California Diversity Equity and Inclusion Grants

The CALI Catalyst program, launched in 2021 by the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), provides unrestricted grants of up to $7,500 to California changemakers in the arts and culture sector. This program is designed to offer financial support and validation to individuals and teams who are actively working to disrupt the status quo and advance greater equity and inclusion within the field. The foundation's mission, through this program, aligns with supporting those on the frontlines who are creating tangible change and shifting power to historically underrepresented voices, recognizing the fear of financial risk can silence crucial voices. The target beneficiaries for the CALI Catalyst grant are artists and arts workers, including administrators, cultural producers, and creatives, who reside full-time in California. The program specifically seeks to impact historically marginalized communities such as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities. The overarching impact goal is to foster a more equitable and inclusive arts and culture sector by supporting individuals whose change-making actions have created tangible and measurable results at a local, regional, state, or national level. The program prioritizes and focuses on supporting actions that started on or after January 1, 2020, demonstrating ongoing or recently impactful efforts. Examples of these efforts include challenging capitalist notions of productivity to prioritize self-care for Black leaders, modeling non-hierarchical nonprofit structures led by artists of color, and creating equitable contracting practices between artists and cultural institutions. The program aims to support those who are speaking out against discriminatory practices and disrupting harmful philanthropic norms, ultimately making the arts and culture field better for everyone. Expected outcomes include continued momentum for field-wide change, with changemakers ensuring that historically marginalized communities are not overlooked. Measurable results can be observed through the ripple effects of grantees' work, such as the creation of nourishing spaces for Black leaders, the establishment of precedents for cooperative nonprofit models, and the development of equitable contracting practices. The foundation's strategic priorities and theory of change are centered on the belief that by financially supporting these change agents, they can empower voices, mitigate financial risk, and ultimately drive greater inclusion, access, diversity, and equity across the arts and culture sector.

The HealthCare Foundation for Orange County is offering a grant for 501(c)(3) organizations and hospitals in selected cities of California, aimed at improving the health of underserved women and children by empowering caregivers, providing culturally relevant services, removing healthcare barriers, and addressing community health gaps.

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is offering Special Project Grants of $100,000 to $500,000 for a 3-year period to arts nonprofit organizations for youth arts programs, arts service organizations, and Asian and Pacific Islander arts and culture programming, with the application deadline set for October 9, 2024.

The Route 66 Black Experiences Grant Program provides direct grant awards to African-American owned/operated businesses and attractions along Route 66, and funding to support research and programs designed to tell the stories of Black experiences related to Route 66. The program, celebrating the Route 66 Centennial, aims to help Black-owned businesses and attractions stay in operation, reopen, and expand, while also supporting research and storytelling efforts related to Black experiences on Route 66. Eligible applicants include Black-owned/operated businesses located along Route 66 with fewer than 20 employees. The 2024 grant round offers a total of $50,000 in awards, with applications due by July 14, 2024, and awards announced the week of August 5, 2024.

The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is offering grants to Santa Clara County municipalities, jurisdictions, arts, cultural, education, nonprofit, and community organizations to advance its vision of equitable Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC). This program aims to foster innovative and robust partnerships between VTA and local public agencies, nonprofits, community organizations, and diverse stakeholders. The overarching mission alignment is to support the implementation of equitable Transit-Oriented Communities within Santa Clara County, focusing on creating sustainable, inclusive, and transit-friendly environments. The grant program targets communities and organizations located within a half-mile radius of existing and planned VTA light rail stations, VTA transit centers, BART stations, and commuter rail stations served by Caltrain, ACE, and/or Capitol Corridor. The primary beneficiaries are residents and businesses within these transit-rich areas, particularly those with limited incomes, and community organizations striving to make these areas more equitable. Impact goals include empowering and strengthening communities, increasing transit ridership, reducing reliance on car trips, and supporting intensive mixed-use, mixed-income development around transit hubs. The program prioritizes projects that support collaboration and fall under four key areas: Planning and Policy Implementation, Community Resilience, Education & Engagement, and Placemaking, Arts, and Activation. Planning and Policy Implementation focuses on advancing policies and regulations for equitable TOCs, including station area planning and equitable development plans. Community Resilience emphasizes anti-displacement efforts, affordable housing preservation, small business support, and promoting transit use among low-income individuals. Education & Engagement aims to increase community leadership and participation in TOC implementation through advocacy, capacity building, and culturally relevant engagement practices. Placemaking, Arts, and Activation seeks to improve the transit rider and community experience through public arts, cultural projects, and beautification initiatives that enhance safety and accessibility. Expected outcomes include a significant increase in the adoption and implementation of equitable TOC policies and plans, tangible progress in anti-displacement efforts and affordable housing, enhanced community capacity and participation in transit-oriented development, and improved public spaces around transit stations. Measurable results will include the number of selected projects (14-20 projects are anticipated), the amount of funding distributed (up to $15,000 to $175,000 per project), and the commencement of projects between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. The VTA's strategic priorities are clearly centered on fostering equitable development, encouraging transit ridership, and building strong community partnerships as a core theory of change to achieve sustainable and inclusive transit-oriented growth in Santa Clara County.

