For any questions about ALG, contact Program Officer Jennifer Chu at jennifer.chu@sfgov.org or 415-535-7305.

Translation

A translation of this grant application is available upon request; however, only applications in English will be accepted. For more information, please contact 311.

Para obtener información en español, comuníquese al 311.

此拨款申请书的翻译版本将应请求而提供；然而，只有英文版本的申请书才会被接纳。联系电话：311

Ang pagsasalin sa Tagalog ng aplikasyon para sa pagkalooban na ito ay makukuha kung hihingilin. Ngunit ang aplikasyon sa Ingles lamang ang aming tatanggapin. Para sa tulong, maaring i-contact si Sandra Panopio, 415-252-2255 or sandra.panopio@sfgov.org.

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ALG GUIDELINES (PDF)

ALG APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS (PDF)

Jump to:
Important Dates
Information about the Artistic Legacy Grant
Who Can Apply
Panel Evaluation & Scoring Criteria

Information about Artistic Legacy Grant (ALG)

Important Dates*

Artistic Legacy Grant and Cultural Equity Initiatives Grantseeker Information Session	(Virtual) October 13, 2023 at 12 p.m.
One-on-One Consultations	(Virtual) October 10 – November 6, 2023
Application Deadline	November 7, 2023 at 12 p.m.
Grant Panel Review	(Virtual) January – March 2024
Funding Recommendations	(Hybrid) April 2024
Commission Approval	(Hybrid) May 2024
Notification of Funding	May 2024
Grant Period	July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026

*Dates are subject to change.

About ALG

The Artistic Legacy Grant (ALG) acknowledges the impact of an artist who has been living and practicing their craft in San Francisco for the last 25 years or more. This grant category aims to uplift and celebrate an artist who has contributed to San Francisco’s diverse arts and culture ecosystem.

NEW: ALG is an individual artist grant category. Applicants do not need to be associated with an arts organization to be eligible.

Through their artistic practice, the applicant artist is a vital member of their respective community(ies), has a history of deeply engaging with one or more of the historically underrepresented communities prioritized in the 1993 Cultural Equity Endowment Legislation, has a history of working to educate the broader community on the importance of their culture and/or artistic genre, and seeks to preserve their artistic legacy

Purpose and Funding Categories

ALG funds may be used to support the artist’s artistic legacy through professional development activities, salaries, artistic planning, artistic programs/events/projects and associated costs, sabbaticals, artistic documentation, archiving of artistic work, or publications reflecting the history, legacy, and impact of the artist.

The recipient of the Artistic Legacy Grant may be asked to participate in an in-person or a virtual presentation produced by the SFAC and may be asked to designate a representative to work with the SFAC on the announcement and/or associated public programming associated with the announcement.

Land Acknowledgement

The San Francisco Arts Commission acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone. We affirm the sovereign rights of their community as First Peoples and are committed to supporting the traditional and contemporary evolution of the American Indian community and uplifting contemporary indigenous voices and culture. https://www.sfartscommission.org/content/land-acknowledgement

Racial Equity Statement

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is committed to creating a city where all artists and cultural workers have the freedom, resources and platform to share their stories, art and culture and where race does not predetermine one’s success in life. We also acknowledge that we occupy traditional and unceded Ohlone land. Fueled by these beliefs, we commit to addressing the systemic inequities within our agency, the City and County of San Francisco and the broader arts and culture sector. This work requires that we focus on race as we confront inequities of the past, reveal inequities of the present and develop effective strategies to move all of us towards an equitable future.

Priority funding goes to artists that are deeply rooted in and reflective of communities listed in the Arts Commission’s 1993 Cultural Equity Endowment Legislation and informed by current best practices in racial equity. These communities include: African and African American; Latinx; Asian and Asian American; Arab; Native American; Pacific Islander; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer; Transgender and Gender Variant People; People with Disabilities; and Women. (SF ADMIN. CODE CHAPTER 68: CULTURAL EQUITY ENDOWMENT FUND. Sec. 68.6. PROJECT GRANTS).

