Rolling Hills Estates Nonprofit Awarded $24K County Arts Grant

ROLLING HILLS ESTATES, CA — Rolling Hills Estates nonprofit Women's Voices Now has been awarded a $24,000 county grant to support arts initiatives, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture announced Friday.

Women's Voices Now will support programs advancing gender and racial equity as well as a youth development program through filmmaking, a female documentary filmmakers festival and a free online film collection that will be paired with screening events.

The grants are among $6.4 million awarded to 318 nonprofits countywide as part of the Organizational Grant and Community Impact Arts Grant programs. It's a larger pot of money than usual: The Board of Supervisors increased Organizational Grant funding by $1.2 million, the first increase in over 15 years, according to officials.

That program helps support the critical needs of arts nonprofits, including staffing and programming. Grantees also get access to county professional development opportunities and scholarships for training and conferences.

County officials say the grants are meant to address systemic inequity in arts funding: 94 percent of grantees have budgets under $5 million. Half of those have budgets under $200,000.

"These organizations are often underfunded and include those that reflect and serve communities of color, historically marginalized, and rural communities," according to the Arts and Culture department.

The Community Impact Arts Grant program, meantime, supports arts-based programs from social justice and service organizations.

"CIAG was designed to address two priorities: making arts services available to LA County residents who might not experience them through traditional arts venues and outlets, and encouraging integration of the arts in cross-sector work at local nonprofits," according to the department.

Applicants for both grants were supported by the county with workshops and technical assistance. Their applications were then reviewed by a combined total of 105 peer panelists from the arts sector. Award recommendations were then reviewed by the Arts Commission, an advisory body appointed by the Board of Supervisors.