SLFRF-Funded Program Overview

The objective of the Houston Arts and Cultural Stabilization Grant was to be a resource for 501c(3) nonprofit Houston arts and culture organizations that were economically impacted by COVID-19 between July 1, 2021, and December 31, 2023. This grant program provided financial support to non-profit arts and cultural organizations located in the city of Houston that primarily produce, present, or exhibit the arts, with a preference for those with arts in their mission statement. The program intended to support day-to-day business expenses related to staff salaries and Houston-based contracted artists who carried out the organization’s programming. Funds could also be used to support marketing expenses associated with the organization’s programs. Visit the Website

Advocacy

After COVID relief funding from the CARES Act early in the pandemic, the Houston community relied on community activism and grassroots advocacy to ultimately secure SLFRF funding from Houston City Council for the sector. With funding acquired, MOCA selected to partner with ARPA experienced Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) to administer the grant program. M-AAA, the regional arts organization that empowers community through art for the six-state region that includes Texas, is a trusted partner for MOCA with a track record of helping the city efficiently distribute federal funds.

Process

Early pandemic funding programs through the CARES Act taught MOCA and Houston’s arts and culture organizations to gather input from the community and tailor the process within these federal funding opportunities. The SLFRF-related application was created to streamline the process for organizations new to grant funding, recognizing the burden on staff capacities that can be imposed by the process. After allocating funding to top-scoring organizations, the remaining funds were distributed to applicants via a lottery system. Award amount was determined by organizational budget size, with grants not to exceed $100,000.

Equity

As Houston is the single most ethnically diverse major metropolitan area in the country, MOCA has been building systems grounded in historic realities and structured to advance the entire arts ecosystem. With that in mind, applications for the Arts and Cultural Stabilization Grant program were prioritized based on four factors aimed at the diverse and equitable distribution of funds across Houston:

1. Organizations with arts in their mission statement;
2. Organizations that are located in one of the 10 Complete Communities in Houston;
3. Organizations that are located in one of the Seven State Certified Cultural Districts;
4. Organizations that represent or are in service to under-resourced populations and communities including: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ communities, low-income communities, individuals with disabilities, individuals in institutions, individuals below the poverty line, individuals with limited English proficiency, military veterans/active duty personnel including the National Guard and Reserves, and youth at risk. Review Criteria

Moving Forward

Funding from CARES and ARPA were first forays into the federal grant application process for many organizations. Moving forward, this nimbleness and gained experience served the sector well and perhaps will lead to more federal applications to different agencies in the coming years. Beyond the needed funding, the collective grassroots advocacy work by the Houston arts and culture community created organized infrastructure that will be helpful in future advocacy work to secure support for the sector.

The Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs (MOCA) advances the Mayor’s cultural priorities through the City’s programs, partnerships, and communications. MOCA is responsible for the management of all of the City of Houston’s arts investment, including five grant programs and the City’s Civic Art Program. MOCA-led programs promote engagement in quality arts and cultural programming, enhance the support system for the city’s deep cultural assets, and advances strategies to strengthen the local creative economy. Visit the MOCA Website