City of San Diego logo Funding for Cultural Affairs

Creative Communities San Diego (CCSD)

Creative Communities San Diego (CCSD), provides project support for eligible arts, cultural, and creative projects that take place in, serve, or create direct benefit for the City of San Diego.

Beginning in FY28, CCSD is organized into three pathways based on the project’s primary purpose, who or what it is intended to serve, and the type of public or creative sector benefit it creates. A project may overlap more than one pathway. Applicants should choose the pathway that best reflects the primary purpose and intended outcome of the work they are asking the City to support.

Apply Here: https://sandiegoarts.fluxx.io/

Pathways of the Organizatonal Support Program
CCSD PathwayFocusSupport may emphasizeFY28 Anticipated Award Range
Community Arts & Creative SpacesSustained creative engagement rooted in a community, culture, neighborhood, population, or place.Community participation, culturally rooted programming, recurring creative activity, creative gathering spaces, access, and belonging.$10,000 to $100,000
Public Cultural LifePublic facing arts and cultural events, celebrations, performances, activations, and experiences.Festivals, parades, performances, exhibitions, screenings, installations, cultural celebrations, creative placemaking, and public participation.$5,000 to $50,000
Creative Ecosystem BuilderStrengthening the people, organizations, resources, and infrastructure that support San Diego’s creative sector.Artist services, professional development, technical assistance, training, convening, incubation, shared resources, and creative sector capacity.$5,000 to $75,000

General CCSD Eligibility

  • The applicant holds eligible federal tax exempt status under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6), or applies through an eligible fiscal sponsor.
  • Arts, culture, creativity, cultural heritage, cultural practice, or creative sector support is the primary purpose of the City supported project.
  • The funded project takes place in the City of San Diego and or creates the direct City benefit required by the applicable pathway.
  • The project creates meaningful benefit for San Diego residents, participants, artists, cultural workers, creative organizations, and or visitors.
  • The project aligns with one or more purposes of Transient Occupancy Tax funding under Council Policy 100 03.

Important FY28 changes: There is no two year operating history requirement or two year independent governing board requirement. CCSD uses one complete application, a published 100 point evaluation system, no dollar for dollar match, and one upfront project payment after agreement execution and required payment documents are complete.


Full CCSD
Guidelines


Where Do I Fit?
Funding Pathway Finder


Application
Support