HomeMy WebLinkAboutStorytellers of San Diego; 2026-07-23; PSALCA-26064CA1
PSALCA-26064CA
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 GRANT AGREEMENT FOR
STORYTELLERS OF SAN DIEGO
This agreement is made on the ________ day of ____________, 2026, by Storytellers of San Diego
hereinafter referred to as “Grantee,” and the CITY OF CARLSBAD, California, a municipal corporation,
hereinafter referred to as “City” (the “Agreement”). City, as Grantor, agrees to provide Grantee the Grant
funds awarded to Grantee during the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Arts Grants Program Arts Projects
for Arts Organizations in an amount not to exceed Two thousand two hundred seventy six dollars and sixty
cents ($2,276.60) (“Grant”). The purpose of the Grant is to provide funds to Grantee for the Project
outlined in the Agreement Scope (“Agreement Scope”), attached hereto as Exhibit “A.”
Project Title: Lore and Legends of Carlsbad: Local Folklore, Storytelling, And Cultural Heritage Project
The Grant provided herein is comprised of public funds. Therefore, to ensure that the public funds are
used for a public purpose, in accordance with the law, the City and Grantee hereby agree to the following
terms.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF GRANT
1. TERM.
The term of this Agreement shall mean the period commencing on the execution date of this Agreement
and expiring on Oct. 1, 2027. The term of this Agreement may be extended by mutual written agreement
of the parties. The parties will prepare a written amendment indicating the effective date and length of
extended Agreement.
2. CITY CULTURAL ARTS CONTACTS.
Cultural Arts Program Manager Krystal Roa, 442-339-5611, Krystal.Roa@carlsbadca.gov
Cultural Arts main line, 442-339-2090, Arts@carlsbadca.gov
3. USE OF COMMUNITY ARTS GRANTS PROCEEDS.
3.1. Grant funds are to be disbursed as outlined in this Agreement in consideration of and on
condition that the sum be expended in carrying out the purpose as set forth in the Agreement
Scope and under the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement. Grantee agrees to
assume any obligation to furnish any additional funds that may be necessary to complete the
Agreement Scope.
3.2. In accordance with the Agreement Scope and the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Arts Grants
Guidelines (Exhibit “A”), all Grant funds are eligible to be used from Sept. 3, 2026 through
Sept. 3, 2027. Any extension of fund use must be requested in writing at least 30 days prior to
the end of the Agreement or sooner to allow time for written amendment and approval in
writing by City. Extension of Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Arts Grants funds may render that
organization ineligible to apply for or receive additional funds as part of the subsequent Fiscal
Year 2027-28 Community Arts Grants cycle.
3.3. All costs accrued for services and/or supplies prior to the execution of Agreement are not
eligible for funding or reimbursement with Grant proceeds.
3.4. Eligible and ineligible costs include, but are not limited to, items detailed in the Fiscal Year
2026-27 Community Arts Grants Guidelines, in the section titled “Eligible and Ineligible Costs,”
attached hereto as Exhibit “A.”
4. CONDITIONS OF FUNDING AND DISBURSEMENT.
4.1. Definitions. The Parties agree to the following definitions.
4.1.1. “Project” means the work, activities, and deliverables proposed by the Grantee in
the Community Arts Grant 2026-2027 application and approved by the Arts Commission,
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as may be further detailed in the Agreement Scope, attached hereto as Exhibit “A.”
4.2. City shall have no obligation to provide the Grant proceeds or to make any subsequent disbursement of Grant
proceeds, and may seek reimbursement of Grant proceeds, if any of the following requirements are not
fully satisfied:
a. Grantee shall use Grant funds to implement the Agreement Scope, including using the
Grant funds to cover only expenditures for programs and services incurred during the
Agreement Scope dates and under the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
b. Grantee shall certify that the Agreement Scope is within Carlsbad city limits or
that the Grantee’s main address is within Carlsbad city limits, as specified in the
Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Arts Grants Guidelines.
c. Grantee shall complete all work in accordance with Agreement Scope, as soon as
possible, but in no case later than thirty (30) calendar days after the Agreement Scope
end date or, Oct. 1, 2027, whichever is earlier. Grantee shall notify the City of events or
proposed changes that could affect the Agreement Scope.
d. The Grantee shall be responsible for the performance of the Agreement Scope as set
forth herein, and for the preparation of reports required by this Agreement.
e. Before Grantee makes any material changes to the Agreement Scope, Grantee will inform
City’s Cultural Arts Manager or designee in writing within ten (10) working days of the
decision to implement said change. City may request documentation to support the change,
and Grantee agrees to submit to the City, in writing, the proposal requesting modifications
to the Agreement Scope. Grantee shall make no material changes to the Agreement Scope
unless and until City formally approves the Grantee’s request in writing.
f. The Grantee shall provide complete and timely information to the City regarding Project
activities, in accordance with the Agreement Scope, including notification of all
scheduled activities at least thirty (30) days prior to each event to City’s Cultural Arts
Manager or designee.
g. The Grantee shall also acknowledge the City in all related publications and social media
posts, in both digital and print formats, as applicable.
h. Grantee shall retain all records and supporting documentation, including expenditure
receipts, applicable to the Agreement Scope and this Agreement for a period of three
(3) years, and make all records and supporting documentation readily available, upon
request, for inspection and/or audit by representatives of the City.
5. EVENT/PROGRAM PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
Grantee has the option to supply event and/or program information including the date, location, time,
admission, parking and related details for inclusion in Cultural Arts’ communications such as e-newsletter,
emails and website. At its discretion, the Cultural Arts Office will provide support in distributing the
information through the City’s established channels of communication. If Grantee wishes to participate,
Grantee must submit the information to the Cultural Arts Office at least sixty (60) days prior to the event
or program.
Please initial box to opt-in to promotional opportunities
6. PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Grantee must acknowledge the Cultural Arts Office for its support of the Project in printed, electronic
and/or broadcast promotions. The following acknowledgment along with a City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts
logo must appear on all printed and electronic materials: “This program is funded in part by the City of
Carlsbad’s Cultural Arts Office.” This logo and guidelines for acknowledgment are available on the
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Community Arts Grants webpage or upon request. Grantees who fail to provide public acknowledgment
may be denied future Community Arts Grant funding.
