City of Saratoga Competitive Event Grant 2025-2026

The City of Saratoga offers the Community Event Grant Program to support events that foster community connection, highlight the city's character, and provide free, public programming within city limits. The grant is divided into two distinct categories: Secured Grants and Competitive Grants. Applications for events taking place between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, are now being accepted under the Competitive Grants category. The maximum allocation per event under this category is $2,000. Secured Grants are not open to the general public and are only available to organizations that have previously been categorized as eligible. Applications for Secured Grants were due by January 10, 2025, at 5:00 PM. Competitive Grant applications are currently open and must be submitted by Friday, April 4, 2025, at 5:00 PM. After submission, applications will be reviewed by City staff, and City Council will receive and evaluate recommendations during their May 7, 2025, meeting to finalize grant allocations for the upcoming fiscal year. To qualify, events must meet several eligibility criteria. Events must be volunteer-organized, held in Saratoga, free to attend, and open to the general public. They should represent Saratoga’s culture, diversity, or historical identity and cannot be private events such as reunions. Events must also be standalone and not part of another funded event. Organizers must secure liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $1 million naming the City of Saratoga and associated personnel as additional insured. Exceptions for insurance coverage may be requested through the City Council for specific cases. Funds awarded through the Community Event Grant Program are disbursed on a reimbursement basis. Eligible expenses include city permit fees, facility or park rentals, road closure expenses, event materials, supplies, vendor services, and contract labor. Notably, the grant does not cover staff or volunteer time spent organizing the event. For events requiring street closures, reimbursements are limited to specific expenses such as signage, city staffing, and law enforcement services. After the event, recipients must submit a single Grant Reimbursement Request Form with documentation such as receipts, invoices, and attendance estimates. Events held in June 2026 have a grace period of seven days after the end of the fiscal year to submit reimbursement requests. Optional event photos may be included. For events occurring under a multi-event award, individual reimbursement forms may be submitted after each event. Further inquiries can be directed to Saratoga City Hall at 408-868-1200. Details and applications are available on the City of Saratoga’s website under the Community Event Grants section.