Proposition 4 – Nature Based
🏛 Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (California)
✓ Free, no account · Source: California Grants Portal · Last verified Aug 1, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for Administering Organizations (AOs) that will regrant folk and traditional arts funding statewide across California. Eligible applicants are arts organizations, nonprofits, or similar entities with demonstrated capacity for statewide and regional reach. The AO must work directly with folk and traditional artists or cultural organizations practicing forms like crafts, music, dance, ritual, and technical skills. Activities include developing grant programs, providing technical assistance, capacity building, and managing regranting to individual artists and arts organizations throughout California.
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Program description
Climate projects are covered under Chapter 6 of Proposition 4 and must satisfy Section 93000, while also addressing at least one priority from Section 93020. Eligible projects protect biodiversity or nature, restore landscape health, or achieve California’s climate goals. To qualify, each project must also reduce climate change risks to communities, fish and wildlife, or natural resources, or increase public access to nature. Proposition 4 – Nature Based
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- Organization background and capacity documentation
- Statewide and regional partnership evidence
- Proposed FTA program design and timeline
- Regranting process and artist selection criteria
- Technical assistance and capacity-building plan
- Commitment letter from California Arts Council or similar documentation
- Financial management and reporting systems
Program contact
- 📧 grants@smmc.ca.gov
- 📞 1-310-589-2899
Funding track record
Past applications & awards under this program (California Grants Portal) — how competitive it is.
By fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Applications | Awarded | Award rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025 | 2 | 2 | 100% |
Source: California Grants Portal
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Administering Organizations with statewide or regional reach. Your organization must have capacity to manage a regranting program and work with folk and traditional artists.
What are folk and traditional arts?
Art forms rooted in cultural life and passed down across generations. Examples include crafts, music, dance, ritual practices, and technical skills shared within communities.
What will the awarded organization do?
Develop and administer an FTA grant program statewide. You'll provide technical assistance, build local capacity, manage a regranting process, and report to the California Arts Council.
When is the deadline?
The deadline is June 5, 2025. Check the California Arts Council website for specific application procedures and any updates.
What activities are supported?
Funding supports folk and traditional artists and cultural organizations. The AO grants funds to these practitioners and provides technical assistance and capacity building at the local level.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize your organization's existing track record with folk and traditional artists or cultural communities. Show regional or statewide partnerships.
- Develop a clear regranting plan showing how you'll identify, support, and manage funds for individual artists and small organizations.
- Demonstrate knowledge of California's diverse cultural communities. Plan authentic engagement strategies with trusted culture bearers.
- Build strong adjudication processes that include individuals with expertise in specific cultural traditions being supported.
- Plan for ongoing technical assistance and capacity building, not just one-time grants to artists.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when AOs lack demonstrated capacity for statewide reach or regional partnerships. Weak regranting plans that don't address artist accessibility or community engagement lose points. Applicants underestimate the technical assistance and capacity-building work required beyond grant administration.
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