How Cultural Affairs Funding Works

Cultural Affairs uses public funding to support the people, organizations, projects, and systems that make San Diego’s creative ecosystem possible. The funding process is designed to balance peer review, public benefit, organizational and project context, responsible stewardship, and the amount of funding available through the City’s annual budget.

1. Choose the funding program and pathway that best fits the organization or project.
2. Submit one complete application through Fluxx by the deadline.
3. Cultural Affairs verifies eligibility, required documents, and pathway placement. Eligible administrative issues may be corrected during the cure period.
4. Trained peer panelists review eligible applications using the published 100 point criteria and provide comments.
5. Panel scores are used in the published funding allocation model along with budget context, available City funding, and pathway parameters.
6. Recommendations proceed through applicable Commission and City authorization and budget processes.
7. Selected recipients complete a funding agreement and required payment documents.
8. Cultural Affairs issues the award and recipients complete the approved work, reporting, reconciliation, public benefit commitments, and other agreement requirements.