2011 Grant Deadlines by / Guest Author

 2011 Deadline Calendar for Theatre Projects
Last Update: 9/15/11

GRANT DEADLINES:
Fundraising is all about relationships, so before you get started on a grant proposal, look at current guidelines, websites, etc. to determine whether or not your request is a good “fit” for the foundation or agency; in some cases you might want to contact the program officer to discuss your project prior to submitting a proposal. The following list of deadlines is not intended to be comprehensive; all deadlines are postmark deadlines unless otherwise noted, and are accurate as of the date of publication.
SEPTEMBER  
9/12  Joseph & Vera Long Foundation (Request for Invitation deadline) -- The Foundation's mission is to support organizations involved with healthcare, education and conservation in the communities of Northern California and Hawaii. In addition, the Foundation has a special interest in programs which benefit women, families and seniors, or contribute to the conservation of the natural environment. Preference will be given for new, innovative projects which will be completed with our contribution. http://www.jvlf.org/Grants.html
9/12  San Francisco Foundation Nonprofit Transitions Fund – designed to help nonprofit organizations rethink and regroup in response to the downturn in the economy. The goal of the fund is to help nonprofits reduce costs and time spent on administrative work, as well as increase productivity. The fund will award a total of $500,000 in this grant round to support serious planning efforts, consultants, due diligence, and other expenses related specifically to nonprofit mergers/acquisitions/consolidations; back office collaborations (including rent, equipment, group insurance, joint purchasing, and centralizing human resources, payroll and benefits administration, and financial and grants management); dissolutions (voluntary/involuntary); bankruptcies/reorganizations; post-merger integrations or closure costs; and service delivery joint ventures. Grants will generally range from $10,000 to $30,000. http://www.sff.org/programs/nonprofit-transitions-fund/
9/15  Do Something.org After School Grants -- Do Something and JCPenney have teamed up to support youth-led after school programs and projects across the country. Types of projects this grant funds: Projects started by young people who are providing after school activities that help youth in their community. Ten $500 grants and five grand prize $1,000 grants. Each winner will also receive a limited-edition Flirtitude Tote. http://www.dosomething.org/grants/afterschool

9/15  Bill Graham Memorial Foundation (RECEIPT deadline) – offering grants for programs/projects of grassroots organizations working in the areas of music, the arts and education. We also fund social work, environmental protection and spiritual & compassionate projects in our community. We seek to assist those whose needs are not served by larger philanthropic organizations. Our geographic scope is primarily but not absolutely limited to the Bay Area and Northern California. The majority of the grants given by the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation are in the range of $1500 - $2500, and we have a maximum cap of $4500 for a single grant. (http://www.billgrahamfoundation.org/)

9/15  William G. Gilmore Foundation “Expression of Interest” deadline – Funding to support: educational opportunities for young people; provide for the health and welfare of the ill and disabled; assist those in need of food, shelter, and counseling; and encourage the arts and other activities generally related to the foregoing. The foundation funds organizations in San Francisco, Alameda, and San Mateo counties in California, and Portland, Oregon. (http://www.pfs-llc.net/gilmore/index.html)
9/15  John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowships –offers fellowships to further the development of scholars and artists by assisting them to engage in research in any field of knowledge and creation in any of the arts, under the freest possible conditions. http://www.gf.org/applicants/the-united-states-canadian-competition/
9/19  Applied Materials Excellence in the Arts Project Grants (RECEIPT deadline) - Funds are given to support exceptional and unique projects that demonstrate and enhance artistic and programmatic excellence. Grant Size: $1,000 – $5,000 (Total grants allocation through 6/30/12 is $70,000.) Sample Grants: Funds are given for special projects, not general operating support or ongoing/ recurring programs. Examples of fundable proposals include support for exceptional or unique artistic development opportunities, seed money for program expansion or new collaborations, funding for innovative ventures, working with an individual artist(s) on special projects. (also 11/14, 2/13, 4/23) http://www.artscouncil.org/page/grants_applied_materials

