MISSION

At Grants for the Arts (GFTA), our mission is to promote the diverse and unique communities of San Francisco by supporting the arts through equitable grantmaking.

VISION

To uplift San Francisco nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in a manner that ensures equitable access to GFTA resources; to fully recognize their humanity and that of the communities they serve, exemplifying the value of their contributions to our city; to provide the opportunity to enrich and enhance the arts ecosystem of San Francisco to all; and to identify and eliminate barriers in our grantmaking, enabling arts organizations to prosper and reach their full potential.

Click here to review the full executive summary of findings that led to the refinement of GFTA’s mission, creation of a vision statement, values and goals; and, all other key findings from the agency’s FY20 – FY21 visioning work. 

VALUES 

GFTA embraces EQUITY as our principal value.

EQUITY entails a commitment to ensuring GFTA’s grants and resources are accessible to all, understanding that certain communities have been historically overserved due to systemic advantages and access. Recognizing that arts organizations have not received equitable resources due to race, geography, and other marginalizing factors, GFTA endeavors to bolster culturally diverse and geographically-dispersed organizations by eliminating obstacles and shortfalls in grantmaking that have prevented the full participation, success, and stability of applicants and grantees.

In addition to EQUITY, three core values guide our work:

VIBRANCY comprises the unique contributions grantee organizations bring to the arts landscape of San Francisco, steeped in the city’s values of diversity, inclusion, innovation, engagement, risk-taking, and adaptability; evidenced by lively, imaginative programming, artistic cultivation, community relevance, a welcoming and safe atmosphere, preservation of marginalized spaces, local community and visitor interest and engagement, audience impact, demonstrable commitment to continued improvement, and management of artistic risk.

ACCOUNTABILITY requires holding both the agency and its grantees to the highest standard of integrity, ensuring that public funds are distributed and used in accordance with their intended purpose. It also requires GFTA to recognize our position of leadership in supporting the needs of the field, while adhering to the policies, procedures, and stakeholders of the City and County of San Francisco, with the understanding that community engagement is integral to our process.

TRANSPARENCY stems from cultivating a trust-based relationship between the agency and its stakeholders, which include City officials, Advisory Panel members, current grantees, future applicants, and the general public, with consistent, straightforward, and open communication regarding GFTA’s programs, policies, and procedures.

GOALS 

GFTA’s work, procedures, and purpose will adhere to the values of EQUITY, VIBRANCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, and TRANSPARENCY in our grantmaking practices by:

Committing to EQUITY in every aspect of our grantmaking, actively working to dismantle practices that have historically advantaged particular groups, and to more deeply support arts organizations within communities that have been harmed by a lack of access and resources;

Enriching and promoting the VIBRANCY of San Francisco’s arts and cultural communities for the benefit of residents and visitors through equitable funding; 

Remaining ACCOUNTABLE to the needs of applicants and grantees through intentional, anti-racist grantmaking, and providing resources that will foster grantees’ accountability to their own communities; and

Ensuring TRANSPARENCY through continued engagement, producing clearly defined grant programs and funding practices, making this information easily accessible to the public.

CLICK HERE to review the full executive summary of findings that lead to the refinement of GFTA’s mission, creation of a vision statement, values and goals; and, all other key findings from the agency’s FY20 – FY21 visioning work.