If you are a part of a community not listed that you feel should be included, we encourage applicants to articulate and provide supporting evidence regarding the historical and current inequities experienced by your community.

ELIGIBLE Request Amount

Artistic Legacy Grant (ALG) maximum grant amount is up to $75,000 over the grant term of 24 months (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2026).

The anticipated maximum amount for an Artistic Legacy Grant grant is $75,000 based on current budget availability. Should additional City funding become available, award amounts could increase.

Grant Term
A grant funded pursuant to these guidelines will have a grant term of two years (24 months). The City at its sole, absolute discretion shall have the option to extend the term for additional years as determined by the Arts Commission.

This application is issued pursuant to San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 21G: Grants. The San Francisco Arts Commission reserves the right to: reissue these guidelines and request for applications; reject or cancel any or all applications; prior to application deadline, modify all or any portion of the selection procedures, including deadlines for accepting responses, the specifications or requirements for any services to be provided under this Solicitation, or the requirements for content or format of the applications.

Project Requirements

• Fiscal Sponsor Organizations that exceed the $2,000,000 due to re-granting must verify their operational budget without pass-through funds at the time of application. Applicants must upload audited financials from the most recently completed fiscal year demonstrating the dollar amount of pass-through funds.

how to apply

APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:  https://sfartscommission.us-1.smartsimple.com/

Applications must be submitted online in the SFAC grants management portal. Emailed applications are not accepted. In fairness to others, we cannot accept late or incomplete applications. If the applicant does not provide the complete set of information in the appropriate format by the deadline, the application may be deemed incomplete and ineligible. No deadline extensions will be granted.

If you need special accommodations, you must contact Program Officer Jennifer Chu at jennifer.chu@sfgov.org or 415-535-7305 at least two weeks before the application deadline for us to appropriately accommodate. 

 

Who Can Apply

Eligibility

ARTISTS

• Current ALG grantees and previous ALG Grant recipients are NOT eligible.
   
• The applicant must be a continuous resident of San Francisco since November 2021. Documentation demonstrating San Francisco residency must be submitted with the application. For a complete list of acceptable forms of proof of residency, please see the FY24 Artistic Legacy Grant application instructions. 
  • Verifiable proof of San Francisco corporate address: This may be in the form of a utilities bill (water/sewage, power gas/electricity or internet), telephone/cell phone bill, bank or credit card statement, signed lease agreement or mortgage statement.
  • Documents should be no more than three (3) months old and must include the name.
     
• NEW: If approved for funding, the applicant must live in San Francisco during their entire grant term.
   

• The applicant must be at least 18 years old. 

• The applicant must have a practice that provided a public benefit and was publicly accessible virtually or in person, to the City of San Francisco, its neighborhoods and communities within the last two years (since November 2021). Please see the instructions document for further information on the San Francisco Art Activities requirement. 

• The applicant must have at least 25 years or more of continuous experience as a practicing artist in San Francisco. 

• The applicant cannot be enrolled as a full-time student at the time of the application or during the grant period.

• The applicant cannot be a City & County of San Francisco Employee, this includes teachers with the SFUSD.

• Projects working with vulnerable populations: THE APPLICANT MUST APPLY WITH A FISCAL SPONSOR IF THE PROPOSED PROJECT INVOLVES WORKING WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS WHO ARE DEFINED AS: MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 18, SENIORS OVER THE AGE OF 65 OR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED POPULATIONS. If funded, the fiscal sponsor must provide sexual misconduct insurance.

• Applicants must not be in default on any grants or loans from: (1) SFAC; (2) other City departments (including, but not limited to, the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, and Grants for the Arts); (3) Northern California Grantmakers Arts Loan Fund; (4) Community Vision Capital and Consulting; (5) Community Arts Stabilization Trust; and/or (6) the Center for Cultural Innovation. This default clause was expanded due to the fact that SFAC has fiduciary relationships with these particular organizations.  

• The proposed project must take place in San Francisco between July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026.

• It is anticipated that successful proposals will be for a term of 24 months beginning in fiscal year 2024-2025 with a possible extensions for up to one additional yearbased on extenuating circumstances as determined by the Arts Commission in consultation with the grantee. Any extension is subject to Arts Commission approval and funding appropriation. The Arts Commission reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to not exercise an extension option.

