Grants & Artistic Support

Dancers’ Group maintains this calendar of grants, residencies, and opportunities that support dance and dance-makers in the Bay Area. This calendar is not exhaustive and details can change – please confirm details with each grant/opportunity.

Deadline: Fri, Jan 3 at 5pm

Lesher Foundation: Arts and Culture Responsive Grants

Makes grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that are located in or directly benefit the residents of Contra Costa County, California, in support of children and families, education, and arts and culture.

Deadline: Tue, Jan 14 at 2pm

Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants

Provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for recent unexpected medical, dental, and mental health emergencies to artists in financial need who are creating in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts, and choreography.

Deadline: Wed, Jan 15

Indian Arts Research Center: Native American Artist Fellowships

Offers artist-in-residence fellowships annually to advance the work of established and emerging Native American artists. Each fellowship includes a monthly stipend, housing, studio space, a supplies allowance, full access to the IARC collections, and travel reimbursement to and from the School for Advanced Research.

The fellowships support diverse creative disciplines and can include sculpture, performance, basketry, painting, printmaking, digital art, mixed media, photography, pottery, writing, and film and video. You must specify your affiliated tribe or nation.

Deadline: Wed, Jan 15

California Humanities: Project Grant

($10,000 to $25,000) Awarded twice a year to large scale public humanities projects of up to two-years duration from the award date. Appropriate programming formats include but are not limited to virtual and in-person interpretive exhibits, community dialogue and discussion series, workshops and participatory activities, presentations and lectures, conversations and forums, and interactive and experiential activities. Eligibility is limited to California-based nonprofit organizations and non-federal public agencies. Fiscally sponsored projects are eligible to apply if the fiscal sponsor meets all of the eligibility criteria. Awards must be matched with an equivalent amount of cash or in-kind resources over the life of the project. Note: Dancers' Group is a California Humanities-approved, multi-application fiscal sponsor.

Deadline: Quarterly – Jan 14, 2025; April 14, 2025; July 21, 2025

Zellerbach Family Foundation: Community Arts

Supports the creation of work by Bay Area artists and access to the arts for Bay Area communities. Grantseekers must be located in or serving communities in Alameda, Contra Costa or San Francisco Counties. While Community Arts grants are awarded as general operating support, application materials must include information about an upcoming project. Applications must be submitted by 5:00pm on the application cycle due date. Late and/or incomplete applications will be considered in the following cycle, if eligible. $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000.

Deadline: Applications are due on the 15th of the month by 12pm (noon) with a one-month turnaround.

Center for Cultural Innovation: Quick Grant Program

Awards 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.

Deadline: Thur, Jan 16

Fleishhacker Foundation: Small Arts Grants

Supports: 1) arts and culture nonprofit organizations with annual budgets between $100,000 and $749,999 in San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties; 2) fiscally sponsored arts and culture organizations with annual budgets under $750,000 in these counties; and 3) film projects directed by filmmakers resiing in these counties with budgets under $750,000, that meet the eligibility criteria. Applications are accepted for general support from 501(c)(3) nonprofit and fiscally sponsored organizations that are engaged in the production and presentation of new work by Bay Area artists in the disciplines of dance, music, theater, visual arts, interdisciplinary arts, or film.

Deadline: Thur, Jan 23

Kimball Foundation Grants

Supports college access and persistence, workplace & vocational training, cultural enrichment, and environmental education programs serving the residents of San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, and Sonoma counties and to a limited extent Santa Clara County as far south as Palo Alto. In the area of cultural enrichment, projects and programs should focus on providing students with equal access to participatory arts education to foster an appreciation of the arts while promoting community engagement through cultural experiences. The foundation supports public charities operating under an IRS 501(c)(3) status or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization.

Deadline: Fri, Jan 24

City of San José: take pART

Awarded to San José arts and culture organizations and other public benefit organizations to help finance specific arts and culture activities and programs that are participatory. Grantees are usually smaller artist-run groups or community arts organizations where creative participation is the key. Other public benefit organizations that apply to this program to support arts-specific activities. Applications are due by 4:59pm.

*Jan & Feb due dates
Deadline: Mon, Jan 27

Jacob’s Pillow: The Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship

For eight choreographers who have been creating professional work for a minimum of two years. Choreographers from varied traditions, who work in the United States and internationally, and consider themselves early to mid-career choreographers, with or without academic training, are welcomed to apply. Choreographers are generally 22-35 years of age, though all early to mid-career choreographers will be considered.

