Agenda Item: 9
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: January 27, 2026
SUBJECT: 2026 COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ARTS GRANTS
DEPARTMENT: Recreation and Community Services
PRESENTER: Kyle Lopez
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Approve the 2026 Community Services and Arts Grants Committee’s program funding recommendations in an amount not to exceed $100,000 for Community Services Grants and $100,000 for Arts Grants, for a total not to exceed $200,000.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all Grant Program Agreements with the agencies approved for funding, subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita (City) has provided funds for nonprofit organizations through the Community Services and Arts Grants program for approximately 36 years. Each year, a Grants Committee (Committee) is assembled to determine funding categories, review and rate applications, and make funding recommendations for community service and arts projects throughout Santa Clarita.
This year’s Committee included then-Mayor Pro Tem Laurene Weste; then-Councilmember Patsy Ayala; Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission Chair Skye Ostrom; Arts Commission Chair Dr. Michael Millar; and three City staff members from across the Economic Development, Community Development, and Public Works departments. The Committee, with the exception of Arts Commission Chair Dr. Michael Millar, is responsible for reviewing and rating the community services applications.
All applications under the arts categories were reviewed and rated by a separate Peer Review Rating Panel, which included the following members:
1. Arts Commission Chair, Dr. Michael Millar
2. Local Arts Educator, Kiara Brown
3. Local Arts Advocate, Qiana Tarlow
4. Regional Arts Advocate, Tess Simgen
5. Regional Arts Expert, Jeff Frame
The Committee continues to be responsible for determining the funding categories and making funding recommendations based on aggregate scores for each of the individual grant applications. This year, the Committee selected “City of Santa Clarita Community Benefit” for Community Services grants and “Supporting the Arts in the City of Santa Clarita” for Arts grants as the focus areas.
With the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget, the City Council approved a budget of $200,000 for the Community Services and Arts Grants program. The allocated amount for each area of the grant program is $100,000 for Community Services grants and $100,000 for Community Arts, Arts Organization Capacity, and Santa Clarita Presents grants.
The maximum funding limits for Community Service Grants, Community Arts Grants, and Arts Organization Capacity Grants are each up to $5,000, while Santa Clarita Presents Grants are up to $7,500.
Community Services Grants - Twenty-five Community Services Grants applications were received, with requests totaling $124,000. This year’s grant program includes a recommendation from the Committee to fund 20 of the applicants with a total grant allocation of $100,000.
Arts Grants - Thirty-four Arts Grants applications were received across all three Arts categories, with grant requests totaling $167,394. The Committee is recommending that funding be awarded to 20 of the applications, totaling $100,000.
Attachment A lists the Community Services agencies and recommended funding status.
Attachment B lists the Arts agencies and recommended funding status.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds in the amount of $200,000 are available in the Recreation and Community Services Grants expenditure account 1005000-517101 (General Fund).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A-Community Services Grants Recommended Funding Status Attachment B-Arts Grants Recommended Funding Status