7. RETURN OF GRANT FUNDS.
If City determines that Grantee has failed to comply with the terms and conditions of this Agreement
without prior written approval by the City, then, upon demand by the City, Grantee agrees to return to
the City the amount requested by the City, up to and including an amount equivalent to the full Grant
award. Failure of the Grantee to comply with the terms of this Agreement shall not be the cause for return
of Grant funds if, in the judgement of the City, such failure was due to no fault of the Grantee. In such case,
any amount required to settle, at minimum cost, any irrevocable obligations properly incurred by Grantee
shall be eligible to be paid by Grant funds. However, if, due to a local health order, Grantee is unable to
complete all events or requirements of the Scope of Grant, Grantee may be required to return up to the
full amount of the award or a prorated amount based on the percentage of the work completed.
8. REQUIRED REPORTS.
Grantee must provide to City the following reports. Failure to provide the reports may render Grantee
ineligible to receive the full and final payment of the Grant award.
8.1. Submit a Revised Project Form available upon request, as required per the Fiscal Year
2026-27 Community Arts Grants Guidelines, attached hereto as Exhibit “A,” within thirty
(30) days of Grant award notification if project shifted from stated goals in the original
Agreement Scope (Exhibit “A”).
8.2. Submit a Final Report including all required attachments by completing the designated form to
the City (30) calendar days after the Agreement Scope end date or, Oct. 1, 2027, whichever is
earlier through Foundant: Grantlife Manager.
8.3. Noncompliance: Grantees in noncompliance with the above reporting requirements agree to
return some or all the initial Grant payment if requested by the City. Additionally, if Grantee is
found to be in noncompliance, Grantee agrees that for the year immediately following a
determination of noncompliance, Grantee shall be ineligible to receive any new grants from
the City.
9. DISBURSEMENT OF GRANT FUNDS.
The Grant amount to be provided to the grantee under this Agreement may be disbursed as follows:
9.1. First payment of 80 percent of Grant will be disbursed upon approval of Revised Project Form as
applicable, and receipt of fully executed.
9.2. Final payment of 20 percent of Grant will be disbursed upon receipt of Final Report and
approval by Library & Cultural Arts Director or designee.
9.3. Any payment of a Grant amount more than the costs required to complete the Agreement Scope
shall be returned to the City within sixty (60) days of completion of the Agreement Scope or the
Project end date, whichever is earliest.
10. PROJECT CANCELLATION.
10.1. If a Grantee wishes to cancel the Project outlined in the Agreement Scope (Exhibit “A”) at any
time, Grantee shall notify the City in writing within fifteen (15) calendar days of the decision to
cancel and Grantee, at the time it provides the City with notice of cancellation, shall return all
Grant funds to the City.
10.2. In the event an approved Agreement Scope (Exhibit “A”) cannot be completed for any reason,
and if Grant funds were disbursed to Grantee, Grantee agrees to return all Grant funds to the
City forthwith.
11. PROJECT MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION.
11.1. Grantee may unilaterally rescind this Agreement at any time prior to the commencement of
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the Project, or prior to first disbursement of funds. After Project commencement, as outlined in
the Agreement Scope, or disbursement of Grant funds, this Agreement may be rescinded,
modified, or amended only by mutual agreement, in writing, of both the City and Grantee.
11.2. Any changes, whether planned or unanticipated, to funded projects due to a local health order
(including, but not limited to, state or local health orders and social distancing measures) must
be submitted to City at least seven (7) calendar days before implementation of the change.
Proposed modifications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the City's Cultural Arts
Manager or designee will notify Grantee in writing whether the proposed changes are approved.
Any changes must continue to adhere to the City’s Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Arts Grants
Guidelines as defined in Exhibit “A.”
12.LOSS OF GRANT.
At the discretion of the City, the following actions may result in a loss of all or in part of any Grant amount
allocated to the Grantee:
12.1. A Grantee fails to enter into a signed Agreement with the City within thirty (30) calendar days
of receipt of the Agreement.
12.2. Activities associated with Grantee occur that do not align with activities described in the
Agreement Scope, including, but not limited to, reduction in services, significant alteration of
Agreement Scope elements, such as performers, artists or attendees, or significant changes in
Grantee’s budget: income, expenses, or line-item designations, included in the Agreement
Scope.
12.3. A Grantee withdraws or terminates the Agreement Scope.
12.4. A Grantee fails to complete the Agreement Scope and/or fails to submit all required
reports and/or documentation before Oct. 1, 2027.
13.COVENANT AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.
Grantee will comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations prohibiting
discrimination and harassment. Grantee agrees that neither it nor its agents shall discriminate against any
clients, prospective clients, employees, prospective employees, contractors, or prospective contractors
on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or familial status or other protected
classification.
14.NOTICES.
14.1. Listed below are the names and addresses of the persons who are authorized to give
written notices and to receive written notices on behalf of City and on behalf of Grantee
under this Agreement.
14.2. Each party will notify the other immediately of any changes of address that would require
any notice or delivery to be directed to another address.
For Grantee: For City:
City of Carlsbad
Library & Cultural Arts Director Suzanne Smithson
1775 Dove Lane
Carlsbad, CA 92011
Storytellers of San Diego
Attn: David Schmidt
3406 Elliott St
San Diego, CA 92106
Email: davidschmidt2003@hotmail.com suzanne.smithson@carlsbadca.gov
15.INDEMNIFICATION.
Grantee hereby agrees to defend (with counsel approved by City), indemnify, and hold free and harmless
the City, its officers, officials, employees and volunteers from and against any and all claims, damages,
losses, costs (including but not limited to attorney's fees) and liabilities of any kind arising directly or
indirectly out of, or related in any way whatsoever to the provision of Grant proceeds.
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16. NO PARTNERSHIP OR JOINT VENTURE.
The relationship between City and Grantee is solely that of Grantor and Grantee. Under no circumstances
shall City and Grantee be deemed to have created a partnership, joint venture, agency, or any other form
of legal association that would impose liability upon one party for any act or failure to act by the other
party.