9/24  National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Fund for the Arts – provides grants to strengthen Latino arts organizations and to support Latino artists in the creation of their work and to promote social change and innovation in the field. Support is provided for Latino artists and ensembles and Latino arts organizations for projects in the areas of dance, festivals, interdisciplinary arts, literary arts, media arts, multidisciplinary arts, music, performance art, theater arts, visual arts, and general operating support (for organizations). To be eligible, a Latino arts organization must have a mission that is focused on Latino arts and culture; have an executive or artistic director who is Latino and/or have a board of directors comprised of at least 51 percent Latinos. Latino artists may apply individually or as part of a Latino ensemble, arts collective, or community-based arts group. http://www.nalac.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=383&Itemid=412

9/28  Zellerbach Family Foundation – community arts organizations from San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties, representing the fields of dance, theater, visual arts, music, festivals, poetry, and publications, are eligible to apply. Films, videos, youth-preformed, and youth-oriented programs are ineligible. The foundation funds mainly performance-oriented requests that represent contemporary, cutting-edge new work. First time applicants should call Linda Howe at (415) 421-2629, ext. 11 prior to submission. (www.zellerbachfoundation.org)

9/28  LEGO Children’s Fund (Eligibility Quiz Deadline) – awards matching grants to qualified tax-exempt organizations with specific, identifiable needs primarily in these areas of support: Early childhood education and development; Technology and communication projects that advance learning opportunities; Sport or athletic programs that concentrate on underserved youth. Applicants are invited to submit proposals anytime throughout the year. Must have submitted online eligibility quiz by 3/28 (also 6/28 quiz for 7/15 deadline and 9/28 quiz for 10/15 deadline.) http://www.legochildrensfund.org/Guidelines.html#Guidelines

9/28  Kenneth Rainin Foundation (Full proposal, if invited) (ONLINE RECEIPT) – supports theaters, companies and service organizations that: exhibit a strong passion for and commitment to the San Francisco Bay Area performing arts community; demonstrate a performance history in the San Francisco Bay Area; display artistic promise and vision; and bring vital performances and programs to the public. Must have submitted a Letter of Inquiry by 8/12/11. http://krfoundation.org/

9/30  Verizon Foundation -- supports programs that focus in improving lives in literacy, knowledge and a readiness for the 21st Century. Eligible organizations seeking grants from the Verizon Foundation must be prepared to track and report program outcomes as well as specific results that demonstrate measurable human impact. In the grant application, organizations must indicate what outcomes are targeted through programming and what results, as specified on the grant application, the organization will measure. The Verizon Foundation reviews unsolicited proposals on a continuous calendar year basis from January 1st through the last business day of September. http://www.verizonfoundation.org/

9/30  Clorox Company Foundation Arts Mini-Grants (RECEIPT DEADLINE) (online submission preferred) – awarded for cultural enrichment and enhancement activities in Oakland. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a mini-grant. (also 1/1, 4/1, and 7/1) http://www.cloroxcsr.com/ccf-apply/#artsminigrant

9/30  Clorox Company Foundation (competitive grants) (RECEIPT deadline) (online submission preferred) – supports programs that advance civic and cultural initiatives, as well as projects that increase awareness of, participation in, and appreciation of arts and culture. (also (also 1/1, 4/1, and 7/1); http://www.cloroxcsr.com/ccf-grantguides/
ALSO  California Presenters New Work Tour Support Program – provides support to artists touring new work. The program’s goals are to: stimulate the creation, production and touring of new work in the performing arts; foster collaboration between presenters in California and the western United States through block booking; increase access to high quality artists in culturally, economically or geographically underserved communities; and increase community engagement between artists and communities. The application for the next cycle of artist project proposals is expected to be available in September 2011. http://www.calpresenters.org/resources/
OCTOBER
10/1  East Bay Fund for Artists – grants to be matched on a 1-to-1 basis by donor contributions for the commissioning of new works by East Bay artists. (also Spring round 5/14/10 last year) (http://ebcf.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=99&Itemid=268)
10/1  SanDisk (RECEIPT deadline) – supports community programs offering visual, performing and/or literary arts to enhance appreciation for the arts and nurture individual creative endeavors. (also 1/2, 4/1, and 7/1.) http://www.sandisk.com/about-sandisk/corporate-social-responsibility/community-engagement/community-sharing-program

