City of Santa Ana Submission Manager

Please copy both email addresses below in email communications regarding billing:

artsandculture@santa-ana.org

Investing in the Artist 2025-2026 - Individual Artist

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Before filling out this application, you must attend one mandatory Information Session. See website below for dates.

For full description, click here: https://www.santa-ana.org/departments/arts-and-culture-office/

SUBMISSION DUE DATE: Applications are due on the Submittable.com website by MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM. For questions please contact Arts & Culture Office at (714) 647-5355 or artsandculture@santa-ana.org. -----

THEME:

STORIES THAT UNITE US IN SANTA ANA

Santa Ana is a city shaped by generations of storytellers that include families, artists, workers, and dreamers whose voices reflect the richness of our shared history. Stories That Unite US in Santa Ana celebrates the cultural traditions, lived experiences, and creative expressions that connect neighbors across backgrounds and generations. Through art, we highlight the narratives that foster belonging, resilience, and pride in our community, transforming personal stories into collective understanding. This project honors Santa Ana’s diversity while strengthening the bonds that make our city vibrant, inclusive, and united.

We invite submissions from artists and arts organizations working across diverse mediums: visual arts, performance, music, creative writing, digital media, and more, to explore and elevate the stories that unite us in Santa Ana. Proposed projects should center the lived experiences, cultural traditions, and shared histories of our community, while actively engaging residents, local businesses, and neighborhood groups in meaningful participation. Through collaborative storytelling and creative expression, projects should foster connection, belonging, and pride across Santa Ana’s diverse communities.

AWARDS

The Arts & Culture Office is seeking to award grants in the amounts of up to $10,000 for individual artists who will enrich and invigorate the Santa Ana arts & culture landscape with Stories That Unite US in Santa Ana and will be distributed in three (3) payments.

The grant period will be for 12 months and will require an interim and a final report of outcomes achieved, including an itemized budget with documentation such as receipts. This is a REIMBURSEMENT grant. The first payment will be disbursed at the commencement of the project; second payment will be midway through your project; and final payment will be disbursed approximately 60 days after the successful completion of the final report. All grantees are required to maintain financial records to verify compliance. If you are selected for an audit, you must have and submit proof of expenses for review by grants staff upon request.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Individual artists working in the following mediums are welcome to apply:

Visual ∙ Performing ∙ Musical ∙ Literary ∙ Film ∙ Textile ∙ Multimedia ∙ Industrial ∙ Fashion ∙ Culinary

• Artists must be currently living and creating work in Santa Ana or create a work that is for the benefit of Santa Ana residents and/or stimulate economic development for the City of Santa Ana.

• Project must be completed in Santa Ana, directly serve the Santa Ana residents, and/or stimulate economic development for the City of Santa Ana.

• Applicants must be over the age of 18.

• Applicant must attend one mandatory Information Session.

• Applicants may not apply for consecutive grant cycles for the same project.

• Only one application per project will be accepted. Artists may not apply separately for the same project.

• Grant recipients who have not completed their projects from prior grant cycles will not be eligible to apply this year. This includes completing their final reports.

• Grant recipients who withdrew from program in the prior year, will be ineligible to reapply for the following two years.

• Applicants engaged in active litigation with the City, have outstanding balances with the City, and/or have active code enforcement violations, or a history of multiple code enforcement violations are not eligible for the program.

Artists will be required to obtain/demonstrate the following prior to an award:

• Current City of Santa Ana business license.

• Current General Liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 naming the City of Santa Ana as Additional Insured on a primary and non-contributory basis.

INELIGIBILE PROJECTS – WE DO NOT FUND

• Scholarly research, tuition, or academic expenses.

• Projects held, performed, or exhibited outside of the City of Santa Ana.

• Programs that are not accessible to the public.

• Projects with religious purposes that serve to proselytize.

• Projects with political purposes that serve as an endorsement to a candidate and/or political party.

