The Investing in Artists: Artistic Innovation program (fka Investing in Artists) supports diverse, Bay Area working artists who are developing new work in the performing or media arts that pushes the envelope of their creative process, explores new artistic collaborations, and/or supports artistic growth and experimentation that extends the boundaries of their art-making. 

Through a competitive application process conducted over three rounds of funding from 2024 to 2026, approximately eight grants of up to $9,000 each will be made annually to Bay Area performing and media artists, with Bay Area County eligibility rotating every year. 

For your reference, disciplines that fall under the performing and media arts include dance, music, musical theatre, opera, theatre, video, film, and animation, to name a few. 

We encourage you to review the Guidelines, Application Preview, and Frequently Asked Questions before applying. You can access all relevant materials here.

ELIGIBILITY

To be considered for funding, applicants:

• For the 2024 Round: Must reside full-time in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco County when applying and for the duration of the grant period (November 2024 – November 2025).
  • Must be an individual working artist. (See the guidelines for a definition of "working artist.")
• Must propose a new project. (Projects that have already taken place or that will take place before the start of the grant period are ineligible.)
• Must have performed or presented artistic work in a public context—including online/digital platforms—within the last three years (i.e., since 2021).
• Must be 18 years or older at the time of the application deadline.

The following are ineligible for funding consideration: 

• Artist collectives, coops, or collaboratives;
• Nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organizations;
• Group performances or other group-based projects;
• Individuals playing a supportive or “producer” role in developing an individual artist’s work (such as curators, producers, designers, technicians, fabricators, and advisors); 
• Full-time or matriculated students;
• Applicants who submit more than one application;
• Incomplete applications and those with inaccessible work samples or other required files; and
• Individuals who have a conflict of interest (family or financial relationship) with the board, staff, or directors of the Center for Cultural Innovation.

QUESTIONS & SUPPORT

CCI staff are here to help and listen. Please email us at grants@cciarts.org (include IA - Artistic Innovation 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 is 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.

The Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment program (“T&E Fund”) supports individual craft artists to purchase artistic tools, materials, or equipment that support their ability to make object-based work. The program is open to individual craft artists, craftspeople, and folk and traditional artists in the United States and its Territories with geographic eligibility rotating over the 2024–2026 funding cycle.

Funding will be awarded through a competitive grant application process. Competitive applicants will present a clear request, demonstrate a sustained commitment to their craft, and illustrate how funding will provide linchpin support, such as enabling the artist to meet demand, address safety requirements or other regulations, replace outdated or damaged equipment, or reach a higher standard of quality or craftsmanship. In other words, funding will support craft artists’ careers and ability to make work. Applicants may request $1,000–$5,000. A total of $50,000 is available in each round of funding.

We encourage you to review the Guidelines, Application Preview, and Frequently Asked Questions before applying. You can access all relevant materials here.

ELIGIBILITY

To be considered for funding, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Identify as an individual working craft artist. (See definition in Guidelines.)
• Align with CCI’s definition of craft. (See definition in Guidelines.)
• Reside full-time in an eligible region. Investing in Artists: Tools & Equipment's 2024-2026 funding cycle will rotate geographic eligibility.

1. For the 2024 round of funding, craftspeople residing full-time in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming are eligible to apply. Additionally, craftspeople residing full-time in the U.S. Territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands are eligible to apply.
2. For the 2025 funding round, craftspeople residing full-time in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, Texas, or Wisconsin will be eligible to apply.
3. For the 2026 funding round, craftspeople residing full-time in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, or Virginia will be eligible to apply.

• Presented artistic work in a public context—including online/digital platforms—within the last three years (i.e., since 2021).
• Are 18 years or older at the time of the application deadline.

The following are ineligible for funding consideration: 

• Artist collectives, coops, or collaboratives;
• Nonprofit or fiscally sponsored organizations;
• Recipients of the Maxwell/Hanrahan Award in Craft, administered by United States Artists;
• Incomplete applications and those with inaccessible work samples or other required files;
• Full-time or matriculating students;
• Applicants who submit more than one application;
• Requests to support training in or experimentation with a new medium;
• Requests for routine art materials or supplies;
• Requests for fixed costs (e.g., studio rent, equipment/tool insurance and ongoing maintenance, utilities);
• Requests to support capital improvements or repairs, purchases made before the award of the grant, consultant fees, personal compensation, or payment of debts, credit cards, loans, or other financial responsibilities; and
• Applicants who have a conflict of interest (family or financial relationships) with the boards, staff, and directors of CCI or the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation.

QUESTIONS & SUPPORT

CCI staff are here to help! For questions about the grant guidelines or application, email us at grants@cciarts.org (include "T&E Fund" in the Subject Heading) or call 415.713.7650. For Deaf applicants and those with hearing loss, contact CCI using the California Relay Service—our staff is 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 September 16, 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.

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.