CALI Catalyst provides unrestricted grants of up to $7,500 to California changemakers who are creating tangible impact within the arts and culture sector, shifting power and influence to historically underrepresented voices.

CALI Catalyst launched in 2021 to provide financial support and validation to individuals whose frontline work to upend the status quo in the arts and culture sector is creating tangible change and moving the needle towards greater equity and inclusion. 

When individuals take bold steps to challenge the status quo, they risk sacrificing their jobs, social status, and reputation, and more often than not, their hard labor goes unpaid. CALI Catalyst recognizes that this is precisely the time when the arts and culture sector needs to support these changemakers who are ensuring historically marginalized communities—such as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities–don’t fall through the cracks. By speaking out and taking action, such as exposing discriminatory hiring practices or disrupting harmful philanthropic norms, these individuals make the arts and culture field better for everyone. The CALI Catalyst grant program aims to support such leaders financially, recognizing that the fear of financial risk can silence voices and discourage meaningful change.

Please visit the CALI Catalyst webpage to review the Application Preview (.doc and .pdf versions), Grant Guidelines, and Frequently Asked Questions.

HOW TO APPLY

CALI Catalyst will offer two open application rounds in 2024. These are:

• Round #1: Applications will be accepted from March 13 to May 6, 2024, at 11:59 a.m. (noon) PT. Notifications will be sent via Submittable on July 1 by 5 p.m. PT. 
• Round #2: Applications will be accepted from June 12 to August 5, 2024, at 11:59 a.m. (noon) PT. Notifications will be sent via Submittable on September 30 by 5 p.m. PT. 

CCI staff are here to help and listen. Please email us at grants@cciarts.org (include CALI Catalyst in the subject line) or call 415.288.0530 for assistance. You may also schedule a time to speak here. For Deaf applicants and those with hearing loss, contact CCI using the California Relay Service—our staff are trained in making and receiving these calls.

If you need technical assistance (e.g., password or upload issues), request support at: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/. Submittable’s business hours are 9 am – 5 pm MT. They aim to respond within 24 business hours.

Notifications for this cycle will be shared via Submittable on June 15, 2024, by 5:30 pm PT. We encourage you to add Submittable to your Safe Senders list so that you don't miss any communications from CCI--see instructions here.

The Quick Grant program supports artists and arts organizations' financial resilience through professional development support.

The Quick Grant program provides grants of up to $600 to California artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, and cultural producers, and San Francisco/San Jose nonprofit arts administrators to participate in professional development activities that build administrative capacity, hone business skills, and strengthen the financial resilience of the grantee’s practice, area of cultural production, or arts organization.

WHO CAN APPLY

• California artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, and cultural producers; and
• San Francisco and San José nonprofit arts organization staff

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

• Professional development activities that build administrative capacity, hone business skills, and/or strengthen the financial resilience of the grantee’s practice, area of cultural production, or arts organization.
•  Activities must begin after application notification. For example, for the March 15 deadline, the proposed activity must start on or after April 16.

INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

• Activities focused primarily on creative or artistic skill development, art teaching/teaching artist methods and techniques, or artistic presentation/production.
• Activities that support an applicant’s adjacent enterprise.
• Requests to support overhead, general operating expenses, or lost income.
• Funding to purchase art supplies, materials, or advance inventory. 
• Activities proposed by artists, creatives, cultural practitioners, or cultural producers to support the operations of a nonprofit organization or a role in arts administration.
• Activities that have already taken place or that will occur before application notifications are sent.

To view an Application Preview (.doc and .pdf versions), Grant Guidelines, and Frequently Asked Questions, please visit the Quick Grant webpage here.

For technical assistance (e.g., upload issues), request support at: https://www.submittable.com/help/submitter/. Submittable’s business hours are 9 am – 5 pm MT. They aim to respond within 24 business hours.