FUNDING PRIORITIES

• Activating geographical areas in Santa Ana underserved by the arts

• Collaborations/partnerships among different entities across artistic and non-artistic fields

SELECTION PROCESS

Applicants will be reviewed and scored by a grant peer review panel made up of artists, arts and nonprofit professionals, and others with knowledge and professional qualifications in the arts and with familiarity of Orange County’s arts sector. Grant review panels will reflect the diversity of the region and the various professional groups encompassed by the arts sectors such as practitioners, administrators, board members, and educators. As a public agency, all information submitted to the Arts & Culture Office in conjunction with a grant application becomes public record at the time the application is submitted. Applications will be reviewed and scored by a peer panel according to the following criteria.

Notes:

- Review panel may approve an amount that is less than what the applicant requested. It is encouraged that applicant find other funding sources for their project.

- Approval of application does not imply that your dates and locations listed are approved as well. Contact appropriate entity to reserve the location and dates.

- If doing a public art installation or public program, site must be selected prior to submission. Additionally, a letter from the property owner or facility must be included with your application.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Artist applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Project/Artistic Merit & Theme Relevance – 40%

• Artist Portfolio – 25%

• Potential Community Impact – 25%

• Individual Need – 10%

• BONUS: Live or work in Santa Ana – 5 points

• Non-Compliance with Grant Requirements from Previous Cycle – (-5 points)

Criterion 1:

A project with exceptional Project/Artistic Merit & Theme Relevance engages qualified and diverse arts or cultural professionals; provides arts experiences that expose participants to new perspectives; provides opportunities for engagement in the creative process; demonstrates cross-sector understanding, both supporting the arts and advancing community priorities; and provide clear examples of how the theme of “Art & Economy” is incorporated into your project.

Criterion 2:

An exceptional Artist Portfolio will include artworks that demonstrate the artist’s technical skills, abilities, and potential and should reflect the artist’s unique art background and experiences. It could include a range of medium and/or genre, or it can focus on the artist’s strengths.

Criterion 3:

A project with exceptional Community Impact will be able to make a positive difference for Santa Ana residents, neighborhoods, and communities by creating leverage and visibility for these communities to receive greater resources; elevating the standard of living for those in the community; providing pipelines for arts leadership; and support economic growth in the City.

Criterion 4:

Exceptional demonstration of Individual Need must clearly show efforts to find funding outside of the City of Santa Ana’s offerings, as well as displays of being self-sustaining.

Criterion 5:

To prioritize the contributions of Santa Ana’s creative community, the City will implement a modest point-based scoring rubric that awards additional points for artists who live, work, or have demonstrated significant engagement within Santa Ana. This ensures local artists have meaningful access and recognition, while keeping the process equitable for outside artists who bring strong proposals and local collaboration.

Criterion 6:

Applicants who were awarded a grant from a previous cycle and were non-compliant with the grant requirements (ex: incomplete projects, missing or incomplete reports, etc.), will have 5 points (-5) deducted from their overall score.

Investing in the Artist Grant 2025-2026 - Art Organization

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Before filling out this application, you must attend one mandatory Information Session. See website below for dates.

For full description, click here: https://www.santa-ana.org/departments/arts-and-culture-office/

SUBMISSION DUE DATE:

Applications are due on the Submittable.com website by MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

For questions please contact Arts & Culture Office at (714) 647-5355 or artsandculture@santa-ana.org.

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THEME:

STORIES THAT UNITE US IN SANTA ANA

AWARDS

The Arts & Culture Office is seeking to award grants in the amount of up to $20,000 for arts organizations/cooperatives that will enrich and invigorate the Santa Ana arts and culture landscape with Stories That Unite US in Santa Ana and will be distributed in two (2) payments.

