The City’s Initiative 2025 Grant Program is administered by the Houston Arts Alliance (HAA) through funding from the City of Houston’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). The program aims to support arts and cultural programming that enhances Houston’s identity and tourism through projects that are strategic, creative, and publicly accessible. All funded projects must take place within the City of Houston limits and serve Houston residents and visitors. Grants are available to individual artists, creatives, nonprofit organizations, and fiscally sponsored projects with headquarters or residency in Houston.

The grant program offers three rounds of funding in 2025, each with distinct eligibility periods. Round 1 accepts applications from March 24 to April 22 for projects occurring between August 1, 2025, and August 1, 2026. Round 2 is open from May 26 to June 24 for projects scheduled between October 1, 2025, and October 1, 2026. Round 3 is from August 29 to September 27 for projects running between January 1 and December 31, 2026. Applicants may only submit one application per program per calendar year, and a project cannot be funded more than once. A preliminary meeting with HAA staff is required for funding requests over $10,000 and strongly encouraged for all applicants at least two weeks before the deadline.

Eligible funding areas include Art + Disaster Resilience Awareness, Art + Neighborhood Cultural Destinations, and Art + Conference Tourism. Funding may cover project-related expenses such as artist fees and marketing costs. Projects must include a public presentation component that is open and accessible to the general public and occur within city limits. Grants generally range from $5,000 to $10,000, but requests exceeding $10,000 are permitted only for applicants under specific funding areas and must meet designated requirements.

To apply, applicants must submit proof of age and City of Houston residency (for individuals), or headquarters location (for organizations or fiscal sponsors), and a detailed budget and project proposal through the HAA Online Grants Portal. Additional requirements include work samples, a public event, and documentation such as W-9 and ACH forms. Fiscal sponsors are subject to additional compliance requirements including board resolutions, governance policies, and proof of legal/financial standing.

Prohibited uses of funds include activities outside Houston city limits, educational programs not open to the public, events with exclusive or restricted audiences, capital expenses, salaries, professional development, and activities supported by other HOT grants. Final reporting is due within 30 days of the end of the grant term, and applicants with overdue reports are ineligible for new funding. Panel feedback is available upon request.

For assistance, applicants can contact HAA's grants team at grants@haatxhelp.zendesk.com or by phone at 713-527-9330, ext. 6. All decisions are subject to approval by HAA’s Grants Committee and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. Appeals must be submitted within five business days of notification.