Grants Program Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question about the grants grogram? Responses to frequently asked questions are organized by topic area here and will be updated as needed. If your question isn’t answered here, send it to the grants program manager at Grants@ParksCalifornia.org.

LOI Phase

  • Feb. 9 – March 13: Letter of Intent Application open
  • Feb. 17, 1 p.m. PT: Information Session
  • Feb. 19 – March 9: Community and one-on-one office hours
    • Community Office Hours are open forums where applicants can ask questions and learn alongside peers.
      • Thursday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. PT – Partnerships and Roles
      • Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. PT – Budgets and Eligible Costs
      • Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. PT – Eligible and Competitive Projects
      • Tuesday, March 3 at 10 a.m. PT – Legal and Site Requirements
      • Monday, March 9 at 2 p.m. PT – Last-Minute Questions and Open Q&A
    • 1:1 Virtual Office Visits are 15-minute sessions that applicants may sign up to attend to ask focused, project-specific questions. Limit one session per organization. 
  • March 13, 5 p.m. PT: LOI application deadline
  • March 16 – May 14: LOI application review period
  • Late May: Selected LOI applicants will be invited to submit a full application

Full Application Phase

  • May 26 – June 26: Full application period
  • May 28 – June 18: Community and one-on-one office hours
  • June 26, 5 p.m. PT: Full application deadline
  • July 6 – Aug. 6: Full application review period
  • September 2026: Grant award notifications
  • October 2026: Grant announcements and grant period begins

Eligible applicants include 501(c)3 organizations, California Native American Tribes, native 7871 organizations, land trusts, fiscally sponsored community organizations, foundations and/or local government agencies.

For additional information, review the Minimum Eligibility Requirements.

We encourage  artists to sign up to our Artist Directory and reach out to eligible applicants (see question above) to get involved.

For the 2026-27 grant cycle, only Implementation grants are available. This is the final year of the pilot initiative.  

  • Implementation Grants (12-month grant cycle; October 2026 – September 2027) support the execution of community engagement, art and culture programs with a well-defined partnership.

The Arts in California Parks grants program is currently in the final year of a three-year pilot. Future funding opportunities, if any, will be announced on the program website and mailing list.

Implementation grant funded projects must take place within the 12-month grant period: October 2026 – September 2027

Implementation grant applicants are required to provide evidence of confirmation that their organization has received approval with relevant stakeholders for the proposed activities before applying. Supporting documentation, such as emails or letters, confirming the established partnership will be due with your submission. 

Yes, the Arts in California Parks grants program specifically will only fund projects that take place in local public parks.

The Arts in California Parks grants program intends to foster community connections to California’s diverse cultural history and natural areas beyond state park boundaries. Eligible projects will help enhance connections to local cultural history, local parks, open space or natural areas through community events, programming or installations that help to build sustainable community connections, health and well-being.

Eligible projects must be open to the general public. Projects may be located on land that is owned or managed by a local city, county, park or community service district, land trusts, regional park or open space district, non-profit organization or foundation, or any other entity other than federal and state agencies. Both indoor and outdoor spaces can be considered.

An “open space” refers to a natural area accessible to the public, which may include natural conservancies, archaeological sites, and lands managed by nonprofit organizations. These spaces are characterized by their availability and accessibility, often not enclosed by fencing, and may have designated hours for public access.

In communities with limited parks and park amenities, museums, visitor centers, recreation centers, and theaters with indoor and outdoor spaces can emerge as alternatives. These facilities should be instrumental in providing access to communal gatherings, educational opportunities, and activities that enhance health and well-being, particularly where suitable outdoor environments are absent.

To support a statewide approach, proposals will be ranked within their region as shown on the 2026/27 grants program Regional Map. A minimum of two projects will be funded per region.

Through the Arts in California Parks grants program, California State Parks and its partners aim to support California Native American tribes, artists, and communities in creating artwork that offers perspective on our past and present and helps us imagine our potential.

Scoresheets are available as PDFs as outlined below and via the grants program Resource Hub.

  • We encourage applicants to watch the webinar in the grants program Resource Hub for an overview of the guidelines.
  • Parks California is available to answer questions, provide proposal support and offer technical assistance.
  • Mark your calendar for important dates.
  • For additional questions, email us at Grants@ParksCalifornia.org

Only one application per organization will be considered for funding. 

No, completing a Planning and Development grant is not a requirement for Implementation grant applicants.

We highly encourage Planning and Development Grant recipients to apply for the Implementation Grant. However, we understand that unexpected findings may require further planning by organizations and partners.

The LOI application was introduced based on recommendations from applicants during feedback conversations and input from our Advisory Committee. This phase helps streamline the application process, reduce the initial burden on applicants, and ensure that only the most eligible and competitive projects advance to the Full Application stage. 

A LOI is a brief application that outlines your project’s key elements, such as goals, community engagement strategies, and budget. It helps determine if your project aligns with Program priorities before proceeding to a full application. 

