(LONG BEACH, CA – September 8, 2023) The Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) is pleased to announce that the application process for its fall-winter season Community Events Microgrant Program is now open.
In an effort to empower local initiatives and attract and support the creation of live events in Downtown Long Beach, the Community Events Microgrant Program offers grants ranging from $250 to $1,000 for individuals, groups, businesses, neighborhood associations, and nonprofits who want to hold events in Downtown. This is the second application process hosted by DLBA this year.
“We’re excited to share this updated application process to, first, let the public know this is a service we provide, and second, continue to support the diverse community of Downtown Long Beach,” said Justine Nevarez, DLBA’s Community Outreach & Events Manager. “We saw some amazing event ideas come out of the last microgrant cycle and we’re looking forward to seeing what the community has in store for Downtown this time around.”
The last round of the program resulted in 11 grant winners for events over the summer, including Visit Gay Long Beach’s “Cheers to Queers” event in June at Partake Collective. The funds from the Community Events Microgrant Program went toward “promotional materials and marketing efforts to continue our mission of curating safe spaces and highlighting LGBTQ+ and ally-owned businesses,” said Ellie Perez, Executive Director of Visit Gay Long Beach.
Nevarez and DLBA’s Special Events and Sponsorships Committee launched the revamped application process in April 2023—the program’s first major update since it was implemented in 2012—with a focus on supporting events that align with the principles of the organization’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiative. This next round of microgrant funding seeks to build on that progress.
The application process is now open for events taking place between Oct. 12, 2023 and March 31, 2024. Community Events Microgrant applicants are encouraged to review DLBA’s service area boundaries to make sure their proposed event will take place within them. For complete application guidelines and to apply, please click here. The deadline to submit is Sunday, October 1, 2023.
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About the Downtown Long Beach Alliance: DLBA is a non-profit, community-based organization whose mission is to cultivate, preserve and promote a healthy, safe, and prosperous Downtown for all. By balancing the interests of the residents, as well as businesses, the DLBA creates tangible progress by way of vested interest and solidified partnerships across local, municipal, and commercial lines. For additional information, visit www.downtownlongbeach.org, or follow on Facebook @downtownlongbeach, and on Twitter @dlba and Instagram @dlba.