San Antonio ' City staff proposed a Heritage Cultural Grants program on Nov. 5, 2025, to distribute federal funds to qualifying San Antonio nonprofit cultural organizations and to support preservation, programming and tourism-related cultural activity.

Crystal Jones, identified in the meeting as director of the Department of Agriculture, presented the staff proposal and timeline options, including an expedited schedule intended to get funds into organizations' hands before year-end. Jones said the department consulted with community organizations, regional arts partners and national funders to design eligibility and suggested a per-award cap tied to a percentage of an applicant's operating budget.

Why it matters: Councilmembers said many local cultural organizations operate on thin margins, that cultural tourists spend above-average dollars in the local economy and that quick distribution of funds could help organizations through the holiday season. Councilmembers asked staff to clarify how this program would interact with other city funding streams and whether a small set of organizations impacted by the prior federal rule change should be prioritized.

Key points presented
- Staff said the proposed program would be open to San Antonio-based nonprofit cultural organizations with at least one year of programming and a minimum operational size; staff proposed awards up to 20% of an organization's operating budget with a per-award cap (staff cited a proposed per-award cap in presentation materials).
- The proposed contract period would cover Oct. 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2027, and awards would be paid based on submitted receipts and a performance report; staff proposed paying an initial portion on award and a final portion after project completion.
- Staff offered two timelines: the standard review (two-week application window, independent panel review, staff recommendation, council approval) and an expedited path intended to approve awards and distribute funds by December if council authorized acceleration.

Council concerns and staff responses
Councilmembers requested clarity on coordination with other city funding and on whether organizations that already receive delegated city funds should have an advantage or extra scrutiny. Several members asked staff to prioritize or fast-track about 11 community organizations that were affected by a prior federal-program change; staff said they would return with legal analysis and options and would provide a holistic accounting of other public funding those groups receive.

Next steps
Staff asked for council feedback on timeline and prioritization and said they will return with written recommendations, more detail on eligibility and review-panel composition, and legal guidance about whether and how to prioritize groups affected by the prior federal change. Council indicated support for an expedited option but asked staff to provide written proposals and clear criteria before any final approval.