17. MODIFICATIONS.
This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by written document duly executed by an
authorized representative of both the City and the Grantee.
18. GOVERNING LAW.
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and be governed by the laws of the State of
California regardless of conflict of laws principles. Venue, in the event of a dispute, shall be in the North
San Diego County Superior Court.
19. SEVERABILITY.
In the event that any provision or clause of this Agreement conflicts with applicable law, such conflict shall
not affect other provisions of this Agreement, which can be given effect without the conflicting provision.
To this end, the provisions of this Agreement are declared to be severable.
20. DRAFTING AMBIGUITIES.
Grantee understands and is aware that it has the right to be advised by counsel with respect to the
negotiations, terms and conditions of this Agreement, and that the decision to seek advice of counsel is
the sole responsibility of Grantee. The Parties negotiated this Agreement with the opportunity to receive
the aid of counsel and, accordingly, intend this Agreement to be construed fairly, according to its terms,
in plain English, without constructive presumptions against the drafting Party.
21. SIGNING AUTHORITY.
The representative for each Party signing on behalf of a corporation, partnership, joint venture or
governmental entity hereby declares that authority has been obtained to sign on behalf of the
corporation, partnership, joint venture, or entity and agrees to hold the other Party or Parties hereto
harmless if it is later determined that such authority does not exist.
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GRANTEE, Storytellers of San Diego, CITY OF CARLSBAD,
If required by City, proper notary acknowledgment of execution by Grantee must be attached. If a
Corporation, Agreement must be signed by one corporate officer from each of the following two groups.
*Group A. **Group B.
Chairman, Secretary,
President, or Assistant Secretary,
Vice-President CFO or Assistant Treasurer
Otherwise, the corporation must attach a resolution certified by the secretary or assistant secretary under
corporate seal empowering the officer(s) signing to bind the corporation.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
For CINDIE K. McMAHON, City Attorney
By: ____________________________
Tim Lyons, Assistant City Attorney
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EXHIBIT “A”
Scope of Grant Agreement
The Arts Commission approved the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Arts Grants funding plan, which will
be distributed to grantees as passed, approved, and adopted at a regular meeting on June 4, 2026, Arts
Commission Resolution No. 2026-001.
• Fiscal Year 2026-27 Community Arts Grants Guidelines
• Approved Community Arts Grants 2026-27 Application
Sample Community Arts Grant 2026-27 Final Report
• Final Report shall be submitted online through Foundant: Grantlife Manager
The following documents will be provided upon request:
• Community Arts Grants 2026-27 – Project Budget Information
• Community Arts Grants 2026-27 – Revised Project Form
• Community Arts Grants 2026-27 – Revised Project Budget Information
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FISCAL YEAR 2026-27
COMMUNITY ARTS
GRANTS GUIDELINES
WELCOME
The City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts Office serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic,
creative and cultural activity in the City of Carlsbad and the North San Diego County region. The Cultural Arts Office manages
funding programs to provide financial support to organizations, schools and individuals for various projects through a
competitive application and review process. These projects benefit the community through an array of activities for schools,
artists and organizations. The Community Arts Grants program was identified for continued and increasing support by the
Carlsbad City Council through the 2018 Arts & Culture Master Plan.
The City of Carlsbad’s Community Arts Grants program supports quality arts and cultural programming that promotes the representation and participation of diverse groups of individuals, including and not limited to people of differing abilities,
class, generations, ethnicities and races, gender identities, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientations, or veteran status.
Our mission supports the following values:
•Provide inclusive opportunities for arts & culture experiences for Carlsbad students and residents
reducing/eliminating barriers for participation.
•Provide arts education and lifelong learning opportunities for all ages.
•Support local and regional arts organizations as an important component of the economy and quality of life in
Carlsbad and North San Diego County.
•Support arts education in schools and through affiliated organizations.
•Develop and support organizational strength and capacity of Carlsbad arts organizations.
•Encourage new and emerging artists, arts organizations and programs in Carlsbad, CA.
•Celebrate Carlsbad as an exciting, vibrant and creative destination for residents and visitors alike.
•Acknowledge indigenous land and cultural awareness in the Carlsbad community.
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 OVERVIEW
The updated FY 2026-27 guidelines reflect national grantmaking trends and best practices and support funding for artists and
arts organizations in Carlsbad and surrounding areas. Guidelines were approved by the City of Carlsbad’s Arts Commission on
Feb. 5, 2026.
Total funding available for the FY 2026-27 cycle is $117,128. All final reports are due within 30 days of the completion of the
event or Friday, Oct. 1, 2027 whichever comes first. The first 80% of all funds awarded will be disbursed after agreements are
executed and by Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, grant start date; the final 20% once the final report and budget are submitted and
approved.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Grantees are asked to remain vigilant and informed of health and safety requirements, including mandated protocols as
outlined by state, county, local or other governmental bodies always. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of the
agreement and grant funds.
Important dates for the FY 2026-27 grant cycle application are as follows:
•Applications open: Friday, Feb. 13, 2026
•Applications due: Friday, Mar. 27, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST
•Arts Commission Funding Plan review & approval: Thursday, May 7, 2026, subject to change
•Funding cycle begins Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026
•All projects must be completed by Friday, Sept. 3, 2027
•Applications can be accessed online.
EXHIBIT "A"
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UPDATES FOR THIS YEAR
•EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND AFFILIATED GROUPS – ARTS IN SCHOOLS: Award funds within the "Educational
Institutions And Affiliated Groups – Arts In Schools" category will receive a fixed amount divided between all accepted
grantees, with a maximum award of $3,500 per grant.
•EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS APPLICATION LIMIT: There is a cap on the number of applications for Educational
Institutions (Arts in Schools) of (3) three grants per school site. For detailed requirements, please refer to the Arts in
Schools Requirements section.
•GRANT ELIGIBILITY: Applicants currently receiving funding from the City of Carlsbad under an active professional
services agreement or grant other than a Community Arts Grant are ineligible to apply for a Community Arts Grant.
ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL APPLICANTS; IMPORTANT: READ CAREFULLY
All applicants, including fiscal agents and school-affiliated groups, must comply with the following:
•Nonprofit Status: Applicants must be recognized as nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations by the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) or the California State Franchise Tax Board. A complete Statement of Information should be on file with
the California Secretary of State. This statement should be filed within the first 90 (ninety) days of incorporation and
updated in accordance with state law.
•Tax Identification: Applicants must provide their Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) from the IRS.
Information will be checked through GuideStar’s Charity Check.
•PLEASE NOTE: all organizations, including schools, must submit the names and contact information for the authorized
signatories. Applications that do not identify the correct signatories for an organization or school will not be accepted.
•Specific exemptions for Educational Institutions: Educational institutions are exempt from the need for tax-exempt
status under Section 501(c)(3) but are still eligible to apply.
•Partnership Projects: For projects involving partnerships, only one (1) application is allowed. If a school partners with
an arts organization or artist, a signed agreement between the parties is required, with the school as the lead
applicant.
•Must not be currently receiving funding from the City of Carlsbad under an active professional services agreement or
grant other than a Community Arts Grant.
APPLICATION PROCESS
When applying, organizations must ensure the following:
•Proof of nonprofit status: Provide evidence of nonprofit status or details of a fiscal agent.
•Statement of Information: Submit a current California Statement of Information reflecting Active Status, along with a
list of Authorized Signatories, their signing authority, and the type of authority (individual or joint).
GUIDELINE APPENDICES
•Appendix 1 – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
•Appendix 2 – Ineligible Organizations and Activities
FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 FUNDING CATEGORIES
Funding is structured by the classification of each organization, then according to available categories. Applicants may only
apply to one category per grant cycle:
•Arts Organizations or Fiscal Agents of Organizations - $7,500 maximum award per grant
•Emerging Arts Organizations - $5,000 maximum award per grant
•Educational Institutions and Affiliated Groups (Arts in Schools) - $3,500 maximum award per grant. Three (3) grants
maximum per school site per year.
EXHIBIT "A"
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ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
•Arts organizations must be registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations for at least three (3) years as of Jan. 1, 2026.
•Applicants may only submit one (1) application per funding cycle and cannot apply to multiple categories.
•Arts organizations grants - $7,500 maximum award per grant.
•All arts projects require the participation of a professional artist or an outside subject matter expert.
•Arts projects will be defined as programs, activities, and events primarily designed to be arts focused. These projects may
be presented in person, or virtually if any government issued health mandates are in effect.
•Arts project grants awards must be used for specific art project support and cannot be used for general operating support.
EMERGING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS
•Emerging arts organization must be based in Carlsbad, CA.
•These grants are for smaller nonprofit organizations that are relatively new to the nonprofit community.
•Emerging arts organizations - $5,000 maximum award per grant.
•Must have a nonprofit 501(c)(3) status of three (3) years or less.
o If 501(c)(3) status has not yet been attained, please provide proof of acting in alignment with the IRS definition of a
nonprofit: possessing a nonprofit established mission, an advisory committee or a board of directors, and a history of
activities directly related to the purpose of eligibility to attain nonprofit status.
o Additionally, emerging arts organizations aspiring to a nonprofit status must apply through a fiscal agent.
o Fiscal agents will be responsible for receiving awarded funds and dispersing them with a service fee of no more than
10% of the amount awarded to the applicant.
•Projects must take place within Carlsbad, CA city limits and be accessible to the public, and benefit the community of
Carlsbad.
•Projects must be representative of at least one (1) of the following mediums/forms of artistic expression:
o Dance
o Original music composition/lyrics
o Spoken word/poetry
o Visual Arts that utilize sustainable or recycled materials
FISCAL AGENT REQUIREMENTS
o Individuals or organizations in the process of applying for nonprofit status may apply through a fiscal agent.
o Any partnership between an individual, educational institution or organization must include a letter of agreement from
the partnering entities.
o Fiscal agents will be responsible for receiving awarded funds and dispersing them with a service fee of no more than
10% of the amount awarded to the applicant.
o Organizations that act as fiscal agents are still eligible to apply for a Community Arts Grants for their organization.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND AFFILIATED GROUPS – ARTS IN SCHOOLS
•Arts in Schools requests are only available to nonprofit schools or school-affiliated groups in Carlsbad, CA.
•Arts in Schools are defined as programs, activities, and events that are primarily designed to be arts focused.
•Arts in Schools grants - $3,500 maximum award per grant with a maximum of three (3) grants per school site per year.
•Individual schools and entities representing a school (such as foundations, booster organizations etc.) can submit a
maximum of three (3) grant applications from the categories below. See FAQ’s for further information on acceptable
categories:
o Performing arts
o Visual arts
o Nontraditional arts, such as culinary, digital, creative writing, etc.
o STEAM projects with a focus on the arts
o Arts initiatives focused on arts careers and development of arts skills. Can include arts management, non-performance
skills such as design, costuming, stagecraft, career talks or coaching by subject matter experts
o All three (3) submissions cannot be from a single art form within a category. (e.g. three dance projects in performingarts)
•In-school grant projects utilizing teaching artists as part of the grant may not use a full-time hourly or salaried employee(s)
of the respective school district to lead activities, performances, or projects; however, they may utilize teaching artists
employed by other school districts.
o Out-of-school programs utilizing teaching artists as part of the grant may utilize teaching artists that are employed by
any school district.
EXHIBIT "A"
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•All partnerships must include a signed letter of agreement from the partnering entities.
APPLICANT INFORMATION
FY 2026-27 Grant Cycle Schedule
Feb. 13, 2026 Applications Open
Feb. 18, 2026 Applicant Workshop virtual.
Feb. 18 - Feb. 27, 2026 Technical assistance meetings available by appointment
Mar. 27, 2026 Application Deadline: applications must be submitted electronically to City by 11:59 p.m.
Mar. 30 – Apr. 17, 2026 Submitted materials are reviewed and scored by a peer panel consisting of local and regional artists,
arts professionals, and educators
May 7, 2026 Funding plan presented to Arts Commission for review and approval
June 4 – July 3, 2026 Begin email notifications to Grantees of award and City create and route DocuSign agreements for
electronic signatures.