ALSO  National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowships (nomination deadline) –recognize lifetime achievement, artistic excellence, and contributions to our nation's traditional arts heritage. Nominees must be worthy of national recognition and have a record of continuing artistic accomplishment. They must be actively participating in their art form, either as practitioners or as teachers. Fellows are selected according to criteria of artistic excellence, significance within the particular artistic tradition, and contributions to living cultural heritage. In addition, one NEA National Heritage Fellowship will be given to an individual who has made major contributions to the excellence, vitality, and public appreciation of the folk and traditional arts. The nominee should be worthy of national recognition and must be actively engaged in preserving the folk and traditional arts. Each award is $25,000. The deadline for 2011 nominations was 10/1/10; watch the website for updated information re: 2012 round. http://www.nea.gov/honors/heritage/nomination.html
10/3  Target Field Trip Grants – supports education professionals seeking to bring K-12 students in the United States to museums, historical sites, and cultural organizations. Grants are intended to fund visits to art, science, and cultural museums; community service or civic projects; career enrichment opportunities; and other events or activities away from the school facility. Over 5,000 grants of up to $700 will be awarded in January 2012. Grants are available to applicants from the U.S. for trips to be taken between January 1, 2012, and the end of the 2011-12 academic year (May/June 2012). Funds may be used to cover field trip-related costs such as transportation, ticket fees, food, resource materials, and supplies. http://sites.target.com/site/en/company/page.jsp?contentId=WCMP04-031880
10/3  MAP Fund (Online Letter of Inquiry deadline) – provides project-specific funding to playwrights, choreographers, directors, composers and performers experimenting in any performance tradition or discipline. MAP believes that exploration drives human progress, in art as in science and medicine. Sometimes the path of progress is lighted by an act of the imagination on the part of the artist. MAP exists to facilitate these acts and help bring them to their fullest realization. Within that, MAP has sought especially to support work that brings insight to the issue of cultural difference or the concept of "other," be that it class, gender, generation, ethnicity, or formal consideration. We believe that we learn as much from contrast as we do from likeness. Full proposals, if invited, will be due on 12/12/11. http://mapfund.org/apply.html

10/3  Stocker Foundation (full proposal, if invited) - aims to lessen the achievement gap for under‐resourced Kindergarten through 5th grade public school students by investing in programs that strengthen Literacy. Successful Letters of Inquiry will document how a program ties‐back to Reading/Language Arts, promoting academic gains for those students served. Areas of Interest include: Supplemental Programs that move students toward grade‐level reading mastery; Comprehensive Intervention Strategies that increase overall literacy achievement by fourth grade; Book Distribution Programs that increase students’ access to print materials, encourage students’ reading outside of the classroom , and develops students’ life‐long love of reading; and Programs that support Emerging Literacy and Reading Skills among preschoolers (children enter kindergarten “ready to read”). Some limited funding is available for services that can help remove barriers toward reading success (food, clothing, and vision) Full proposals (if invited) will be due 10/03/11 for a spring 2012 decision. NOTE: The Stocker Foundation will have one competitive grant cycle in 2012 and current geographic restrictions remain in effect. Currently funded are Lorain & Cuyahoga counties, OH; Pima County, AZ; Alameda & San Francisco counties, CA; Bernalillo & Dona Ana counties, NM; and King County WA. Must have submitted LOI by 7/1/11. http://www.stockerfoundation.org/process.aspx