• The individual must be willing and able to meet the requirements associated with receiving funds from the City and County of San Francisco. In order to receive a grant payment from the San Francisco Arts Commission, the individual must become a registered, compliant supplier and meet the City of San Francisco's insurance requirements.  

  For more information about supplier requirements, visit: https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages/become-a-supplier.aspx  
  Please note: You will only be required to register as a City Supplier and provide insurance if you are approved for funding. 

fiscal sponsors

• The Fiscal Sponsor organization must be a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and in good standing with the IRS under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). To check or update your status visit: https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/
   
• The Fiscal Sponsor organization must be in good standing with the California Franchise Tax Board. To check or update your status visit: https://webapp.ftb.ca.gov/eletter/?Submit=Check+Status
   
• The Fiscal Sponsor organization must be in good standing with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts. To check or update your status visit: https://rct.doj.ca.gov/Verification/Web/Search.aspx?facility=Y
  • To receive a grant under this Solicitation, any nonprofit applicant must be in good standing with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts by the time of grant execution and must remain in good standing during the term of the agreement.
     
  • Upon request, the applicant must provide documentation to the City demonstrating its good standing with applicable legal requirements.
     
  • If applicant will use any nonprofit subcontractors/subgrantees/subrecipients to perform the agreement, proposer will be responsible for ensuring they are also in compliance with all requirements of the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts at the time of grant execution and for the duration of the agreement
     
• The Fiscal Sponsor organization must be in good standing with the California Secretary of State. To check or update your status visit: https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/search/business
   
• The Fiscal Sponsor organization must be San Francisco-based.
  • The Fiscal Sponsor organization must demonstrate a San Francisco corporate address. Documentation demonstrating a San Francisco corporate address must be submitted with the application.
     
  • Verifiable proof of San Francisco corporate address: This may be in the form of a utilities bill (water/sewage, power gas/electricity or internet), telephone/cell phone bill, bank or credit card statement, signed lease agreement or mortgage statement.
     
  • Documents should be no more than three (3) months old and must include the applicant organization’s name.
     
  • If using a fiscal sponsor, the Applicant Organization’s address must be different from their fiscal sponsor.
     
• The fiscally sponsored organization/project cannot be any type of for-profit entity, including sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation.
   
• If the applicant/organization plans to work with a fiscal sponsor, a contractual arrangement between the applicant and the fiscal sponsor must be confirmed prior to the San Francisco Arts Commission’s grant application process. SFAC requires either a fiscal sponsor form; or proof of the fiscal sponsor agreement at the time of application.
   
• Applicants/organizations cannot retroactively work with or change fiscal sponsorship after a grant application is approved for funding.
   
• NEW: If the application is funded. A Fiscal Sponsorship Agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the fiscal sponsor and the fiscally sponsored applicant must be provided and include the following:
  • 1) Description of the exact nature of the services to be provided by this fiscal sponsor;
  • 2) The manner in which funds will be disbursed from the grant to the fiscally sponsored project/entity;
  • 3) An outline of the reporting requirements for the fiscally sponsored project/entity; 
  • 4) The fiscal sponsorship fee;
  • 5) Identification of the fiscal sponsor’s staff person who will serve as the primary liaison with the fiscally-sponsored project/entity.
     
• Organizations may not act as a fiscal sponsor for employees or artists contracted by that organization; a third-party fiscal sponsor is required.
   
• If an applicant is approved for funding, the fiscal sponsor is the legal grantee and receives the funds on behalf of the applicant who is the subgrantee.
   
• The fiscal sponsor/grantee is required to work with the subgrantee to complete and submit financial documentation of the disbursement of funds with the grant’s final report.
   
• ALL FUNDS MUST BE PAID TO THE SUBGRANTEE IN ADVANCE OF THE FINAL DISBURSEMENT OF THE GRANT.
   
• Copyright: If the applicant receives funding, the fiscal sponsor and the applicant must decide who will hold the copyright to any materials or work created during the grant period. This should be discussed in advance of signing the grant agreement, as it includes language regarding copyright.
   