Sept. 3, 2026 Project/activity period opens.
Sept. 3, 2027 Project/activity period closes.
Oct. 1, 2027 All FY 2026-27 Final Reports are due. Grantees complete a Final Report within thirty (30) days of the
program end date or by Oct. 1, 2027, whichever comes first.
APPLICANT WORKSHOPS AND ONE-ON-ONE APPOINTMENTS
Application information and links, including online tutorials, will be available on the Community Arts Grants application portal. The
following resources will be available for applicants in the fiscal year 2026-27 cycle:
•The Applicant Workshop will include a general overview of the grant process, application and procedures.
New applicants are required to attend.
•Technical Assistance Meetings – Applicants may schedule a 30-minute appointment with grant program staff to answer
questions about the process, application or other topics. These appointments will be dependent on staff capacity and
availability. Applicants are required to attend the Applicant Workshop prior to the appointment. To schedule a one-on-one
appointment, please contact Program Manager Krystal Roa:
o Email: krystal.roa@carlsbadca.gov
o (442) 339-5611 (office) | (442) 245-0502 (mobile)
•Please note that staff will review applications for effective and impactful delivery of information and ensure completeness
and clarity of the information supplied. Staff will not provide feedback on content, programming, or other project details.
PANEL REVIEW AND SCORING OF APPLICATIONS
Submitted applications are reviewed and scored by a virtual peer panel of local and regional artists, arts professionals, and
educators. The panelists’ scoring will inform a funding plan for review and final approval by the Carlsbad Arts Commission.
SCORING RUBRIC FOR ALL CATEGORIES (EXCEPT EMERGING ARTISTS)
Application scores will be based on the following criteria aligned with the Community Arts Grants mission. Panelists will be asked to
undertake the following scoring recommendations and directives:
•Panelists will score applications on how closely the project(s) achieve the goals of the respective grant category.
•Panelists may be asked to convene to discuss the application’s merits.
•Award amounts are determined via a formula that takes into consideration the total amount of available funds, the average
scores of the applicants, and an assigned percentage based on those scores.
The scoring of applications will be based on the following criteria, with a maximum score of 50 points. The examples provided are for
informational purposes only and are not meant to be exhaustive:
•Quality of Program(s) (10 points)
o Reinforce accessible artistic and cultural opportunities and experiences for Carlsbad residents.
o Provide arts education and lifelong learning opportunities for all ages.
•Community Impact (30 points)
o Celebrate and promote Carlsbad as an exciting, vibrant, and creative destination for our community, students, as well
as visitors and tourists throughout the world.
o Support local and regional arts and cultural organizations as an important component of the economy and quality of
life in Carlsbad and North San Diego County.
o Accessibility of program for participants and audience members, including economic limitations under the Americans
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with Disabilities Act.
•Encouragement of programs that promote the representation and participation of diverse groups of individuals, including
and not limited to people of differing abilities, class, generations, ethnicities and races, gender identities, religious or
spiritual beliefs, sexual orientations and veteran status.
•Organizational Capacity (10 points)
o Provide evidence of organizational strength and capacity to support the scope of the project/activity.
OTHER REVIEW AND SCORING INFORMATION
•Cultural Arts Office staff will review applications after the deadline.
•Applications deemed eligible will be forwarded to scoring panelists and reviewed within the context of the project or
program as outlined in the application.
•Incomplete applications, or applications with incorrect information, will be deemed ineligible.
AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTEES
Upon approval of your application:
•Legal Agreement with the City of Carlsbad: To proceed with your project, you must first enter into a legal agreement with
the City of Carlsbad. City will route the agreement using DocuSign to obtain secure electronic signatures, and the
commencement of your project is contingent upon the execution of this agreement.
•Non-Profit Corporation Signing Authorities: All agreements MUST be signed by two officers listed on the Statement of
Information filed with the California Secretary of State for your organization (or as listed on the most recent board roster).
These officers should be those who are authorized to enter into legally binding agreements on behalf of your organization,
such as CEO, CFO, Treasurer, Secretary.
One corporate officer from each of the following groups must sign the agreement:
Group A Group B
or
or
Otherwise, the corporation must attach a resolution certified by the secretary or assistant secretary under corporate seal
empowering the officer(s) signing to bind the corporation.
You can verify your status with the California Secretary of State and see the officers listed on the Statement of Information at this
website: Search | California Secretary of State. Further documentation of signature authorization will be requested if the most
recent Statement of Information has not been filed.
Specific Entity Requirements:
o Fiscal Agents: The agreement must be signed by two officers from the fiscal agent’s organization, as per organization’s
Statement of Information.
o Educational Institutions: A Signature Delegation Form must be completed by the school principal and a district
representative (e.g., Assistant Superintendent).
o School-Affiliated Groups (i.e., school booster groups): Follow the same signature requirements as nonprofit
organizations.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Applicants who have been granted funding in previous cycles must meet all requirements from those past
agreements before they are eligible to receive a new agreement for the FY 2026-27 cycle.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Grant recipients are required to maintain three (3) years of accounts, records and evidence pertaining to costs incurred and
revenues acquired under the respective grant program. Grantees should be able to provide upon request:
•Accurate, current and complete disclosure of revenue and expenses for the project.
•Records that adequately identify the sources and application of funds for grant sponsored activities.
•Accounting records supported by source documentation – invoices, receipts, bank statements, etc.
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•All awardees must provide documents within thirty (30) days of receipt of request. This includes but is not limited to
agreements, revised project forms, final reports, and financial accounting.
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PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
•Grant recipients must acknowledge the Cultural Arts Office for its support of the project in printed, electronic and/or
broadcast promotions.
•The following acknowledgment along with a City of Carlsbad Cultural Arts logo must appear on all printed and electronic
materials: “This program is funded in part by the City of Carlsbad’s Cultural Arts Office.” This logo and guidelines for
acknowledgment are available on the Community Arts Grants webpage or upon request.
