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Action Item: Consideration of Modification to the Special Events Grant Policy 2502.
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Meeting Date: February 5, 2026
Contact Person/Dept.: Edgar Varela, Office of Economic and Cultural Development
Phone Number: (310) 253-5752
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [x] General Fund: Yes [] No [x]
Attachments: Yes [] No [x]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - GovDelivery (02/02/26)
Department Approval: Jesse Mays, Assistant City Manager, (XX) _____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Economic Development Subcommittee consider modifications to the Special Events Grant Policy 2502.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The City Council requested staff to investigate policy changes to the Special Event Grant Policy to provide automatic supportautomatic support/sponsorship for specific annual events to streamline the grant process and afford funding certainty to producing organizations.
Multi-Year Approval
Section V, Item B-2 of the Special Events Grant Policy allows for the City to enter into multi-year agreements with grant recipients. Staff recommends that the Subcommittee consider approving a modification to the Policy to allow for mutlti-year option awards for Signature events (large scale/high impact) up to three years., Fhowever, modify the Policy to note that funding for years two and three would be contingent on the approval of the City’s fiscal year budget for subsequent yearseach year.
Staff would also like the Subcommittee’s direction on performance measures that should be included in the after-event evaluations relative to maintaining approval status. Additionally, staff recommends removing the “preference” language relative to the limiting the City’s contribution to only 25% of the event’s budget to allow for discretionary funding relative to community impact.
Direct Cash Funding
The Staff requests the Subcommittee is asked to consider modifications relative to providing direct cash disbursements in addition to City services grants and permit waivers. Currently, only Signature events are permitted to receive areceive a portion of the grant as direct cash funding. Staff seeks clarification as to whether the Subcommittee would like to allow both signature and community/charitable events to receive grant funds that exceed the City’s in-kind or staffing service requirements.
Modifications to Tier Structure
Staff also recommends simplification of the current tier structure outlined in the Policy 2502 Section V, Item 5-d. Changes could include the removal of the multi- tier structure and creation of a simple threshold to categorize events into Community/Charitable or Signature events based on the producing entity, scale, and community impact of the event or other measurable outcomes as recommended.
Next Steps
The City Attorney's Office advised that any potential policy update should be considered by the Economic Development Subcommittee, however the Ad Hoc Special Events Grant Subcommittee would still oversee the annual sponsorship review and annual recommendation process. The City Council will need to aApproveal of anyany recommended Policy changes would need to be considered by the full City Council at a future date.
ATTACHMENTS
1. CC Policy 2502_Special Events Grant Program