ORGANIZATIONAL GRANTS PROGRAM

---Since its inception in 1947, granting to support arts programming and presentation has been a major function of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Most granted funds have been allocated from the County general fund. Supplemental funding to support pilot or new granting programs has been received from the California Arts Council (CAC) and the National Endowment for the Arts. In the first 20 years, when called the Los Angeles County Music Commission, all funded organizations were professional and community music groups, primarily orchestras, located throughout the County.

---With a formal change of name to the Los Angeles County Music and Performing Arts Commission in 1966, the Arts Commission began funding dance and theatre organizations as well. In 1985, the Arts Commission received its first allocation from the CAC, the state arts agency. The grant from the CAC was the beginning of the National/State/County Partnership grant program which supported community-based organizations of all disciplines, many of which have grown into important cultural institutions. In celebration of its 50th anniversary in 1997, the Commission was renamed the Los Angeles County Arts Commission to signify its support of all arts disciplines.

---In 1998-1999 the Arts Commission implemented a new grant program to support mid-size organizations with budgets between $100,000 and $800,000, and restructured the existing grant program. To clarify communication with County arts organizations, the grants program was redefined with specific project goals and three separate categories based on the last completed year's income of the applicant organization: OGP I (for budgets less than $100,000) focusing on artistic and administrative advancement, OGP II (for budgets between $100,000 and $800,000) supporting organizational sustainability, and OGP III (for budgets greater than $800,000) focusing on accessibility of the arts for County residents. The Arts Commission is one of the few local arts funders providing infrastructure support through its grants program. Grant awards in OGP I and OGP II are also sometimes connected to required organizational development training and workshops in project related areas. Grantees also participate in professional development opportunities such as the Arts Leadership Initiative, /orgdev_moreALI04.pdf.

---The Arts Commission also fully implemented the use of discipline peer panels in 1998 to review all applications and to make recommendations to the Arts Commissioners. The commissioners review these recommendations, make appropriate adjustments and submit funding recommendations to the County Board of Supervisors for final approval.

---In 2004, the Arts Commission completed an analysis of its larger mid-size and smaller large-budget grantee organizations. This assessment revealed distinctive missions and funding needs for these organizations. Based on the evaluation, the Arts Commission created a fourth OGP category, OGP 2.5. OGP 2.5 provides artistic capacity grants to organizations with budgets between $500,000 and $1.5M. Some grantee organizations also receive technical assistance focused on individualized leadership coaching.