Application Platform
All applications must be submitted online, via a platform powered by SurveyMonkey Apply at https://dca-la.smapply.org, and also in hard-copy by the deadlines indicated below. Before completing an application, review the content below to understand DCA’s application process (note the links below are explanations of the submission elements, and are not the application forms).
Deadlines
Online Submission: Friday August 29, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Accompanying Hard Copy Submission: Postmarked by Wednesday September 3, 2025
Submission Process
Part I – Complete the application forms and required uploads in the on-line grant submission system.
Part II – Print out a hard copy of your proposal, and attach a signed FY 27 Certification Statement as a cover letter. This Certification will need to be signed by an authorized staff person and by a non-compensated Board member. Mail this packet to the DCA Grants office at: Department of Cultural Affairs, Grants Administration Division, 201 North Figueroa Street, Suite 1400, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Major elements of the grant application
* The grand total for Project Income should be equal to the grand total for Project Expenses. A project budget showing a surplus or deficit negatively effects peer panel scoring of a proposal.
To review the contents of the online application form, and to help you prepare your responses in advance, please refer to this PDF preview of the application questions: FY 27 Cultural Grants Program proposal
DCA Organization Financial & Programmatic Profile Form
Starting for FY2026-27, applicants are no longer asked to submit an SMU DataArts Funder Report as part of a grant proposal. Instead, applicants must complete an Organization Financial & Programmatic Profile to share key details about the applicant’s recent operating history and performance. The form requests a streamlined set of data from the organization’s two or three most recent fiscal years, but is still likely to require multiple hours of dedicated time to complete. We recommend getting started on this form sooner rather than later and to keep a copy accessible for easy reference and use in future grant proposals. Click here to view and download a copy of the Organization Financial & Programmatic Profile form.
Artistic Documentation and Supplementary Materials
After reviewing the materials outlined above, you can find instructions to prepare and submit a proposal on this page.