The 2024 application period is now closed 

Beginning January 12, 2024, the City of Elk Grove will begin accepting applications for the Event Sponsorship Grant (ESG) program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025. The purpose of the ESG program is to provide assistance to Elk Grove based nonprofit organizations that wish to host a special event with city-wide significance that benefits the Elk Grove community during the period from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.  

Applications for all grant programs will be accepted exclusively through the City’s online grants management system (WebGrants). Please note that new WebGrants applicants must register for an account prior to being able to submit an application. Amounts awarded are subject to funding and City Council approval through the annual budget process.  

Application Requirements:

• Organizations eligible to apply include nonprofits that are corporations, associations, or agencies with a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) nonprofit status under the Internal Revenue Service Code or local government entities that serve residents of the city of Elk Grove, California.  For-profit entities and individuals are not eligible.

General Funding Requirements:

• The applying organization must be registered and remain in good standing with the California Secretary of State and the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts during the grant term, if required by law to be registered.
• Grant recipients must provide proof of insurance to the satisfaction of the City's Risk Manager prior to the receipt of any funding. Grantees must submit a certificate of liability insurance meeting the City’s requirements (or proof of self-insurance, if applicable) at least 30 days prior to the event.
• Grant recipients must comply with all applicable public health restrictions imposed by any federal, state, or local government agency and all other applicable state and local laws for conducting the event including but not limited to, acquiring all necessary event permits. The City understands the challenges of trying to plan an event if health mandates change and will be open to changes that may need to be made to the application or event.
• Applications are required annually. An award in one fiscal year is not a commitment to fund the event in future fiscal years.
• Applications will be reviewed and evaluated according to the eligibility requirements, level of request and matching funds, and ability to advance the City’s goals and enrich the quality of life for Elk Grove residents. Prior-year performance, public feedback, and demonstrated fiscal responsibility will also be considered.
• Funding requests will be considered by the City Council as part of the annual budget process. Effort will be made to provide event sponsorships to as many applicants as possible.  To do so, the number of grants to a specific applicant during a single fiscal year may be limited and partial funding of sponsorship requests may be granted in lieu of the full amount.
• In the event that a City of Elk Grove elected or appointed official is associated with an applying organization in such a manner as to present a conflict of interest, that council member will withdraw from the approval process of that application.
• The ESG program is designed to fund events with citywide significance and be open to all City of Elk Grove residents.
• Eligible events must take place within the Elk Grove City limits.
• The event must not be organized around political or religious purposes. If for religious purposes, it will be to educate the community and relate to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and being a City Welcome to All.
• The event can be a one-day event, a multi-day event occurring on consecutive days, or a related series of events over an extended period of time.
• Events with a fundraising component will be eligible only if all net proceeds will be provided to a nonprofit that serves primarily Elk Grove residents.
• The applicant organization must be the primary organizer and financial administrator for the event.
• Depending on the nature of the event, organizations may be required to apply for one or more City permits to legally operate the event as well as permits from other agencies. Please review the Event Permits page of the City’s website to determine what permits may be applicable to the event. https://www.elkgrovecity.org/events/event-permits
• Grantees approved for use of rentable City facilities must comply with all requirements of the City Facility Use Policy.
• Grantees must pay all user, application, and administrative fees required to accommodate the event, unless the fees are specifically waived in coordination with approval of the event sponsorship.
• Grantees must include the City’s name and/or logo in all materials identifying any person or entity as being a sponsor of, donor, or contributor to the event or the grantee. If any additional benefits are given to other sponsors, the City’s support is also to be treated as any other sponsor in terms of recognition and benefits. In instances where Grantee receives funding related to the arts, such communications are also required to display the logo for the Elk Grove Arts Commission.
• Grantees must notify the City in advance of any substantial changes to the event, including platform for event (in-person or virtual), date and location changes, and/or cancelations. Substantial changes made to an event after preliminary awards have been determined may result in a change of funding, use of City facilities, and/or in-kind-services awarded.
• Within 60 days of the event, grantees shall provide narrative and financial reporting in a format to be provided by the City. Grantees must provide the City with their year-end financial reporting within 6 months of the close of the Grantee’s fiscal year. The year-end financial reporting must account for the Grant Funds provided and documentation must be provided to the City’s satisfaction.
• Mid-year requests for funding will not be considered, except on a case-by-case basis for new events for which planning began after the application deadline. 
• Mid-year requestors must complete the Event Sponsorship Application, plus provide an explanation of why their organization could not have met the regular application deadline.
• Subject to the availability of funds, the City Manager may approve direct funding and/or in-kind assistance requests up to $5,000. Larger direct funding and in-kind service requests and any request requiring road closures may be heard by the City Council.
• Events will be considered “new events” if they have not been held within the City during the previous five fiscal years

2023-2024 Allocations

View the 2023 Event Sponsorship Grant Recommended Allocations