The grant period will be for 12 months and will require an interim and final report of outcomes achieved, including an itemized budget with documentation such as receipts. This is a REIMBURSEMENT grant. The first payment will be disbursed at the commencement of the project, and the second payment will be disbursed 60 days after the successful completion of the final report. All grantees are required to maintain financial records to verify compliance. If you are selected for an audit, you must have and submit proof of expenses for review by grants staff upon request.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Nonprofit arts and culture organizations/cooperatives that meet the following criteria are welcome to apply:

• Organizations with arts, culture, design, or creative innovation focus.

• Organization must be based in Santa Ana and/or serve Santa Ana communities.

• Projects can be small in scope and do not need to serve large numbers of people as long as they positively impact the organization’s purpose or mission.

• A project may be a part of an applicant’s regular season or activities. Organizations that undertake a single short-term project in a year—a dance festival, for example—could apply for support for that event or they could identify certain components of their operations, such as securing rehearsal space, marketing activities, paying artists, etc., as their project.

• A representative from the organization must attend one Information Session.

• Applicants may not apply for consecutive grant cycles for the same project.

• Only one application per project will be accepted. Organizations may not apply separately for the same project.

• Grant recipients who have not completed their projects from prior grant cycles will not be eligible to apply this year. This includes completing their final reports.

• Grant recipients who withdrew from program in the prior year, will be ineligible to reapply for the following two years.

Organizations/Cooperatives will be required to obtain/demonstrate the following prior to an award:

• Current City of Santa Ana business license or city approval for business operation (for cooperatives).

• Current General Liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 naming the City of Santa Ana as Additional Insured on a primary and non-contributory basis.

• Active 501(c)3 nonprofit status and good standing with IRS or registered as an eligible cooperative with the City of Santa Ana.

Cooperatives are defined as:

A business entity that is owned and controlled by the people who work in it. Worker cooperatives thrive in many industries and regions.
In a worker cooperative, decisions are made democratically, by the people who do the work (usually following the principle of "one worker, one vote") instead of by one person or group people that holds all the power.
Cooperatives are a specific legal definition in which the workers are defined as members and owners of the cooperative. These member-owners are entitled to a vote, and to a share of the profits of the business (called patronage).

INELIGIBILE PROJECTS – WE DO NOT FUND

· Administrative and operational expenses

· Scholarly research, tuition, or academic expenses.

· Projects held, performed, or exhibited outside of the City of Santa Ana.

· Programs that are not accessible to the public.

· Funds going directly into trusts, endowments, or cash reserves.

· Projects with religious purposes that serve to proselytize.

· Projects with political purposes that serve as an endorsement to a candidate and/or political party.

· Projects CANNOT START UNTIL JANUARY 2025

FUNDING PRIORITIES

· Activating geographical areas in Santa Ana underserved by the arts

· Collaborations/partnerships among different entities across artistic and non-artistic fields

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Organization applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• Project/Artistic Merit & Theme Relevance – 40%

• Organizational Readiness/Fiscal Responsibility – 25%

• Potential Community Impact – 25%

• Organization Need – 10%

• BONUS: Live or work in Santa Ana – 5 points

• Non-Compliance with Grant Requirements from Previous Cycle – (-5 points)

Criterion 1:

A project with exceptional Project/Artistic Merit & Theme Relevance engages qualified and diverse arts or cultural professionals; provides arts experiences that expose participants to new perspectives; provides opportunities for engagement in the creative process; demonstrates cross-sector understanding, both supporting the arts and advancing community priorities; and provide clear examples of how the theme of “Participatory/Interactive Art” is incorporated into the project.

Criterion 2:

An organization with exceptional Organizational Readiness/Fiscal Responsibility recruits and retains an engaged, diverse, and qualified board, staff, contractors, and/or volunteers and has an accumulated deficit of less than 20% of their total operational expenses for two or more years. Competitive applications will address all application questions and provide complete information.

Criterion 3:

A project with exceptional Community Impact will be able to make a positive difference for Santa Ana residents, neighborhoods, and communities by creating leverage and visibility for these communities to receive greater resources; enhance the quality of life for those in the community; providing pipelines for arts leadership; enhance visitor’s experience of the City; and support economic growth in the City.

