State-Local Partner Mentorship

Purpose: The State-Local Partner Mentorship (SLP-M) program is intended to support the establishment of a county-designated local arts agency in each of the three counties in which no such agency has currently been identified (Glenn and Kings). Description: Grant funds will go to four existing State-Local Partners (SLP) to foster the development of new SLPs in these counties. A local arts agency is defined as the official county-designated organization that supports arts and cultural activity in service to individuals and communities throughout an entire county. Local arts agencies provide financial support, services, and/or other programming to a variety of arts organizations, individual artists, and the community as a whole. A local arts agency can be an agency of local government, a nonprofit organization, or a hybrid of the two. The CAC’s Strategic Framework, adopted in 2019, indicates aspirational areas that will be directly addressed by this grant program: State-Local Partner Capacity Building Increase technical assistance and training to SLPs that meets the unique needs of each organization, as identified by research and evaluation. Ensure that SLP contracts are written to require adherence to key CAC policies and expectations, clearly outlining the role of the state-county partnership. Develop strategies to align SLP priorities with the priorities of the CAC, while allowing for flexibility and self-determination. Support the development and implementation of local plans that result in consistent quality and equity of services across counties. Geographic Equity Explore how to best address grantmaking equity for the disparate regions of the state. Utilize data analysis to assess present-day regional disparities among CAC grantees. Seek guidance from existing funding models that address how to identify and give preference to disadvantaged communities. The CAC expects that an active SLP will be established in the identified county within 2-3 years, either as a unit of County government or an independent 501(c)(3), and that the SLP-M will mentor them through their first two years of arts programming and services, after which the mentee organization could qualify for an SLP grant independently. SLP-M grantees may reapply for 2nd and 3rd year funding through this program in order to fully implement this work. Eligibility Requirements Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit Public Agency Tribal Government Applicants must be current grantees in the CAC State-Local Partners Program. Organizations eligible to apply include: Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), California organizations Units of municipal, county or Tribal governments Fiscally sponsored organizations Eligible Geographies: Have a principal place of business in California and a California address. Important Dates Application deadline The date (and time, where applicable) by which all applications must be submitted to the grantmaker. Time listed as “00:00” equates to midnight. 5/12/26 11:59 Expected award announcement The date on which the grantor expects to announce the recipient(s) of the grant. 9/26/2026 Period of performance The length of time during which the grant money must be utilized. 10/01/26-09/30/27 Funding Details Total estimated available funding The total projected dollar amount of the grant. See Notes Below Expected number of awards A single grant opportunity may represent one or many awards. Some grantors may know in advance the exact number of awards to be given. Others may indicate a range. Some may wish to and wait until the application period closes before determining how many awards to offer; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display. Dependent Estimated amount per award Grant opportunities representing multiple awards may offer awards in the same amount or in varied amounts. Some may wish to wait until the application period closes before determining per-award amounts; in this case, a value of “Dependent” will display. Dependent Letter of Intent Required? Certain grants require that the recipient(s) provide a letter of intent. No Requires Matched Funding? Certain grants require that the recipient(s) be able to fully or partially match the grant award amount with another funding source. No Available Funding Notes: Total funding available will be determined based on passage of the state budget and Council allocation priorities. Funding Source: The funding source allocated to fund the grant. It may be either State or Federal (or a combination of both), and be tied to a specific piece of legislation, a proposition, or a bond number. State Funding Method: The manner in which the grant funding will be delivered to the awardee. Funding methods include reimbursements (where the recipient spends out-of-pocket and is reimbursed by the grantor) and advances (where the recipient spends received grant funds directly). Advance(s) Funding Method Notes: Please review the 2026 Grants Manual under Grant Process Information https://arts.ca.gov/2026_grantsmanual/ How to Apply State agencies/departments recommend you read the full grant guidelines before applying. Grant guidelines Online application Resources Grantor’s site Subscribe to grant updates For questions about this grant, contact: Charles O'Malley, 1-916-322-6555, [email protected] Similar to This Grant Libraries and Arts CA State Library 2026-2027 LSTA Digital Literacy and Access 3 days ago More Details about 2026-2027 LSTA Digital Literacy and Access Libraries and Arts CA State Library 2026-2027 Zip Books 3 days ago More Details about 2026-2027 Zip Books Libraries and Arts CA Arts Council General Operating Support 1 month ago More Details about General Operating Support Libraries and Arts CA Arts Council Impact Projects 1 month ago More Details about Impact Projects

Purpose: The State-Local Partner Mentorship (SLP-M) program is intended to support the establishment of a county-designated local arts agency in each of the three counties in which no such agency has currently been identified (Glenn and Kings). Description: Grant funds will go to four existing State-Local Partners (SLP) to foster the development of new SLPs in these counties. A local arts agency is defined as the official county-designated organization that supports arts and cultural activity in service to individuals and communities throughout an entire county. Local arts agencies provide financial support, services, and/or other programming to a variety of arts organizations, individual artists, and the community as a whole. A local arts agency can be an agency of local government, a nonprofit organization, or a hybrid of the two. The CAC’s Strategic Framework, adopted in 2019, indicates aspirational areas that will be directly addressed by this grant program: State-Local Partner Capacity Building Increase technical assistance and training to SLPs that meets the unique needs of each organization, as identified by research and evaluation. Ensure that SLP contracts are written to require adherence to key CAC policies and expectations, clearly outlining the role of the state-county partnership. Develop strategies to align SLP priorities with the priorities of the CAC, while allowing for flexibility and self-determination. Support the development and implementation of local plans that result in consistent quality and equity of services across counties. Geographic Equity Explore how to best address grantmaking equity for the disparate regions of the state. Utilize data analysis to assess present-day regional disparities among CAC grantees. Seek guidance from existing funding models that address how to identify and give preference to disadvantaged communities. The CAC expects that an active SLP will be established in the identified county within 2-3 years, either as a u