• The Fiscal Sponsor must be willing and able to meet the requirements associated with receiving funds from the City and County of San Francisco. In order to receive a grant payment from the San Francisco Arts Commission, the organization must become a registered, compliant supplier and meet the City of San Francisco's insurance and business tax requirements. For more information about supplier requirements, visit: https://sfcitypartner.sfgov.org/pages/become-a-supplier.aspx
  
  Please note: you will only be required to register as a City Supplier if you are approved for funding.

RESTRICTIONS

• Programs of another City agency or department are not eligible to apply, which includes the City-owned Cultural Centers, and Cultural Districts.
   
• Only one application may be submitted to this grant category.
   
• Partners and collaborators cannot apply separately for the same project.
   
• Grant funding does not imply that the San Francisco Arts Commission or any other City agency will produce, exhibit, promote or present the art created. It is the responsibility of the artist to secure a venue, insurance and any permits for public presentations.
   

ineligible expenses

Grant funds may not pay for:

1. Activities outside of San Francisco;
2. Deficit reduction;
3. Start-up money for new organizations;
4. Planning and Development of space.

Insurance Requirements
 

Please note: Insurance is NOT required to submit an application; you will only be required to provide insurance if you are approved for funding. Below are the insurance requirements for all grantees.  

General Liability or Special Event Insurance: Coverage with limits not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate.

• CERTIFICATE HOLDER must read “The City & County of San Francisco, 1 Dr Carlton B Goodlett Place, San Francisco, CA 94102.”

Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance: Coverage with limits not less than one million dollars $1,000,000 each occurrence for Combined Single Limit for Bodily Injury and Property Damage, including Owned, Non-Owned and Hired auto coverage, as applicable.

Sexual Misconduct Insurance: Working with vulnerable populations (minors under 18 years old, elderly over 65 years old, developmentally disabled populations) requires that sexual misconduct insurance be added to the general liability policy in amounts not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 general aggregate.

Worker’s Compensation Insurance: Coverage is required for all fiscal sponsor organizations that have salaried employees; in statutory amounts, with Employers’ Liability limits not less than $1,000,000 each accident, injury, or illness.

• Worker’s Compensation Insurance is a California State law.

A Waiver of Subrogation must be added to the worker’s compensation insurance, if any work that the grant is funding happens on City-owned or managed property.
 

City Permits and Permissions

If the proposal includes components that require City permits or approval such as publicly installed art, murals, street closures or sound amplification in public space, the organization will be solely responsible for securing the necessary permits, permissions and approvals. This planning should be reflected in the project timeline.

Please note that any art installed with these grant funds on property owned by the City and County of San Francisco or on private property, must be reviewed and approved by the San Francisco Arts Commission starting with the Visual Arts Committee. This applies to murals, public sculpture and similar projects. It will be the responsibility of the grantee to add this process into their grant plan and budget. Please contact Craig Corpora at craig.corpora@sfgov.org for questions about murals, sculpture or any other type of public art.
 

Panel Evaluation & Scoring Criteria

Panelists are instructed to use the following scoring criteria which correspond to the application questions below. Close review of this grid may help you prepare your application responses. Please thoroughly review the application instructions for the complete overview of grant application questions, required uploads and guidance.