•Grantees who fail to provide public acknowledgment may be denied future project funding.
PROMOTION BY CITY
•Grantees are required to keep the Cultural Arts Office informed of all program dates and times.
•If the grantee wishes to participate in promotion through approved city channels, they may opt-in as part of the agreement.
All participation in promotion through the city’s social media channels and other outlets, is subject to staff review, editing
and approval prior to promotion.
•Grantees are encouraged and expected to:
o Give notifications and invitations to the Cultural Arts Office staff that will be extended to the Carlsbad Arts Commission
at least two (2) weeks in advance of program.
o Extensively promote funded events and projects with appropriate verbiage as indicated in “Public Acknowledgement”
stipulated above.
FINAL REPORTS, SITE VISITS AND PROGRAM ATTENDANCE
The Cultural Arts staff may monitor grant projects during the grant cycle, including potential site visits. The reports of these visits will
be included in grant application files and may provide a basis for evaluation of future requests.
Grantees will have an option to replace digitally submitted final reports with in-person site visits and/or interviews. Pending any
health and safety mandates and protocols as outlined by state, county, local or other governmental bodies, these site visits/
interviews may be conducted by Cultural Arts staff and/or Arts Commissioner(s), as available, and appropriate to each grant.
Grantees may still opt to submit on-line final reports in consultation with staff. In all cases, grantees will still be required to submit
final budget forms digitally for staff review and approval.
All final reports are due within thirty (30) days of the completion of the event or Friday, Oct. 1, 2027, whichever comes first, to
receive the final award payment. Excessively late submission of a final report may result in action taken per contract.
ASSISTANCE
Cultural Arts Office staff are always available to assist applicants. Please contact Cultural Arts office at 442-339-2090
or email arts@carlsbadca.gov.
POLICIES
•Once submitted, applications may be moved into a different category at the discretion of Cultural Arts staff. Notification will
be made to the applicant.
•The City of Carlsbad reserves the right to limit funding amounts to any applicant, regardless of eligibility or panel score,
based on fiscal year limitations.
•Cultural Arts Office staff actively review and evaluate all aspects of the funding program and process. Updates may occur
throughout the funding calendar. Cultural Arts staff will provide information on program updates, to all grantees when they
are implemented.
•Any significant changes or amendments by the grantee to approved projects must be submitted in writing to the Cultural
Arts Office by the grantee before any grant funds are used, and before the execution of any altered activity. This includes,
but is not limited to, changes in purpose, scope, services, target audiences, intended timeline, personnel, location, date,
activities, or budget. This requirement will be included in the agreement.
•The Cultural Arts Office reserves the right to review, cancel or reallocate project funds significantly altered or shifted from
stated goals in the original approved application and/or revised project form. Canceled funds must be returned to the
Cultural Arts Office within thirty (30) days of written notification.
•No two (2) entities (organization or school/affiliated groups) may apply for funding for the same project.
•Applicants may only apply to one (1) category per funding cycle.
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OTHER INFORMATION
Carlsbad Arts Commission Meetings:
Carlsbad Arts Commission meetings are public, and information is available on the city website. A meeting is scheduled for
Thursday, May 7, 2026, to approve the FY 2026-27 Community Arts Grants Funding Plan. For more information about the duties of
the Carlsbad Arts Commission and its meetings, visit the Arts Commission webpage.
HOW TO APPLY
Application
All applications must be submitted online. The application is comprised of approximately five (5) main sections, some of which
include long answer sections and attachments. The application is available at the Community Arts Grants webpage.
•Organization Information: An updated Statement of Information and approved signatories must be submitted for
applications to be accepted.
•Project Information and Narrative
•Project Support Information
•Budget: A budget form and sample can be found at the Community Arts Grants webpage.
•Signatory Information as described in the section titled “Agreement Requirements for Grantees.”
APPENDIX 1: COMMUNITY ARTS GRANTS FAQ’S
Are there any organizations that are ineligible to receive Community Arts Grant funding?
Yes. For-profit organizations are ineligible to receive funding through the Community Arts Grants program. This includes for-profit
schools and businesses.
Can I apply to more than one category?
No. Unlike previous grant cycles, artists and organizations may only apply to one (1) category per fiscal year grant cycle.
What projects are eligible for the Emerging Arts Organization category?
Projects must be representative of at least one (1) of the following mediums/forms of artistic expression:
o Dance
o Original music composition/lyrics
o Spoken word/poetry
o Visual Arts using sustainable or recycled materials
o Ethnic or indigenous art forms
o Digital art forms such as film, animation, etc.
What arts organizations qualify to apply in the Emerging Arts Organization category?
•Arts Organization must be based in Carlsbad, CA.
•Must have a nonprofit 501(c)(3) status of three (3) years or less:
•If 501(c)(3) status has not yet been attained, please provide proof of acting in alignment with the IRS definition of a
nonprofit; possessing a nonprofit established mission, an advisory committee or a board of directors, and a history of
activities directly related to the purpose of eligibility to attain a nonprofit status.
•Additionally, emerging arts organizations aspiring to a nonprofit status must apply through a fiscal agent.
Is attendance required for the workshops and information sessions?
Applicant workshop attendance or technical assistance meeting is required for all new applicants, applicants who were denied the
last cycle, and those applying in the Emerging Arts Organization category. Workshop attendance or technical assistance meetings by
returning awardees are highly recommended as an opportunity for staff to guide and assist applicants in the FY 2026-27 Community
Arts Grants application process.
How are final awards decided?
All award amount decisions consider the total amount of funding available, scores from panelists, and the request from the applying
entity. After panelists score, Cultural Arts staff will create a funding plan based on these factors, which is forwarded to the Arts Commission for final approval.
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Can one school site apply for multiple educational institutions (or Arts in Schools) grants?
Yes. Individual schools and entities representing a school (such as foundations, booster organizations etc.) can submit a maximum of
three (3) grant applications per educational institution amongst the list below; all three (3) submissions cannot be from a single
medium.
Examples of acceptable mediums:
•Performing arts
•Visual arts
•Nontraditional arts, such as culinary, digital, creative writing, etc.
