Request for Proposals: EAAC 2025

Fresno Arts Council invites applications for the following “Expanded Access to Arts and Culture” grant opportunities, furnished by City of Fresno tax funds generated by Measure P:

• Emerging Organization General Operating Support (awards up to $50,000)

• Established Organization General Operating Support (awards up to $400,000)

• Emerging Project Specific Support (awards up to $50,000)

• Established Project Specific Support (awards up to $150,000)

EAAC Policies

Review the Policies guiding the application process for Expanded Access to Arts and Culture grants, 2025-26.

Information related to eligibility, funding request amounts, application process, and more.

Policies in Hmong, Spanish, Punjabi

Letter of Intent Guidelines

Interested EAAC applicants must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) in order to apply for the EAAC Emerging or Established Organization General Operating and Project Support Grants. LOIs must be submitted by the deadline (April 11, 2025) in order to be eligible to access the EAAC grant portal. Applicants will receive a direct link to the application once screened for eligibility in the applicant’s desired category.

Please allow two weeks for LOI review and notification.

LOI Guidelines in Hmong, Spanish, Punjabi

Emerging Organization General Operating Support Guidelines

Grant Application Guidelines for Emerging Cultural Arts Organizations seeking General Operating Support. Deadline June 11, 2025 (must submit LOI by April 11, 2025 for readiness review).

Guidelines in Hmong,

Spanish

Punjabi

Established Organization General Operating Support Guidelines

Grant Application Guidelines for Established Cultural Arts Organizations seeking General Operating Support. Deadline June 11, 2025 (must submit LOI by April 11, 2025 for readiness review).

Guidelines in Hmong

Guidelines in Spanish

Guidelines in Punjabi

Emerging Project Support Guidelines

Grant Application Guidelines for Emerging Organizations seeking Project Specific Support. Deadline June 11, 2025 (must submit LOI by April 11, 2025 for readiness review).

Guidelines in Hmong

Guidelines in Spanish

Guidelines in Punjabi

Established Project Support Guidelines

Grant Application Guidelines for Established Organizations seeking Project Specific Support. Deadline June 11, 2025 (must submit LOI by April 11, 2025 for readiness review).

Guidelines in Hmong

Guidelines in Spanish

Guidelines in Punjabi

• EAAC Overview and LOI Information Session: Tuesday, March 25, 2025 6:00PM at Fresno City Hall, Council Chambers. Live-streamed on CMAC at https://cmac.tv/gov/.

March 25th Presentation Slides here.

• Grant Writing Session at Fresno City and County Historical Society. Archive on Kern (2120 Kern St., Fresno, CA 93721): Monday, April 7, 2025: 6:00-8:00pm. Register here.

• Friday, May 2 for approved LOI applicants, City Hall, 6-8pm. Resource.

If your organization is interested in serving as a fiscal sponsor, please reach out to lilia@fresnoartscouncil.org

Organizations willing to be contacted about being your EAAC fiscal sponsor:

1. Community Access Media Collaborative (CMAC): Contact Executive Director, Bryan Harley at bryan@cmac.tv

2. Dulce Upfront: Contact 559-202-3099 or info@dulceupfrontlabs.org

3. Arts Enrichment for All: Contact Executive Director, Erin Burd at 559-326-7639 or erin@artsenrichmentforall.org

4. South Tower Community Land Trust (South Tower CLT): Contact german@southtowerclt.org

5. Downtown Fresno Foundation: Contact 559-490-9966 or Gloria Valdovinos at gloria@downtownfresno.org

6. Fresno City and County Historical Society: Contact President, Elizabeth Laval at elaval@valleyhistory.org

7. Arte Américas: Contact Executive Director, Arianna Chávez at arianna@arteamericas.org

Fiscal Sponsors

A Fiscal Sponsor is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable projects.

• Fiscal Sponsors can apply for their own grant and can also apply on behalf of multiple different projects with different applicant organizations.

• A Fiscal Sponsor must demonstrate a minimum of two consecutive years of arts and culture programing or indicate that arts and /or culture work of the sponsored project is consistent with/in furtherance of the sponsoring organization’s non-profit purpose.

• A Fiscal Sponsor must be in good standing with the IRS, the CA Secretary of State, and the CA Office of the Attorney General.

NOTE: any applicant organization, Established or Emerging, using a Fiscal Sponsor is eligible to apply ONLY for Project Specific grants, not for Operating Support.

Review Panels

An adjudication panel made up of community members representative of the cultural, demographic and geographic diversity of Fresno will be assembled. They may include artists and culture bearers and Non-Profit administrators. The Commission and Fresno Arts Council shall ensure that grant applications are reviewed in a transparent, competitive process.

Fresno Arts Council invites applications for panelists via Submittable.

If you are interested in serving as an EAAC Application Review Panelist, please submit your application here.

Tips for applicants: EAAC Workshop 5/25/25.

Fresno Arts Council would like to inform you that grant review panels begin July 28th at 5:00pm in our office at 1245 Van Ness Ave. Fresno, CA 93721. The full schedule of in-person panels is below. Panels will be conducted in person only. Applicants are able to request panel comments following announcement of intent to award this Fall. Please call 559-237-9734 with any questions.

EAAC Panel Schedule:

Emerging Project Specific Support (4 panels):

·      Monday, July 28, 5-8pm; tentative overflow session Tuesday, July 29, 5-8pm

·      Wednesday, July 30, 5-8pm; tentative overflow session Friday, August 1, 5-8pm

·      Monday, August 11, 3-6pm; tentative overflow session Tuesday, August 12, 3-6pm

·      Wednesday, August 13, 5-8pm; tentative overflow session Friday, August 15, 5-8pm

Emerging Organization General Operating Support (1 panel):

·      Friday, August 1, 9am-12pm; tentative overflow session Monday, August 4, 9am-12pm

Established Project Specific Support (2 panels):

·      Wednesday, August 6, 5-8pm; tentative overflow session Friday, August 8, 5-8pm

·      Monday, August 11, 9am-12pm; tentative overflow session Tuesday, August 12, 9am-12pm

Established Organization General Operating Support (1 panel):

·      Monday, August 4, 5-8pm; tentative overflow session Tuesday, August 5, 5-8pm

Additional Overflow: Monday, August 11, 6:30-9:00mp via Zoom