10/3  Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation (full proposal) (for previous grantees in the past year or if invited after submission of letter of inquiry on 9/1) – funds organizations that benefit community services/social services, youth, primary and secondary education, and the arts. Considers applications solely from organizations located in and/or providing services to the residents of the City and County of San Francisco (also 3/1). (www.sslfoundation.org)
10/6  SFAC Arts & Communities: Innovative Partnerships – supports artists, arts organizations, and immigrant service organizations with established art programs of any medium, as they embrace the role of lead partners, and work closely with community partners, their leaderships and constituencies. Together, they can engage in innovative creation processes– exploring artistic practice potentially outside of one’s comfort zone – in order to address pressing community needs or celebrate community assets. The discussions and activities from these partnerships will form inventive, publicly accessible, high quality art projects, and result in an ongoing stimulation of ideas and dialogue. Together, the culminating public projects will reveal the complex life of San Francisco. Two types of grants are available: Exploration Grants up to $10,000 and Realization Grants up to $25,000. http://www.sfartscommission.org/ceg/grants/index.html#iac
10/15  Irene S. Scully Foundation (Full proposal, if invited) – Funds education programs located in West Contra Costa and/or Alameda County that meet the needs of economically disadvantaged and marginalized K-12 youth. Programs that work with public-school youth who are the most at-risk for poor academic and/or social outcomes are of particular interest to the Foundation. Supports curriculum development and enrichment programs, among other strategies. (also 3/1 LOI for 4/15 full, 6/1 LOI for 7/15 full, and 9/1 LOI for 10/15 full) http://www.irenescullyfoundation.org/grant-making.html
10/15  LEGO Children’s Fund (Eligibility Quiz Deadline) – awards matching grants to qualified tax-exempt organizations with specific, identifiable needs primarily in these areas of support: Early childhood education and development; Technology and communication projects that advance learning opportunities; Sport or athletic programs that concentrate on underserved youth. Applicants are invited to submit proposals anytime throughout the year. Must have submitted online eligibility quiz by 3/28 (also 6/28 quiz for 7/15 deadline and 9/28 quiz for 10/15 deadline.) http://www.legochildrensfund.org/Guidelines.html#Guidelines
10/17  Fulbright U.S. Student Program (online RECEIPT by 5pm EST) -- allows for individually designed study/research or an English Teaching Assistantship. You can propose a project and/or study plan that will take place during one academic year in a country outside the U.S. http://us.fulbrightonline.org/overview.html

ALSO  Dramatists Guild Fund (RECEIPT deadline) – funds theater organizations that produce or present new work by American writers. Generally, organizations should contact the Fund prior to submission: Susan Drury, Administrator (212) 391-8384. Last year’s deadline was 10/31; call for updated information. http://www.dramatistsguild.com/
ALSO  Camargo Foundation Residency Fellowships – the Foundation has issued a press release announcing the suspension of its fellowship program for the 2011-2012 academic year and is not currently accepting applications. If you are interested in applying for future fellowships, please visit the website in October 2011. (http://www.camargofoundation.org/toapply.asp)
ALSO  Theatre Bay Area New Works Fund – seeks to provide local playwrights with new ways to establish relationships with local theatres and to encourage Bay Area theatre companies to foster and produce the work of local playwrights. NOTE FROM THE FUNDER: The New Works Fund is currently closed. We are looking for ways to be able to bring this program back in the coming months. Please keep an eye out on the website for future developments. http://www.theatrebayarea.org/Programs/New-Works-Fund.cfm

NOVEMBER
11/1  Kurt Weill Foundation – awards financial support to not-for-profit organizations for performances of Kurt Weill's musical works, to individuals and not-for-profit organizations for scholarly research projects, and to not-for-profit organizations for educational initiatives directly related to Weill and/or Lotte Lenya. Funding Categories: Research and Travel, Kurt Weill Dissertation Fellowship, Publication Assistance, Educational Outreach, College/University Performance, Professional Performance, and Broadcasts. Applications requesting support for major professional productions/festivals/exhibitions are accepted at any time. (www.kwf.org)  
11/1  Trust for Mutual Understanding (Initial Inquiry deadline) – supporting cultural and environmental exchange between the United States, Russia, and Eastern and Central Europe; Initial Inquiry is due at least three months in advance of 2/1 Full Proposal deadline (also 5/1 in advance of 8/1 Full Proposal deadline). (www.tmuny.org)

11/1  Ensemble Studio Theatre/Sloan Project -- commissions, develops and presents new works delving into how we view and are affected by the scientific world. These plays examine the struggles and challenges scientists and engineers face from moral issues to the consequences of their discoveries. http://ensemblestudiotheatre.org/programs/estsloan-project/sloan-submissions/