•STEAM projects with a focus on the arts
•Arts initiatives focused on arts careers and development of arts skills. Can include arts management, non-performance skills
such as design, costuming, stagecraft, career talks or coaching by subject matter experts
•All three (3) submissions cannot be from a single art form within a category. (e.g. three dance projects in performing arts)
APPENDIX 2: INELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
The City of Carlsbad will NOT award Community Arts Grants to:
•For-profit organizations, schools, and businesses.
•Organizations and/or affiliates that are directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on
behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.
•Governmental agencies or public authorities.
•Applicants that have a “delinquent” status with the Community Arts Grants funding programs.
•Retroactive funding for completed activities.
•Religious and/or sectarian programming or any programming and/or services solely for the promotion of or consumption by
a specific religious order and/or sect.
•Cash reserves or endowments of any kind. Awards are to be expended within the designated funding period.
•Capital expenditures, including construction, renovation, or purchase of real property.
•Applications that do not support nonprofit, public art activities or projects that benefit a for-profit business or activity.
•Projects through a fiscal sponsor that benefit the sponsoring organization or are an extension of the sponsoring
organization’s programs or services.
•Support groups and/or nonprofit organizations supporting city departments or facilities.
•General operating costs, including costs associated with the start-up of a new organization.
•Applications to reduce existing deficits.
•Applicants currently receiving funding from the City of Carlsbad under an active professional services agreement or grant
other than a Community Arts Grant.
Funding may NOT be used for:
•Fundraising expenses.
•Consultants who are members of an applicant’s staff or board.
•Political campaigns or lobbying activities.
•Payments to students.
•Endowments or endowment campaigns.
•Scholarships, fellowships or tuition assistance.
•Costs incurred before the start of the funded project or outside the funding period.
•Project or activities outside the City of Carlsbad limits.
•Entry fees for competitions or sponsorship fees.
•Pageants, fund-raising events, or hospitality costs.
•Private foundations or other re-granting organizations.
•Religious or doctrinal purposes, although faith-based organizations may apply for program support.
•Publication of manuscripts or compositions not created as part of a grant-supported project.
•Purchase of monetary awards, cash prizes, contributions, or donations.
•Professional development for staff and board members.
•Scholarly or academic research, tuition and activities which generate academic credit or formal study toward an academic
or professional degree.
•Creation of textbooks.
•Ongoing, recurring administrative expenses.
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Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
Printed On: 15 June 2026
Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 1
Lore and Legends of Carlsbad: Local Folklore,
Storytelling, And Cultural Heritage Project
Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations
Storytellers of San Diego
Marilyn McPhie
3406 ELLIOTT ST
SAN DIEGO, CA 92106
mmcphie@gmail.com
O: 858-337-0990
David Schmidt
8030 La Mesa Blvd
#44
La Mesa, CA 91942
davidschmidt2003@hotmail.com
O: 619-781-2431
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David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
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Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 2
Application Form
Application Verification
Application Type Verification:*
This application is for Arts Organizations applying for the Arts Project category. If you are looking for other
funding opportunities, please click on the "Apply" button in the blue bar on the top of this screen.
Applicants may only submit one application per category per funding cycle.
I verify that this is the application for the Arts Projects for Arts Organizations category.
Guidelines & Eligibility Requirements Review Confirmation:*
Please be sure to review the Community Arts Grants Guidelines and eligibility requirements prior to submitting a
grant application. A summary of the eligibility requirements is also provided on the application homepage.
I have reviewed the Community Arts Grants Guidelines and the eligibility requirements.
Fiscal Sponsor Role
As an Arts Organization, would you be interested in acting as a Fiscal Sponsor for individual artists to apply for
future Community Arts Grants? This would not impact your own organization's ability to apply for funding. If you
check yes, Cultural Arts Office staff will reach out with more information. We appreciate your support of individual
artists! (OPTIONAL)
All applicants that wish to collaborate with others to complete this grant application may use the
"collaborator" button on the top right section of this page (instructions below.):
Collaborator feature
Video Tutorial (2 minutes long)
*If applicable, please note that some data from the applying organization's GuideStar profile may be pre-
populated (copied) into the corresponding GuideStar questions on this application form. You may do so by clicking
on the "Copy GuideStar" profile button on the top right section of this page (next to the "Collaborator" button) and
selecting what you would like to pre-populate. Note that you will have the ability to edit your pre-populated
information.
Organization Information
•Arts Organizations must be registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations established for at least 3 years as
of January 1, 2026
•Applicants may only submit one application per funding cycle and cannot apply to multiple categories
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David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
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Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 3
Past Funding*
Has your organization received funding from the City of Carlsbad's Community Arts Grants program in the past?
No
Are you an individual artist applying through a fiscal agent?*
No
Primary Organization Name
Name as shown on an IRS letter of determination.
STORYTELLERS OF SAN DIEGO
DBA (if applicable)
Organization Website
https://storytellersofsandiego.org/
Organization Mission Statement:
Please provide your organization's mission statement. If you have a GuideStar profile, you may copy and paste
your organization's GuideStar mission statement or provide another version here. If you are an individual artist,
use this section to give us an idea of your mission/vision as an artist.
Storytellers of San Diego is a non-profit, 501(c)3 association made up of dozens of professional and highly
skilled professional storytellers. Since the 1980s, the organization has devoted itself to promoting storytelling
as an art form throughout San Diego County. It exists to increase awareness of and appreciation for
storytelling as an art form in a variety of settings, to provide opportunities for participation in storytelling for
all ages, to encourage the use of storytelling to bring together diverse populations in the community and
promote cross-cultural understanding, and to serve as a source of information on the art of storytelling and
storytelling events in the San Diego area.
Organization (or Fiscal Agent) Signatory Information
Board Roster:*
Please upload your organization's roster of board members and ensure the document includes names, titles,
organization/business affiliation and areas of expertise. Alternatively, we will also accept the most recent board
meeting minutes that includes the board roster.
2-17-2025 _Annual Meeting Minutes.docx
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David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
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Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 4
IRS Letter of Determination*
An IRS letter of determination confirms an organization's tax-exempt status, particularly under section 501(c)(3),
and is essential for nonprofits to operate and receive donations.
