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Fresno parks staff outline tight timeline, new rules and $6.4M plan for Cycle 3 arts grants
Summary
City of Fresno parks staff presented a consolidated draft of Cycle 3 Expanded Access to Arts and Culture grant guidelines, proposed listening sessions and a NOFO deadline of June 30, and solicited feedback on fiscal sponsorship, eligibility screening, scoring handbooks and payment terms.
City of Fresno parks staff on Thursday presented a consolidated draft of the Cycle 3 Expanded Access to Arts and Culture (EAAC) grant guidelines and an accelerated outreach schedule aimed at releasing a Notice of Funding Opportunity by June 30.
“I'm a program manager for the parks department,” Sarah GitHub told the subcommittee as she outlined the outreach plan and listening-session schedule, which includes evening and weekend sessions and an online comment portal opening April 16 and closing April 30. Staff said roughly $6.4 million will be available for Cycle 3 grants and emphasized the NOFO release deadline is fixed.
The draft consolidates multiple solicitations into a single guidance document and raises several policy questions for community input: whether applicants can request both general operating and project support; whether to preserve an established-versus-emerging distinction; how to handle fiscal sponsorship; minimum and maximum award sizes; and payment timing. Assistant Director Shelby McNabb described the proposal as a discussion draft and asked the subcommittee and public to help define unresolved elements.
“We have to get the notice of funding opportunity out,” Shelby McNabb said, noting the compressed schedule and the need to hire staff to manage the workload. McNabb told the panel that staff are preparing a scoring handbook, conflict-of-interest disclosures and a more detailed application review process to be reviewed publicly by the subcommittee before final recommendation to Council.
Staff proposed replacing the letter of intent with a short eligibility screening form that checks nonprofit status, EIN and other basic requirements before issuing an application link. They also proposed an Application Review Committee (ARC) of about 20–25 members, with three reviewers per proposal, public-facing training on scoring rubrics, and compensating reviewers for their time.
On payment structure, staff flagged the prior model of 90% up front and 10% at completion as a baseline and sought feedback on alternatives such as quarterly payments for larger awards, citing a balance between timely access to funds and fiduciary safeguards.
The presentation also covered technical assistance workshops (in-person and virtual), a grants portal for submission and reporting, a public Q&A process (written questions posted publicly so all applicants see answers), and a two-step appeals process for eligibility screening and recommended awards.
Why it matters: the subcommittee's choices will shape who can realistically apply and receive funds — especially emerging artists and small community groups that rely on fiscal sponsors or do not have formal nonprofit structures. Staff emphasized public input, promising to post a draft incorporating subcommittee feedback on May 18 and aim to present a final recommendation to the Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission and City Council in June.
What happens next: staff will log comments received in meetings and the online portal, publish a draft scoring handbook for review, and return to the Commission with recommended guidelines for Council consideration. The NOFO must be released by June 30, per staff. The hearing moved to public comment, where dozens of residents and arts representatives urged adjustments (see separate article on public input).
