Our 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.
We strive to be a stable, dependable resource for nonprofit arts and culture organizations who meet funding criteria.
We support the full spectrum of art and culture in San Francisco by:
- Supporting the presentation and enhancement of existing art forms
- Cultivating artistic experimentation that expands San Francisco’s dynamic artistic and cultural diversity
Our history
Established through a combination of City and State legislation, GFTA has evolved into an international model of arts funding with annual revenue derived from the hotel tax.
Since its start in 1961, GFTA has distributed $400 million to hundreds of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in San Francisco.
This investment helps to make our City a great place to live, work, and visit.
Our vision
- To uplift San Francisco nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in a manner that ensures fair access to GFTA resources
- To 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
- To identify and end barriers in our grantmaking, enabling arts organizations to prosper and reach their full potential
Review the full executive summary of findings we used to refine our mission and create our vision, values, and goals.
Our team
Staff
Kristen Jacobson
Director
Tabitha Tapia
Senior Finance and Operations Manager
Amy Chou
Senior Program Officer
Sarah Simon
Program Officer
Lorraine Cawili-Thy
Program and Operations Officer