Log into Parks California’s grants portal, Foundant, and complete the LOI application during the open application period, Feb. 9 – March 13. The eligibility requirements questionnaire is built directly into the LOI application and must be completed as part of the submission process.

Before submitting your LOI Application, review the Before You Start Checklist to ensure you have all the required information prepared. The LOI application includes a brief eligibility requirements questionnaire to confirm that your project meets the program’s minimum qualifications.

Please see the Implementation LOI Scoresheet for information on how LOIs will be reviewed.

No, the LOI focuses on the broad concept of your project. A detailed project plan is only required if you are invited to submit a full application.

Applicants whose LOIs are selected by our proposal review committee will be invited to submit a full proposal. While many factors are considered, we anticipate advancing 50 LOI applicants to the full application phase.

Parks California will provide feedback upon request to help applicants refine their ideas for future cycles. 

No, LOI selection is competitive. Approximately 50 applicants will be invited to submit a full application based on program goals and criteria alignment. 

Learn more at minimum eligibility requirements. 

The Arts in California Parks grants program welcomes a range of public-facing art and cultural projects, including experiential programs, performances, temporary installations and permanent installations, where applicable, as long as they are paired with meaningful community engagement and meet site and public access requirements.

Community engagement may include workshops, interviews, listening sessions, public meetings, co-creation activities, educational programs, volunteer opportunities, youth engagement and other approaches that reflect local context and community voice.

No, applicants should propose an engagement approach that is appropriate to the project scope, community context and timeline.

Yes, the Arts in California Parks directory is available as a public resource for applicants and partners seeking artists by location, medium and other filters.

No, this is not a reimbursement grant. Funds are disbursed once the grant agreement is signed.

Allowable expenses may include (but are not limited to): 

  • Artist fees and contracts
  • Staff time directly related to the project
  • Community engagement activities
  • Program/event production costs
  • Materials and supplies
  • Rentals and equipment
  • Permits and insurance required for the project
  • Installation, exhibition or performance costs
  • Maintenance during the grant period only, if applicable to the project
    • Applicants should use the budget narrative to explain how each line item supports the project. 

Ineligible costs include fundraising, grant writing, lobbying, costs outside the grant period and expenses outside the approved project scope. Long-term maintenance beyond the grant period is not eligible.

Yes, indirect expenses are allowed and should be clearly explained in the budget and budget narrative.

  • Colleges, universities and government agencies: For maximum efficiency of limited resources, it is Parks California’s policy to fund indirect or overhead costs up to 15% of the approved project amount.
  • For nonprofit organizations, Parks California does not employ a fixed minimum or maximum rate for indirect costs.
  • We highly encourage applicants to use the budget narrative to thoroughly explain any indirect cost requests. Clearly outlining the rationale for these expenses will help reviewers understand how they support your project’s goals and align with the overall funding request.

Yes, artists should be compensated for their work, with fees aligned to scope and responsibilities.

Artist fees are an allowable expense, and artists should be compensated for their time and talents. To inform your budget proposal, discuss the scope of your project with the artist or art-based organization. For additional information, you can find resources on the Helpful Links.

Projects supported through this grant should be free and accessible to members of the public.

Grant funds may support maintenance during the grant period only, when it is necessary to deliver the funded activities. Long-term maintenance beyond the grant period is not eligible, and applicants should describe how ongoing maintenance will be addressed through other means if relevant.

All Implementation grantees must submit a mid-year report and a final report. Final reports are due within 30 days of completing funded activities. Reports are submitted electronically through Foundant using Parks California’s templates.

In addition to required reports, grantees may be asked to share photos, quotes, interviews and other materials to help Parks California and its partners highlight statewide impact through communications and storytelling. Grantees will also be expected to coordinate with the program’s evaluation partner, Scansion LLC, to support program-wide evaluation activities during the grant period.

The grantee and/or artist retains ownership of copyrights for original works created through the grant. The grantee/artist is responsible for copyright registration and maintenance.

Yes, grant agreements include a nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide license for Parks California and California State Parks to use, reproduce, modify, display and distribute works created under the grant for program-related purposes, including communications and education, without additional compensation.

If third-party content is included, grantees must secure appropriate permissions and ensure Parks California and California State Parks receive sufficient rights to use those materials consistent with the agreement.

The review process has two phases:

  1. Letter of Intent review – Eligible applicants submit an LOI, which is scored using the Implementation LOI Scoresheet. LOIs are evaluated for eligibility, alignment with program goals, partnership readiness and overall competitiveness. Selected applicants are invited to submit a full application.
  2. Full application review – Invited applicants submit a full application, which is scored using the Implementation Full Application Scoresheet. Applications are evaluated on project readiness, community engagement, feasibility and overall impact, among other criteria.

Feedback may be provided upon request, as capacity allows, to support applicant learning and future proposal development.

RIPE Area-The Art of Native Plants Festival (American River Conservancy-2024 grantee). Photo by Parks California.