COVID-19 Arts Relief Grants for Organizations

DESCRIPTION

The COVID-19 Arts Relief Grants for Organizations (CARGO) Program has been established as a partnership between the Community Foundation Sonoma County and Creative Sonoma, to provide relief to Sonoma County creative organizations that have sustained economic losses due to COVID-19 and the resulting business and community health restrictions. The purpose of these grants is to help sustain Sonoma County’s creative organizations through this challenge in order to continue serving as a source of community cohesion and inspiration as we navigate our new, shared future.

The third phase of these grants will go to Sonoma County-based nonprofit arts organizations for general operating support. Grant funds are intended to support immediate needs while continuing operations and programming, and are to be expended by December 31, 2021.

 

TIMELINE

CARGO will be distributed in three phases.

Phase 1 is through the Community Foundation application portal, and is funded by the Community Foundation Sonoma County and the Creative Sonoma Recovery Fund (via a grant from the Manitou Fund). This funding is limited to current and recent grantees (2016-2020) of the Community Foundation and Creative Sonoma, with priority given to Sonoma County nonprofit arts organizations that produce and provide arts education and programming for youth.

  • The Phase 1 application opened May 11, 2020 with a May 26, 2020 deadline, and is now closed. 

 
Phase 2 is through the Creative Sonoma application portal and is funded by the Creative Sonoma Recovery Fund (via grants from the National Endowment for the Arts CARES Act and the Manitou Fund). The funding is limited to Sonoma County nonprofit arts organizations.

  • The Phase 2 application opened July 1, 2020 with a July 15, 2020 deadline, and is now closed. 

 
Phase 3 is through the Creative Sonoma application portal (see below) and is funded by the Creative Sonoma Recovery Fund with additional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts CARES Act. The funding is limited to Sonoma County nonprofit arts organizations that continue to program during the pandemic. 

  • The Phase 3 application opened March 2, 2021 with a April 6, 2021 deadline, and is now closed. 

 

PHASE 3 DATES 

Application Opens:  March 2, 2021

Application Workshop:  March 16, 2021, 12:00-1:30 pm via Zoom. Watch the recording HERE. 

Deadline to Apply:  April 6, 2021 11:59pm PST (deadline extended by one week from original date)

Award Notification:  May 4, 2021

Funding Period:  June 1 – December 31, 2021

 

PHASE 3 ELIGIBILITY

Sonoma County arts organizations that meet the following requirements are eligible to apply.

  • Headquartered and/or physically located in Sonoma County and operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization (51% or more of organizational mission and programming is dedicated to the arts)
  • Minimum three-year history of consistent arts programming and/or services prior to the application deadline
  • Maintains minimum operating budget of $25,000
  • Maintains minimum of one paid employee working at least 20 hours/per week
  • NOTE:  Phase 1 and Phase 2 CARGO grantees are eligible to apply for Phase 3.

 
Not eligible:

  • Nonprofit organizations with a stated mission or purpose that is not arts-focused
  • Arts organizations headquartered or located outside of Sonoma County that do not maintain a facility (own/lease/rent) in Sonoma County for the purpose of arts programming or delivery of arts services
  • All-volunteer organizations
  • Groups applying with a fiscal sponsor 

 
Grant funding may NOT be used for:

  • Capital improvements, new construction, renovation, restoration or purchase of major equipment
  • Debt and deficit reduction that was incurred before the COVID-19 impacts
  • Re-granting of funds
  • Fundraising events

 

PHASE 3 GRANT AMOUNTS

Award amount will be determined by assessing sustainability and need of the organization and will range from $3,000 (minimum) to $10,000 (maximum), pending additional funds received by Creative Sonoma.

 

PHASE 3 EVALUATION CRITERIA

The grants will be reviewed for eligibility by Creative Sonoma staff, and eligible applications are forwarded to a grant review panel. The panelists will assess applications based on the following:

  • Organizational need and sustainability
  • Provision of high-quality arts programming and/or services as possible during pandemic restrictions
  • Small and mid-size organizations and those serving underserved populations are prioritized

 

HOW TO APPLY

Read the Guidelines thoroughly and utilize the Application Help Tool which contains all of the application questions. No handwritten or paper-based applications will be accepted. Applicants will need to have or create an account in Submittable, our online application portal. Once the application opens on March 2, 2021, it will appear on Submittable. 


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QUESTIONS

Email CreativeSonoma@sonoma-county.org or call 707-565-6121. 

 

FY19-20 and FY20-21 GRANTEES

The list of Grantees for Phases 1, 2 and 3 are attached HERE.