11/1  Japan Foundation Performing Arts Japan Program (RECEIPT deadline) – provide financial assistance for non-profit organizations in the US and Canada that aim to introduce Japanese performing arts to local audiences. PAJ Touring Grants help present Japanese performing arts at multiple locations in the United States and Canada, with an emphasis on locations outside major metropolitan areas. PAJ Collaboration Grants help Japanese and American/Canadian artists develop a new work, which will further an appreciation of Japanese culture when presented to American/Canadian audiences. http://www.jfny.org/arts_and_culture/paj.html

11/4  The Cultural Exchange Fund -- a travel subsidy program supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to assist U.S. based presenting professionals and their organizations and companies in building partnerships and collaborations with international touring artists, companies and their collaborators and to experience the work of artists from around the world in its cultural context. The Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) recognizes that promoting global exchanges of artists and their work and cross-cultural programs is essential to fully engage audiences and communities in the breadth and diversity of performing arts experiences and provides an opportunity for presenting professionals to expand and deepen their knowledge of artists, traditions and cultures from around the world. APAP strongly encourages but does not limit travel to the following regions: the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and Africa. http://www.apap365.org/KNOWLEDGE/GrantPrograms/Pages/cef.aspx

11/7  San Francisco Foundation Open Application Cycle – the Arts and Culture Program at the San Francisco Foundation works to nurture creativity, support arts education, and broaden cultural participation in order to enrich, develop, and celebrate communities in the five counties we serve. http://www.sff.org/programs/arts-culture
11/8  National Endowment for the Arts/ Research: Art Works - grants to conduct research into the value and impact of the U.S. arts sector on the nation, whether on individuals or communities. The NEA is interested in novel and significant research questions that will lead to greater public understanding of the contribution of the arts. Grantees may use either existing or newly established datasets to conduct their research, for example: Longitudinal databases of Early Childhood and High School education (National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education); American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau); Current Population Survey and related supplements (U.S. Census Bureau); American Time Use Survey (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor); Cultural Data Project (The Pew Charitable Trusts). The resulting projects will help determine the usefulness of various datasets to arts-related research -- including those not previously used for that purpose. The NEA anticipates awarding up to 25 grants in the range of $10,000 to $30,000. Application information and guidelines are available online.
11/10  San Francisco Arts Commission Organization Project Grants – supports arts organizations in the presentation of professional arts activities accessible to the general public in San Francisco. OPG supports–in whole or in part–specific arts projects that have been determined to be of sufficient artistic quality, and benefit or interest to the community at large, or to specific segments of the community. All art forms will be considered. OPG-supported projects must be developed and presented in San Francisco, and must culminate in a local public presentation or a meaningful, accessible engagement of the public. They may be targeted at specific audiences, but they cannot be limited to “closed” audiences. Grant awards are up to $15,000. To be eligible, organizations must have 501(c)(3) status or use a fiscal sponsor. Organizations that receive CEI-L1 or CEI-L2 support cannot seek an OPG grant for the term of the CEI-L1 or CEI-L2 grant. http://www.sfartscommission.org/ceg/grants/index.html#iac

DECEMBER
12/1  Shubert Foundation Theater awards (RECEIPT deadline) – awards unrestricted grants for general operating support, rather than funding for specific projects. Applicants must have audited financial statements. Organizations with audited financial statements and an annual budget of less than $150,000 should contact the Foundation before making a formal application. (www.shubertfoundation.org)  

