Before applying, please review the full program guidelines for detailed information on program requirements and eligibility.
- Application Deadline: April 30, 2026, 11:59 PM
- Grant Request Amount: Up to $75,000 per year (2 year grant activity period)
- Grant Activity Period: October 1, 2026 — September 30, 2028
- Estimated Arrival of Funds: January — March 2027
Background & 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. The nature of this partnership includes funding, information exchange, cooperative activities, and leadership. The partnership enables individuals, organizations, and communities to create, present, and preserve the arts of all cultures to enrich the quality of life for all Californians.
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.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant organizations must be designated by their County Board of Supervisors as a State-Local Partner in the county.
Organizations eligible to apply include:
- Nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3), California organizations
- Units of municipal, county or Tribal governments
- Fiscally sponsored organizations
Eligible Request Amounts
Applicant organizations can request up to $75,000 per year for the two-year grant activity period.
Matching Funds
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.
Funding Restrictions
Organizations that apply for the 2026 State-Local Partners grant are not eligible to apply for the General Operating Support grant.
2025 Office Hours
Virtual office sessions are available to provide technical assistance for the State-Local Partner Mentorship and State-Local Partners grant programs. Join Arts Program Specialists Charles O’Malley and Natalie Peeples as they answer general questions regarding this program.
Office hours are structured to be a ”drop – in” format. Audience members are welcome to join and exit as needed; advanced registration is required to participate. The schedule for office hours is listed below:
- Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 12-1pm – Register Here
Application Links:
2026 Program Guidelines
Online Application Portal: calartscouncil.smartsimple.com
Resources for Recent Grantees:
2024 Guidelines
Program Timeline
| Application Opens | March 3, 2026 |
| Application Deadline | April 30, 2026, 11:59 P.M. |
| Panel Review | Approx. June — July 2026 |
| Funding Decision | August 14, 2026 |
| Funding Notification | Approx. August 2026 |
| Grant Activity Start | October 1, 2026 |
| Estimated Arrival of Funds | Approx. January — March 2027 |
| Grant Activity End | September 30, 2028 |
| Final Report Deadline | October 30, 2028 |
Staff Assistance
Before contacting staff, check FAQs to see if application questions can be answered. If staff assistance is still required for guidance or clarification, email is the best way to contact Program Specialists. We recommend that you contact staff well in advance of the deadline to ensure you can be accommodated. Please note: staff assistance is not available after 5:00 p.m. on the day of a grant deadline. People who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf Blind, or have difficulty speaking may dial 711 to reach the California Relay Service (CRS). Large print is available upon request.
Staff Contact:
Charles O’Malley and Natalie Peeples
(he/him/his) / (she/her/hers)
Arts Program Specialists
slpgrant@arts.ca.gov