CATEGORY	POINTS	APPLICATION QUESTIONS	SCORING CRITERIA
Racial Equity (30 points)	30	1. Please explain how your professional experience, life experience, and understanding of racial equity helps you express the experiences of historically underserved communities identified in the Cultural Equity Endowment legislation* (300 word limit)	The applicant  demonstrates and provides clear examples of how their professional and life experience has helped them express the experiences of one or more of the communities identified in the Cultural Equity Endowment legislation.*
Artistic Leadership (60 points)
	15	2. Describe the artist’s artistic practice and highlight the artist’s major accomplishments over their career. (300 words) -Artist’s Resume or CV (4 page limit) Upload the Resume or CV in PDF.	The applicant’s artistic practice spans at least 25 years or more. Their resume or CV and history are clear, strong, and demonstrate a meaningful evolution.
	20	3. Describe the artist’s leadership and how they have contributed to the vitality of San Francisco’s arts ecosystem. (200 words) - Work Samples: Upload samples of your past work spanning your 25 year (or more) artistic practice history. The samples should demonstrate knowledge of and experience in your creative practice and show your ability to complete your proposed project. Any combination of the following: 5 images, 5 pages, 5 minutes of audio/video (maximum of 10 minutes for all work samples)	The applicant provides clear examples of the artist’s leadership and contributions to San Francisco’s arts ecosystem. Work samples document the span of the artist’s 25 or more years of experience as a practicing artist, provide examples of the artist’s engagement or connection with one or more of the communities identified in the Cultural Equity Endowment legislation,* demonstrate the artist’s skill and artistry, artistic accomplishments, and contributions to the field.
	15	4. Describe the proposed project in detail, including how the proposed project will preserve and support the artist’s legacy and continued change on the community(ies) with whom the artist engages. Describe the public benefit that the proposed project will provide to San Francisco, its neighborhoods and/or communities. (300 words)	The applicant demonstrates that the proposed project will further the artist’s vision, preserve the artist’s artistic legacy, and ensure the artist’s longevity and lasting change on the community(ies) engaged. The applicant describes the public benefit that the proposed project will provide to San Francisco, its neighborhoods and/or communities.
	10	- Letters of Support (2 required) Upload the letters in PDF.	Letters of Support provide meaningful firsthand account(s) of the applicant’s history of and effect on the communities the artist engages, and the artist’s contributions to San Francisco’s arts ecosystem.
Project Design and Fiscal Health (10 points)	5	5. Completed grant plan	Grant plan aligns with project summary and project budget, describes what the applicant hopes to achieve; and demonstrates appropriate capacity to complete the project.
	5	6. Completed Project Budget aligns with the project design/summary and line items are explained in detail. -Project Budget Notes (250 words) For applicants working with a Fiscal sponsor: Fiscal sponsor upload IRS 990 showing total annual operating revenue for the last two completed fiscal years.	Project budget demonstrates relevant expenditures to implement and complete the project.

*We recognize that some communities may not be listed in the legislation linked above and encourage applicants to articulate and provide supporting evidence regarding the historical and current inequities experienced by their community. Please review the San Francisco Arts Commission Racial Equity statement. 

Grant review Panelists

SFAC grant applications are evaluated in an open review process by a panel of peers. Grant review panelists reflect the diversity of San Francisco, have broad knowledge about racial equity, and have experience that aligns with the purpose of the grant.

Application Review

Panelists evaluate and rank applications according to the stated scoring criteria.

Panel Review Attendance and influence

Grant review panels are publicly accessible. A schedule of the panel review will be posted on the SFAC website calendar and applicants will be notified in advance via email. Please be sure the email address in your application is current and regularly checked. Take steps to ensure that emails from the San Francisco Arts Commission’s sfac.grants@sfgov.org email address are not lost in your spam filter. Many applicants find it informative to listen to the discussion of applications and are welcome to observe the panel review. Applicants may not engage in discussion with any panelists or San Francisco Arts Commission staff during the panel.

If an applicant is found to have attempted to influence a panelist or Mayoral-appointed Commissioner in any way, including contacting them before or after the panel to discuss their application, their grant application will be automatically disqualified.

Panel Reviews and Panelist Scores​

Virtual panels will be recorded.

Links to the panel review recording and preliminary scores are emailed to applicants within 10 business days of the review.

Funding Recommendations

Based on an evaluation of the applications, panelist scores create a ranking for funding recommendations. Grant amounts are either the full amount of the grant request or a substantial portion of the request.

Funding Approval

Panel recommendations are subject to the approval of the Arts Commission. Typically, recommendations are first reviewed by the Community Investments Committee and then must be approved by the full Commission.

Arts Commission meetings are open to the public. Agendas are available at https://sfgov.org/arts/ 72 hours in advance of a meeting.

Grant notifications

Grant notifications are emailed to the address listed on the application and include instructions about the contracting process and orientation dates.