The Special Events Permit Grant Program (SEPGP) offers financial and technical assistance to help high profile special events in the City meet their special event permit requirements.
Donor Name: City of Alameda
State: California
City: Alameda
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/27/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
Special events play a vital role in the City of Alameda’s (City) community and economy. Grant awards are in the form of no-cost City services or reimbursement for specific costs associated with City permitting requirements (see Eligible Award Categories for more information). Eligible events include festivals, parades, and community celebrations that require street closures and/or overtime or specialty support or services from the Police Department, Fire Department, Public Works Department or other City departments. When funds are available and as approved, SEPGP awards will be made once a year through a competitive application and review process.
The program goals aim to foster successful high-impact community events that:
- Enhance economic development;
- Encourage inclusive community engagement; and
- Promote a diverse range of arts and cultural experiences.
Categories
The SEPGP provides financial and technical support specifically for costs associated with City permitting requirements and the special event permit process, including public safety, environmental stewardship, and the use of City services.
Eligible categories may include City Services, Fees and Technical Assistance (e.g. police services, inspections, permit fees etc.) or External Costs.
The following categories are eligible for grant award:
- City Services, Fees, and Technical Assistance
- Staff time to process and review the permit
- Additional technical assistance on traffic control or security plan, if needed
- Police security, towing, standby paramedic presence, and other forms of Alameda Police Department (APD) or Alameda Fire Department (AFD) assistance, as needed
- Event inspection costs and standby fees o Costs associated with meeting Zero Waste and Clean Water requirements
- Any other specialized technical assistance on the permitting process or actual event
External Costs (aka services or equipment which the City does not provide)
- Development of a traffic control plan o Traffic control and no parking signs
- Private Security, if needed
- Fiber-based compostable foodware
- Reusable foodware services
- Event “greening” services, such as bin monitoring, waste sorting, etc., to ensure that all materials are separated correctly
- Waste containers and removal services
- Liquid waste disposal tank services
- Any necessary storm drain protection measures
Funding Information
- The maximum grant amount per event is $20,000.
- Event takes place between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for SEPGP, the event and the event organizer must meet all of the following eligibility criteria. Applications will be rejected if any of the following criteria is not met:
Event Criteria
- Event must support at least two of the SEPGP program goals;
- Event must include a street closure and/or require the use of City services or materials on the days of the event, especially overtime or specialty work from Police, Fire, Public Works, or other Departments;
- Event is not intended to convey a religious message nor advocate a political position;
- Event must be on public property (includes public parks and city-owned property at Alameda Point);
- Event must require a special event permit.
Event Organizer (Organization) Criteria
- Event organizer must have a valid City of Alameda business license and provide a W-9 form;
- At the discretion of City staff, organizers of previous events meeting any of the following factors may be disqualified from eligibility:
- Did not adhere to all special event permitting conditions, or
- Did not fulfill all event obligations, or
- Resulted in an adverse impact in the community, such as the receipt of significant complaints from residents or businesses.
For more information, visit City of Alameda.
