City of Ventura Community Grants Program, Category 2: Cultural Projects awards competitive project grants to eligible Ventura County nonprofit organizations and qualified fiscal-sponsored Ventura nonprofits for arts, cultural heritage, and community cultural programs benefiting residents of the City of Ventura. The city’s published 2026-2027 guidelines and category-specific application control requirements. This is applicant financial assistance, not commercial procurement.
Award levels
Group A: $3,000 to $5,000 for organizations with annual operating budgets under $50,000; Group B: $3,000 to $15,000 for organizations with annual operating budgets of $50,000 or more. The total Category 2 pool is $75,000 ($15,000 Group A; $60,000 Group B), part of the city’s total $340,000 four-category program. These program allocations are not individual applicant awards. Funds support eligible cultural projects such as programs, festivals, cultural celebrations, heritage storytelling, Indigenous-led cultural work, traditional arts, and activities addressing inclusion and access.
Who may apply
Eligible applicants are Ventura County-based 501(c)(3) arts, cultural, or community-serving organizations, or City of Ventura-based nonprofit arts, cultural, or community-serving organizations with a Ventura County-based 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Applicants do not need an arts-specific primary mission, but the project must have a clear cultural focus and must take place in the City of Ventura and benefit its residents. An applicant may apply to only one category during the funding cycle. Direct annual city subsidy recipients outside grant programs, organizations delinquent on city obligations, and applicants with unfinished past city grant requirements are ineligible.
Application deadlines
Secure city grant-portal links or alternate submission authorization must be requested by October 26, 2026, before 1:00 p.m. via Communitygrants@cityofventura.ca.gov. Final complete applications are due October 30, 2026, before 5:00 p.m.. The official guidelines label both cutoff times PST even though daylight-time conventions apply locally in October; confirm the exact cutoff with city staff. Applications opened October 5, 2026. Incomplete and late submissions are not accepted.
Required application package
Read the official 18-page guidelines and 11-page Category 2 application. Submit project budget identifying the amount, purpose, and itemized expenses; application narratives describing the organization, cultural project and goals, community benefit, access and inclusion, readiness, measurable outcomes, and evaluation; three to five work samples from the prior three years; current city business license or tax certificate; IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter for applicant or sponsor; most recent Form 990; current organizational budget; board/leadership roster; and fiscal sponsorship documentation when applicable. Independent panels evaluate the applications, and applicants must meet all city insurance and nondiscrimination requirements.
Eligible expenses and limitations
Eligible direct costs may include project staff, professional arts services, materials, short-term venue or equipment rental, marketing, permits, accessibility, and approved participant transportation. Funds cannot cover construction or capital improvements, pre-agreement costs, debts, lobbying, religious instruction, applicant travel or lodging, and most hospitality. No universal cash-match percentage is stated. Exact disbursement and reporting conditions are determined by the executed city agreement; proof of insurance and final reporting are required. Grant-funded work must finish by December 31, 2027.
Official funding page: City of Ventura Community Grants Program. Guidelines: PDF. Category 2 application: PDF.