Criterion 4:

Exceptional demonstration of Organization Needs must clearly relate to the organization’s mission and purpose and how it serves its constituents; supported with evidence such as statistics, expert views, and trends; and directly connect to, and support, the organization’s ability to respond to the need. Additionally, it must clearly show efforts to find funding outside of the City of Santa Ana’s offerings, as well as displays of being self-sustaining.

Criterion 5:

Criterion 6:

Arts & Culture - Special Event Sponsorship Request Form (SESRF) - 2025-2026

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For full sponsorship details, visit: https://www.santa-ana.org/special-event-sponsorship-program/

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The Community Development Agency has $175,000 available during fiscal year 2025-2026 to sponsor Special Events for eligible applicants whose events and programs support the City’s mission and provide a community benefit. Applicants may apply for up to $10,000.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and funds will be distributed until exhausted. Deadline to submit application is the Monday of the week before the regular Arts & Culture Commission meeting. DEADLINES to SUBMIT SESRF: ARTS & CULTURE COMMISSION MEETINGS:

Monday – March 9, 2026 Thursday – March 19, 2026

Monday – April 6, 2026 Thursday – April 16, 2026

Monday – May 11, 2026 Thursday – May 21, 2026

Monday – June 8, 2026 Thursday – June 18, 2026

A. Ineligible Applicants:

1. Entities that promote the sale or consumption of tobacco products;

2. Entities that promote the sale or consumption of illegal drugs;

3. Entities that promote gambling;

4. Entities that promote the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages, or that primarily sell alcoholic beverages such as bars, but not including restaurants;

5. Sexually oriented businesses as defined in Chapter 41, Article XVII of the City Code, and entities that promote the sale or dissemination of erotic materials or services;

6. Political parties or political advocacy groups;

7. Events with religious purposes that serve to proselytize;

8. Inappropriate expenditures such as professional sporting events, alcohol, or jewelry;

9. Applicants engaged in active litigation with the City, have outstanding balances with the City, and/or have active code enforcement violations, or a history of multiple code enforcement violations.

B. We do not fund:

1. Events held, performed, or exhibited outside of the City of Santa Ana;

2. Events that are not accessible to the public;

3. Funds going directly into trusts, endowments, or cash reserves;

4. Events not arts and culture-related.

C. The City shall consider the following non-exclusive criteria:

1. Whether the event is open to the public;

2. Whether the expenditure is normal and customary;

3. The relationship and importance of the event to the City’s mission;

4. Whether and the extent to which the event will create financial or administrative burdens on the City or require additional personnel;

5. The extent and prominence of communications to the public regarding the event;

6. The aesthetic characteristics of communications to the public regarding the event;

7. Whether the sponsorship will establish, or will be perceived as establishing an inappropriate association;

8. Whether the event is, or will be perceived to be politically oriented; religiously oriented; or offensive to segments of the City’s citizenry;

9. Whether the persons or organizations affiliated with the event manufacture products, take positions, or otherwise engage in activity that is/are inconsistent with local, state, of federal law, or city policies, or city mission

10. Other factors that might undermine public confidence in the city’s impartiality or interfere with the efficient delivery of city services or operations;

11. Whether this grant is used to complete a project that has already been funded through the City (ex: Artist Grant);

12. Whether the applicant failed to comply with other city grant funding requirements.

D. Application submission:

1. Applicant may apply for only one sponsorship per fiscal year;

2. Only one application per project will be accepted. Different applicants may not apply separately for the same project;

3. Applicant may not apply for the same expenses within the same project from different funding sources from the City;

4. Accepted applications must be approved by a majority of the Arts & Culture Commissioners. In case of a tie, the application will be declined;

5. Applicant is allowed to re-apply if declined in a round.

Contact artsandculture@santa-ana.org if you have any questions regarding this application.

City of Santa Ana