Deadline: Thur, Feb 6, 2025 at 5:00pm

Alameda County Arts Commission: ARTSFUND Grants Program

The ARTSFUND provides grant awards for general operating support to Alameda County based arts and cultural nonprofit organizations to assist with the mission and ongoing programs of the grantee organization. The grant funds can be used to support programs, general administration, and operating expenses. The standard ARTSFUND grant award is $2,000 to $3,000.

Deadline: Thur, Feb 13, 2025

National Endowment for the Arts: Grants for Arts Projects

Grants for Arts Projects (GAP) supports an expansive range of arts activities to strengthen the nation’s arts and culture ecosystem, including opportunities for public engagement with the arts and arts education, for the integration of the arts with strategies promoting the health and well-being of people and communities, and for the improvement of overall capacity and capabilities within the arts sector.

Grants for Arts Projects supports projects in the areas of Artist Communities, Arts Education, Dance, Design, Film & Media Arts, Folk & Traditional Arts, Literary Arts, Local Arts Agencies, Museums, Music, Musical Theater, Opera, Presenting & Multidisciplinary Works, Theater, and Visual Arts.

Deadline: Wed, Feb 26, 2025

Mid Atlantic Arts: USArtists International

USArtists International® (USAI) supports U.S. artists' engagements abroad with matching grants of up to $11,000 toward eligible travel expenses. The program funds individuals and ensembles based anywhere in the U.S. across all performing arts practices and disciplines. To apply, you must have at least one invitation to perform at an international festival where you are being paid an artist fee or an invitation to perform at a global performing arts market like CINARS or PAMS. Review the guidelines for additional eligibility requirements, updates to the program, and details on the new 1:1 grant matching requirement.

Deadline: Mini-Grants are offered monthly and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Submit your application before the end of the month to be considered for the next month’s award.

ARTogether: Mini-Grants for Artists

Awards $500 to Bay Area refugee and immigrant artists for work on a current or ongoing art project. Preference will be given to refugee artists and to projects which are beyond the development stage.

Deadline: Applications are reviewed and grants are awarded monthly based on available funds. Apply by the 10th of every month.

First Peoples Fund: Yéigo Action Grant

Offers grants for individual Native artists and culture bearers who are in need of quick financial assistance for an artistic opportunity, emergency situation and/or sudden unanticipated expense related to their art practice or business. $100-$5,000.

Deadline: Monthly, visit each chapter’s page for their guidelines.

The Awesome Foundation

Each fully autonomous chapter of the Awesome Foundation supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. There are chapters in Marin (currently inactive), Oakland (currently inactive), San Francisco, San Jose, and Santa Cruz. Awesome Disability and Awesome On the Water are independent chapters of the Awesome Foundation. $1,000.

Deadline: Applications for residencies at different parks are continuously updated and rotated throughout the year. Visit the website for current listings and deadlines.

National Parks Arts Foundation: Residencies

Works directly with select artists and the National Park Service (and their affiliates) to create unique Artist in Residency programs within the wonders of the National Parks. The NPAF is currently active in parks across the nation.

More info at https://www.nationalparksartsfoundation.org/allresidencies

Deadline: Applications are open periodically throughout the year.

Rauschenberg Medical Emergency Grants

Provides one-time grants of up to $5,000 for unexpected medical, dental, and mental health emergencies to artists in financial need who are creating in the visual arts, film/video/electronic/digital arts, and choreography.

Deadline: Ongoing, subject to availability of funding. Applications should be submitted at least 10-12 weeks in advance of the program start date.

California Humanities: Quick Grant

Awarded on a rolling basis to small-scale public humanities programs and projects which take place. Projects should be grounded in the humanities, show potential to provide impactful humanities learning experiences for participants and audiences, and demonstrate capacity for successful implementation. $1,000 - $5,000.

Deadline: Ongoing; Applications must be received by the JFLA at least 3 months prior to the beginning date of the project.

Japan Foundation Los Angeles: Arts & Culture Mini Grant

Supports projects that will enhance further understanding of Japanese arts and culture. Applications can be accepted only for projects that take place within the 13 states west of the Rocky Mountains. Up to $5,000, paid in the form of reimbursement.

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