12/9  USArtists International -- committed to ensuring that the impressive range of expression and creativity of the performing arts in the United States is represented at international festivals abroad. The program works to strengthen the creative and professional development of American artists by providing support for their performances at significant international festivals. Through the participation of exemplary artists in international festivals, USArtists International will help develop audiences for, and appreciation of, the excellence, diversity and vitality of the American performing arts. Grants are available to American dance, music, and theatre ensembles and solo artists that have been invited to participate in international festivals outside of the United States. This round is for projects taking place between between March 1, 2012 and February 28, 2013. (Also 4/20/12 for projects taking place between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013.) (http://www.midatlanticarts.org/funding/pat_presentation/us_artists/index.html)
12/11  Creative Work Fund – invites artists and nonprofit organizations to apply for grants for collaborative projects featuring media or performing artists. The CWF grant program emphasizes the creation of new work — not distribution or productions of work already developed. Projects may culminate in any form, but they must feature a lead artist with a strong track record as a media artist or performing artist and collaboration between that artist and a nonprofit organization. The fund uses the following definitions for eligible artists. Media artists create narrative, documentary, animated, or experimental time-based works using audio, digital, film, and/or video media. Computer arts also are included in this category. (Please note that the fund considers still photography in its visual arts category.) Performing artists create or execute work in dance, opera, performance art, theater, and vocal and instrumental music. (Please note that the fund considers spoken word artists in its literary arts category.) The principal collaborating artists and organizations must live or be located in the Northern or Central California counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, or Stanislaus; and have been there for at least two years. (www.creativeworkfund.org)
12/12  MAP Fund (Full proposal, if invited) – provides project-specific funding to playwrights, choreographers, directors, composers and performers experimenting in any performance tradition or discipline. MAP believes that exploration drives human progress, in art as in science and medicine. Sometimes the path of progress is lighted by an act of the imagination on the part of the artist. MAP exists to facilitate these acts and help bring them to their fullest realization. Within that, MAP has sought especially to support work that brings insight to the issue of cultural difference or the concept of "other," be that it class, gender, generation, ethnicity, or formal consideration. We believe that we learn as much from contrast as we do from likeness. Must have submitted an online LOI by 10/3/11. http://mapfund.org/apply.html

12/30  Puffin Foundation – makes grants to open the doors of artistic expression by providing grants to artists and art organizations who are often excluded from mainstream opportunities due to their race, gender, or social philosophy. During the year 2012 cycle we will review grants only in the following fields: theater, photography and music. The year 2013 grant cycle (which will open in September 2012) will include fine arts (painting, sculpture, drawing, etc), dance, and video. Application forms are not available electronically, but can be requested by sending a SASE (#10 business letter sized, self-addressed stamped envelope) to Puffin Foundation Ltd., Application Request, 20 Puffin Way, Teaneck, NJ 07666-4111, starting in September, 2011. Completed applications for the 2011 cycle will be accepted from November 1st until the deadline of December 30, 2011 postmarked by midnight. Applications postmarked after this date will not be reviewed. (www.puffinfoundation.org)

Ongoing Deadlines (selected list)
ONGOING  Alliance for California Traditional Arts: Traditional Arts Development Program -- supports consultancies, mentorships, and travel opportunities that foster a new level of growth for individual folk & traditional artists and organizations. Contracts up to $1,500 focus on supporting new strategic opportunities for growth and development. http://www.actaonline.org/content/traditional-arts-development-program
ONGOING  Applied Materials Excellence in the Arts/Technical Assistance Program - Funds for activities that support administrative development and organizational infrastructure. Grant Size: $500 – $2,500 (Total grants allocation through 6/30/12 is $40,000.) Sample grants: Funds are given for special projects, not general operating support or ongoing/recurring programs. Examples of fundable proposals include support for marketing, fundraising, finance, board development consultants; professional development of senior arts administrators or board members by attending conferences and seminars; training and leadership opportunities; creation of a long-range strategic plan and evaluation.

ONGOING  Bayer USA Foundation -- supports programs that enhance the quality of life, provide unique and enriching opportunities that connect diverse groups and ensure preparedness for tomorrow's leaders – thereby, resulting in sustainable partnerships that continually improve communities in which Bayer employees live and work. It welcomes proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations in Arts and Culture; Education and Workforce Development; Environment and Sustainability; and Health and Human Services. Northern California grant requests should be made online. http://bayerus.com/bhc/supportrequest.html

