS? Email questions to ron.muriera@sanjoseca.gov