State-Local Partners

Purpose: The State-Local Partners (SLP) program provides general operating support and technical assistance for county-designated local arts agencies. The purpose of the program is to foster cultural development on the local level through a partnership between the State and the counties of California. Description: 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. A local arts agency can be a unit of local government or a nonprofit organization. The CAC’s Strategic Framework, adopted in 2019, indicates two aspirational areas regarding the agency’s relationship with its SLPs, both of which have been addressed by Council action in the last year and are furthered in these program guidelines: State-Local Partner Funding Conduct a review to determine a timeline and process for increasing the amount of funding granted to the SLPs. This timeline should include a detailed process for assessment, capacity building, bolstered support, and compliance checks, as well as a plan for establishing participation by and benefits for all 58 counties. 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 service across counties. In 2023, the Council voted to increase the annual maximum request amount for the SLP grant to $75,000, in recognition of the outcomes of the SLP Equity Impact Assessment and the need for increased ongoing funding to support SLP work. State-Local Partners serve as Poetry Out Loud partners and will receive financial support of $5,000 through this grant program (also included in the maximum request amount) to facilitate an annual Poetry Out Loud program throughout their county, either through direct programming or in partnership with another local organization/agency. Poetry Out Loud funds will not be based on panel ranking. Eligibility Requirements Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit Public Agency Tribal Government This opportunity is currently open to one organization who has finished the State-Local Partner Mentorship Programs and is currently eligible to become a State-Local Partner. Applicant organization must be designated by their County Board of Supervisors to serve as the State-Local Partner in the county. Eligible Geographies: Have a principal place of business in California and a California address. Matching Funding Requirement: This program requires a 1:1 match of award funds for organizations with total revenues (TRs) of $1,000,000 or more in their most recently completed fiscal year. 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. 100% 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 Partners (SLP) program provides general operating support and technical assistance for county-designated local arts agencies. The purpose of the program is to foster cultural development on the local level through a partnership between the State and the counties of California. Description: 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. A local arts agency can be a unit of local government or a nonprofit organization. The CAC’s Strategic Framework, adopted in 2019, indicates two aspirational areas regarding the agency’s relationship with its SLPs, both of which have been addressed by Council action in the last year and are furthered in these program guidelines: State-Local Partner Funding Conduct a review to determine a timeline and process for increasing the amount of funding granted to the SLPs. This timeline should include a detailed process for assessment, capacity building, bolstered support, and compliance checks, as well as a plan for establishing participation by and benefits for all 58 counties. 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 service across counties. In 2023, the Council voted to increase the annual maximum