ONGOING  Robert Sterling Clark Foundation International Cultural Engagement Initiative – support for U.S. performing arts organizations that build transformative bilateral relationships with international partners. Programs should engage the community beyond the artistic work, including sustained and interactive residency activities such as collaborations, master classes, workshops, seminars, dialogues, symposia, and management assistance; U.S. visual arts organizations that develop international collaborations in contemporary art and exhibitions practice. http://www.rsclark.org/index.php?page=application-guidelines
ONGOING  Creative Capacity Fund — a joint initiative of the San Francisco Arts Commission and San Francisco Grants for the Arts, working in partnership with the Center for Cultural Innovation, a nonprofit training and financial services incubator working in California for artists and the arts field. The Creative Capacity Fund (CCF) is a field-building initiative designed to support professional development and peer learning opportunities for San Francisco artists and arts administrators. The Scholarship Reimbursement Program enables eligible applicants, including individual artists and arts administrators of small and emerging arts organizations, to attend classes and workshops that will enhance their knowledge and administrative skills. In its pilot phase, the scholarship program is open to grantees of SFAC and GFTA with budgets of $250,000 and under. Scholarships will be awarded on a monthly deadline and will range up to $500 per organization and $250 per artists. www.creativecapacityfund.org.
ONGOING  Creative Capacity Fund NextGen Arts Professional Development Program - provides funding to emerging arts leaders in California to enroll in workshops, attend conferences locally and nationally, and to work with consultants or coaches in order to enhance the administrative skills and program experience needed to lead the nonprofit arts sector of tomorrow. Eligible individuals may apply for one-time grants of up to $1,000 to support the direct costs of proposed professional development activities. To be eligible, individuals must: be between the ages of 18-35, at the time of application; currently work with a California nonprofit arts organization as an administrator, artist, or board member; have been employed less than ten consecutive years in the arts field; and be registered online as a member of the Creative Capacity Fund’s NextGen Arts cohort (You are registered in the NextGen Arts cohort if you completed the online NextGen Arts survey.) http://www.cciarts.org/ccf/nextgen.htm
ONGOING  Dramatists Guild Fund Personal Grants -- awards one-time grants to playwrights, lyricists and composers based on need. These grants are designed to help meet financial obligations such as housing, food, utilities, and medical expenses. The Fund does not assist in self-production or self-publication of a playwright's work, nor does the Fund offer grants for involvement in workshops, conferences, or sponsorship of symposia or similar events. The Dramatists Guild Fund does not discriminate against playwrights, lyricists or composers who are not members of The Dramatists Guild. Should you choose to become a member of The Dramatists Guild, we welcome you. To receive a Dramatists Guild Fund personal grant, you must be experiencing personal financial hardship and have had a play or musical either (1) presented for a paying audience anywhere in the United States or Canada, and/or (2) published by a legitimate publishing/licensing company; or are an active member of The Dramatists Guild. http://www.dramatistsguildfund.org/grants/
ONGOING  Google for Nonprofits - offers a suite of exclusive Google products to qualifying nonprofits. Instead of applying to each Google product individually, you can now sign up through a simple one-stop application process. Our exclusive product offerings include: Free online advertising using Google AdWords to reach more donors and constituents, and build program awareness; Free or discounted Google Apps to lower IT costs, increase productivity and operate more efficiently; Premium features for YouTube; Google’s mapping technologies for programmatic work and to raise awareness of important causes; And many other offerings -- see the whole list at www.google.com/nonprofits. We’ve also developed online learning resources such as educational videos and case studies, along with better ways for nonprofits to connect with each other. Finally, we’re launching the Google for Nonprofits Marketplace where existing Certified Google Partners can offer their services in order to help approved non-profits in our program optimize the use of our products – some are offered free or at a discounted rate. If you haven’t had the opportunity to use any of these products, we encourage you to apply for them on our new site: www.google.com/nonprofits. If you already use Google Grants, Google Apps for Nonprofits, YouTube for Nonprofits, and/or participate in the Google Earth Outreach program, you do not need to reapply to continue to use the product(s). However, if you’d like to gain access to the full product suite, we encourage you to apply through the new application process. If you have any questions, please feel free to visit our FAQ or reach out to our Google for Nonprofits Partnership Manager, Meryl Stone (meryl@google.com).