The City of West Hollywood's Arts Project Grant offers funding to eligible nonprofit arts organizations for projects taking place within the city and serving its community. This program aligns with the city's broader mission to enrich the lives of its residents and visitors through cultural engagement. The grant aims to foster a vibrant arts scene, recognize and champion local cultural resources, and discover new places for artmaking, directly supporting the city's commitment to cultural development and community well-being. The primary target beneficiaries are the residents and visitors of West Hollywood, with a focus on increasing their access to quality arts programming. The program seeks to engage diverse audiences and expand participation in the arts, particularly making experiences financially and geographically accessible. Beyond cultural enrichment, the grant also intends to support local businesses by increasing revenues and fostering arts-business partnerships, contributing to the economic vitality of the West Hollywood community. Key priorities for this grant include presenting one artistic presentation per year, as opposed to a series of projects, ensuring focused and impactful events. The program prioritizes organizations that can demonstrate artistic experience, an understanding of West Hollywood's unique cultural diversity, and a commitment to serving the general public within the city or immediately adjacent areas. Projects that do not include fundraisers, capital campaigns, murals, or religious-based programs are eligible, maintaining a clear focus on public arts presentations. Expected outcomes and measurable results are centered on increasing engagement with the arts, expanding arts audiences, and enhancing the accessibility of arts experiences for West Hollywood residents. The program also aims to strengthen local cultural resources and generate economic benefits for local businesses through arts-related activities. While specific quantitative metrics are not detailed in the provided text, the emphasis on "increasing access," "expanding audiences," and "increasing revenues for local businesses" indicates the desire for demonstrable positive impacts in these areas. The City of West Hollywood's strategic priorities for this grant reflect a theory of change that postulates that by investing in local arts organizations and projects, the city can foster a more engaged, culturally rich, and economically robust community. The grant's focus on accessibility, local relevance, and partnership building suggests a belief that widespread participation in the arts can lead to a stronger sense of community, increased quality of life for residents, and tangible economic benefits for local enterprises. This aligns with a broader strategy of leveraging cultural assets for comprehensive community development.

This funding provides financial support to build free broadband networks for low-income communities, including public housing and mobile home parks, ensuring residents have access to high-quality internet service.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to federally recognized California tribes to address issues related to missing and murdered Indigenous people through various prevention and intervention initiatives.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to community-based organizations in California to promote workplace safety and educate workers about their rights under state labor laws.

This funding opportunity is designed to support innovative projects that develop and demonstrate Direct Air Capture technologies in California, while also engaging and educating local communities about carbon removal efforts.

This funding program supports nonprofit organizations that provide essential services and improve the quality of life for residents of Palm Desert, particularly focusing on underserved populations.

This program provides up to $5,000 to small, independently owned businesses in Arcadia, California, to help cover costs associated with permits for opening, expanding, or improving their commercial spaces.

The purpose of the Program is to fund CASA Programs in California to provide more children in foster care with a CASA volunteer who will advocate for the services and support needed by children who have experienced abuse and neglect.

This grant provides $1 million to a qualified nonprofit or educational institution in California to develop a project aimed at improving health outcomes and reducing disparities for low-income and marginalized communities in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Grantees will be asked to focus on prevention and early intervention efforts with the end goal of increasing access to mental health services for veterans and their families.  Proposals funded under CVHI must be inclusive, equitable, and available to all veterans regardless of age, period of service, type of service, discharge status, or disability rating. Applicants must be able to meet the eligibility requirements of California Military and Veterans Code Section 881 to be considered for funding, and proposals must aim to expand the state’s capacity to provide mental health support to veterans and to fill gaps in mental health services. Applicants are required to select the program areas they are proposing and provide a description of the proposed activities and how the proposed activities would increase mental health access for California veterans. This NOFA allows for flexibility in program design to fit the specific needs of veterans and their families across the state, Outreach, Peer Support, Case Management, Outpatient Clinical Treatment, and Innovative Approaches will be eligible for funding and are further defined in the NOFA. The Grantee staff and leadership will be expected to maintain significant engagement with CalVet for monthly check-ins, operations assistance, reporting, and evaluation. Applicants are encouraged to ensure they are budgeting for appropriate levels of staff, time for data collection and reporting, time spent in CVHI meetings and trainings, and appropriate facility requirements (office space, group space, hardware and software equipment, supplies, overhead). Through an Application process responsive to the NOFA, awarded Grantees will provide clear and convincing evidence of adequate personnel, facility, and organizational capacity to effectively carry out their proposed project. The successful Applicant will describe how they meet minimum qualifications, including their breadth of experience working with Veterans, with special emphasis on treating veterans with mental health concerns. 

This funding opportunity provides financial support to non-profit organizations and public agencies in California to deliver essential services aimed at improving the health, safety, and educational outcomes of children, youth, and young adults in Richmond and unincorporated North Richmond.

Please visit the Cooperative Efforts webpage on the CAL FIRE website for more information about this grant and how to apply. https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/fire-protection/cooperative-efforts

This funding opportunity supports community programs that teach and engage diverse families in fishing, boating, and aquatic conservation efforts throughout California.

This grant supports collaborative partnerships among cultural nonprofits, local businesses, and government entities in California to establish and promote new cultural districts that celebrate and preserve local cultural assets.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and community groups in Mountain View that aim to improve access to resources and promote inclusivity for immigrant and mixed-status families.