Arts Commission approves FY 2025–26 Community Arts Grants funding plan totaling recommended awards to 26 projects

The Carlsbad Arts Commission voted unanimously on May 1 to approve the fiscal year 2025–26 Community Arts Grants funding plan, recommending awards to all 26 eligible applications and endorsing staff’s proposed allocations across three funding categories: arts organizations, emerging arts organizations and arts-in-schools.

Crystal Roa, project manager with the Library and Cultural Arts Department, told the commission the total funding pool available for the year is $117,128 and said the panel of 15 reviewers (three panelists per application) had evaluated 28 submissions, 26 of which were eligible for funding. Roa said staff recommended funding all 26 eligible applicants and explained the scoring-to-funding scale used to convert panel scores into award amounts.

Roa provided category-level details in the staff recommendation: arts organizations requested roughly $91,000 and staff recommended awarding about $68,000 to that category; three emerging arts organizations requested $15,000 and staff recommended $13,000; and arts-in-schools applicants requested roughly $35,000 and staff recommended awarding nearly the full requested amount across the school applicants. Roa said the total requested across all applications was about $136,100 and staff recommended fully funding eligible projects to the extent of available funds.

Commission discussion touched on application volume, outreach to emerging groups and the schools cap. Commissioner Ferroni noted fewer total applicants this year compared with prior cycles; staff said the city limited school sites to three applications per site this year (down from five), which likely reduced the schools’ submission count. Commissioner George thanked staff for using the panel scores to align funding percentages; he asked for brief descriptions of the three recommended emerging-arts awards. Staff described the three emerging applicants: Persian Place (dance and a proposed music/poetry project), a local theater artist presenting a Latina Voices theater piece (with a fiscal agent), and Striving to Serve (a visual-art project engaging seniors and veterans culminating in a public exhibition).

Commissioners discussed eligibility and religious organizations; staff said faith-based organizations may apply but projects must be secular (the application states that awards may not be used for religious or doctrinal purposes). Roa also explained two proposals that were ineligible: one applicant did not submit required paperwork and another did not demonstrate federal 501(c)(3) status nor secure a fiscal agent.

Commissioner Nasiri moved to approve the funding plan; Commissioner Ferroni seconded. The minutes clerk recorded the vote as unanimous approval. The commission’s approval directs staff to administer awards as recommended, disburse 80% at project start with the final 20% held pending a final report, and return any required documents as part of grant administration.

Details and clarifications: awards will be disbursed in two payments (80% upfront, 20% after final report). Eligibility required applicants to be arts-focused, provide services to Carlsbad, and be a 501(c)(3) or use a fiscal sponsor. Staff will follow up with applicants on final reporting and will work to broaden outreach to emerging organizations for future cycles.