ONGOING  Eva Leah Gunther Foundation Fellowships – support the physical, social, moral, intellectual, creative, spiritual, psychological and emotional growth of motivated girls age 11 through 18 who have a demonstrable financial need. http://www.evafoundation.org/for-grantseekers/application-guidelines/

ONGOING  The Walter & Elise Haas Fund - The purpose of the Arts grantmaking area is to enable Bay Area residents to realize the full potential of the arts to build cross-cultural understanding and enrich individual lives. The program's goals focus on Arts Education, Preservation of Cultural Heritage, Cultural Commons. www.haassr.org
ONGOING  The Hot Topic Foundation - The Hot Topic Foundation aims to support programs and organizations that specifically focus on encouraging and educating youth in music, creative writing, painting, photography, filmmaking and more. http://community.hottopic.com/content/grant-application
ONGOING  Kimball Foundation – small grants program that will consider requests of $10,000 or less on a rolling basis from organizations that have a one-time emergency need or that propose to pilot a new program. The intent of this program is to be responsive to the needs of the nonprofit community, to encourage new ideas within the field, to boost small programs, and to support organizations that the Kimball Foundation has not yet funded. To be eligible for funding, requests of $10,000 or less must fall within the general grantmaking guidelines of the foundation. The primary purpose of the Kimball Foundation is to provide opportunities for at-risk and disadvantaged youth in the San Francisco Bay Area to improve the quality of their lives and reach their highest potential. The foundation supports nonprofit organizations serving the residents of San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, and Sonoma Counties, and to a limited extent Palo Alto. The foundation is focused on funding programs that provide direct services in the areas of academic enrichment, cultural enrichment, environmental education, and vocational development. High priority is given to organizations that promote college access and encourage community service for low-income youth. Grants in the arts are made to groups that predominately serve youth. http://www.pfs-llc.net/kimball/interim_request_guidelines.html
ONGOING  Macy’s Foundation – focuses its giving primarily in the areas of women's issues, arts and culture, education and HIV/AIDS (with special emphasis on minority issues within each of those four areas) and the environment. To begin the application process, an organization must be invited to apply by a contributions contact of the company; the foundation is unable to accept unsolicited applications. Submit an email to foundationapps@macys.com or bloomingdalescontributions@bloomingdales.com and your inquiry will be reviewed. You then will be either provided the password and invited to apply or notified that your request does not match the strategic focus of the Foundation. Your email must include your organization's name, address, mission, and a brief description of the funding request. An invitation to apply cannot be offered without this information. (http://www.macysinc.com/community/applicationprocess.aspx
ONGOING  Joseph R. McMicking Foundation - provides grants and scholarship for the education of children of all ages and all ethnic backgrounds in the areas of: Arts, Technology, Education, and Science. Grants are normally given to qualified nonprofit organizations located in or directly serving residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. Organizations seeking information should direct inquiries by mailing a letter and application to Miriam White, Executive Director. Calls of inquiry to 415.732.7890 are strongly encouraged. http://mcmickingfoundation.org/
ONGOING  The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation – The Foundation considers proposals from the following types of non-profit organizations: (1) outreach programs for the disadvantaged (e.g., homeless shelters, food banks, health centers, domestic violence shelters, care for the elderly); (2) cultural enrichment programs (e.g., college scholarship funds, music programs for youth, arts and science educational projects); and (3) agricultural programs. Geographic focus is in San Francisco and Santa Clarita. http://www.newhallfoundation.org/

ONGOING  The Surdna Foundation - funding is awarded in three areas: Cultural Assets: Institutions playing an anchoring role with respect to cultural identity and cultural life within communities (e.g., informal centers of cultural learning, arts schools, organizations sponsoring celebrations of cultural traditions, community gardens). Cultural Drivers: Individuals and groups engaging in culture-based actions directed at protecting and promoting just and sustainable communities (e.g., artists as players in social activism, artists as partners in community development). Cultural Education: Programs and institutions working to widen and deepen knowledge, skills, and expressive abilities in culture-based activities (e.g., intensive arts training programs for teens, community-based training programs in cultural traditions in immigrant and indigenous communities) with particular emphasis on reaching those from disadvantaged communities. There are no formal deadlines to apply for funding; accepts applications on an ongoing basis. However, grants are approved three times per year: in February, May and September. We need your request three to four months in advance of staff review. www.surdna.org/