Arts organizations considering applying to the Los Angeles County Arts Commission’s Organizational Grant Program (OGP) can learn valuable skills for producing grant proposals as well as the details of the new electronic application system at eight workshops throughout Los Angeles County between September 26 and November 9. The workshops, which are free, will be held at the following locations and dates:

Downtown Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Arts Commission, September 26
Boyle Heights, Casa 0101, October 12
Pasadena, Armory Center for the Arts, October 20
North Hollywood, Lankershim Arts Center, October 22
Watts, Watts Labor Community Action Committee, Cecil Fergerson Gallery, October 26
Long Beach, Homeland Cultural Center, Manazar Gamboa Community Theater, November 1
Pomona, dA Center for the Arts, November 5
Los Angeles, Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, Cabaret Room, November 9

All workshops include a section on the specifics of the new OGP application process. Applicants must now submit applications and artistic documentation electronically. Also, in an effort to provide more flexibility for OGP applicants during these challenging financial times, the Arts Commission now allows small and mid-sized budget applicants (OGP I, OGP II and OGP 2.5) to request support for their current organizational needs rather than projects relating to specific areas of organizational growth.

The second section of each workshop varies. A section on “Improving Artistic Samples” will be offered for the first time at the workshop in Pasadena on October 20. Taught by marketing specialist Nancy Hytone Leb, the session will focus on high quality artistic samples and how to connect them to your application narrative.

Other specialized sessions taught by experienced consultants include “Simple Steps to Building a Program Budget” (Boyle Heights, October 12), “Arts Education: Addressing the Visual & Performing Arts Standards in Proposals” (Watts, October 26), “Program Evaluation” (North Hollywood, October 22) and “So you want to get funded?” (Long Beach, November 1).

The workshops in downtown L.A. on September 26 and at the Nate Holden Center in L.A. on November 9 include grants staff “office hours.” Staff will be available to provide guidance and answer burning grant application questions as well as information about other Arts Commission opportunities.

To view complete details and register for a workshop, please visit:
(for electronic publications) http://www.lacountyarts.org/ogp_workshopsched.html

(for non-electronic publications) www.lacountyarts.org, click on “Grants,” then “Workshop Schedule.”

New applicants and applicants that did not receive funding the last time they applied to the Organizational Grant Program are required to attend a workshop, but the workshops are designed to benefit L.A. County-based non-profit arts organizations of all sizes.

To access the OGP guidelines and application
(for electronic publications)
visit http://lacountyarts.org/ogp_programInfo.html.

(for non-electronic publications)
visit lacountyarts.org and click on “Grants.”

Or email grants@arts.lacounty.gov.

OGP grant deadlines for the 2012-14 cycle are as follows:

OGP III
For organizations with revenue of more than $1.5 million
Application due date: October 19, 2011

OGP 2.5
For organizations with revenue of $500,000 to $1,499,999
Application due date: November 2, 2011

OGP II
For organizations with revenue of $100,000 to $499,999
Application due date: November 16, 2011

OGP I
For organizations with revenue of less than $100,000
Application due date: December 7, 2011

The Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Laura Zucker, Executive Director, provides leadership in cultural services of all disciplines for the largest county in the United States, encompassing 88 municipalities. In addition to its grants program, the Arts Commission provides leadership and staffing to support the regional collaboration for arts education, Arts for All; oversees the County’s Civic Art Program for capital projects; programs the John Anson Ford Theatres; funds the largest arts internship program in the country in conjunction with the Getty Foundation; and supports the Los Angeles County Cultural Calendar on ExperienceLA.com. The Commission also produces free community programs, including the L.A. Holiday Celebration and a year-round music program that funds more than 70 free concerts each year in public sites. The 2011-12 President of the Arts Commission is Ollie Blanning. For more information please consult the Arts Commission online press kit: http://lacountyarts.org/page/pubnewspress