Please upload the IRS Letter of Determination that is associated with the organization with the 501(c)3 status.
IRS letter scan SSD (1).pdf
Statement of Information*
Attach your current Statement of Information filed with the California Secretary of State for your organization.
You can verify your status with the California Secretary of State and see the officers listed on the Statement of
Information at this website: Search | California Secretary of State
If you do not have this, the organization must attach a resolution certified by the secretary or assistant secretary
under corporate seal empowering the officer(s) signing to bind the corporation.
CA Statement of Information SSD.pdf
Please list the names and organizational titles of the two (2) officers listed on the Statement of Information filed
with the California Secretary of State for your organization (or listed on the most recent board roster.) These are
officers who are authorized to enter into legally binding agreements on behalf of your organization (i.e. CEO, CFO,
Treasurer, Secretary.)
One corporate officer from each of the following groups must sign the agreement:
Group A Group B
Chairman, Secretary,
President, or Assistant Secretary,
Vice-President CFO or Assistant Treasurer
GROUP A SIGNATOR: First & Last Name (i.e. Mary Wilson):*
Marilyn McPhie
GROUP A SIGNATOR: Organizational Title (i.e. CEO):*
President
GROUP A SIGNATOR: Email address:*
mmcphie@gmail.com
GROUP B SIGNATOR: First and Last Name (i.e. Luke Wilson):*
Li-Anne Mufson
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David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
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Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 5
GROUP B SIGNATOR: Organizational Title (i.e. Secretary):*
Secretary
GROUP B SIGNATOR: Email Address:*
auntlianne@gmail.com
Project Information and Narrative
•Projects must take place in Carlsbad, be accessible to the public and benefit the community of Carlsbad
•All arts projects/activities require the participation of an artist or subject matter expert
•Arts Project grants have a maximum award of $7,500 ( Note: those applying in Emerging Arts Organization
category have a maximum award of $5,000)
Project Name:*
Please provide us with the name of the arts project.
Lore and Legends of Carlsbad: Local Folklore, Storytelling, And Cultural Heritage Project
Project Summary:*
Please provide us with a brief summary of your project, no more than 1-2 sentences. This section will be shared
with the public.
This project is an innovative, one-of-a-kind, historically novel effort to record, preserve, and promote the oral
lore of Carlsbad and the greater North County region, preserving local history and cultural heritage while
forming lasting bonds with cultural venues. Through a series of live professional storytelling performances
and interactive workshops, the project preserves and promotes local folklore and history, teaching the art of
storytelling while increasing access to cultural spaces.
Project Start Date:*
Please note that project start date must be on or after September 3, 2026.
09/03/2026
Project End Date:*
Please note that the project end date must be on or before September 3, 2027.
09/03/2027
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David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
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Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 6
Project Details:*
This section will be used for evaluation. Please provide as much detail regarding your project. Including the
following details, but not limited to:
•Event date(s), time and location(s)
•Partnership / Artists
•Anticipated Skills Learned
Across 12 months, the highly skilled professional storytellers of SSD will conduct the following activities:
-Collect the unique history, legends, and folklore of Carlsbad and beyond
-Performing these local stories in a series of public storytelling events at schools, libraries, and other venues
in the area
-Preserving these stories for posterity in a published book, to be provided to local schools and libraries, as
well as other multimedia formats (ebook, video and studio-quality audio recordings)
-Teaching a series of workshops, available to the entire community, on the art of storytelling, how to craft,
write, and tell your own stories, and career applications.
The project will promote civic pride and engagement, showcasing Carlsbad’s rich living folklore and using it
to teach storytelling skills. In line with the Carlsbad Community Vision, it promotes community
connectedness, access to recreation, arts, cultural and community resources, and enhances overall
community livability.
Amount Requested:*
This is the amount your organization is requesting from the City of Carlsbad's Cultural Arts Grants. Please note that
the maximum funding amount request is $7,500 for one-year arts projects.
$7,500.00
Participants:*
Total number of expected participants for this project (i.e. artists, coordinators, directors.)
25
Audience:*
Total number of expected audience attendance for this project.
10000
Previous Project Success:
If your organization has completed a similar project, please provide details of the project and why it was
successful.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
Printed On: 15 June 2026
Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 7
SSD has a long history promoting the art of storytelling and presenting first-class professional performances,
throughout our 44-year history as an organization. This includes two recent local folklore and storytelling
projects we successfully completed in San Diego County:
1. In 2024, we received two grants to conduct a broad-reaching and ambitious local folklore project in the city
of Chula Vista, California, titled “Tales from Proctor Valley.” We held a series of live storytelling performances
featuring the region’s own folklore and history, performing these local legends at 27 different events
throughout Fall 2024, at a variety of local schools, museums, and public libraries. Many of these school
assemblies were performed in Spanish and/or as bilingual performances, with Spanish and English content.
(See attached document, “Partner Resumes,” for several links to videos of these events.)
2. We conducted a similar local folklore and storytelling project in Coronado in 2025-2026, with a grant from
the City of Coronado. This project likewise produced a book of local stories, and included several local
storytelling performance events and classes and workshops for residents on the art of storytelling.
We are currently organizing a similar project for Escondido. With decades of experience conducting
storytelling performances and leading classes, workshops, seminars, and institutes on the art of storytelling,
we look forward to applying this expertise to this project as well.
Project Distinction:
What makes this project distinctive?
This project will provide Carlsbad’s residents an unprecedented, multimedia experience combining live
storytelling, live music, print media, video and audio recordings, and online social media. It will bring all ages
and demographics of Carlsbad’s community together, through stories that celebrate the city’s diversity and
long legacy of local folklore. Local residents will be inspired to build on this oral tradition and develop their
own creative projects in the future. This wealth of local folklore will be preserved for posterity, for the first
time in history, through multiple written and recorded formats.
This yearlong project will result in a long-lasting impact on Carlsbad’s community, with durable effects that
will impact all generations of the community for years to come. Carlsbad’s local history and folklore will be
preserved for posterity, with recordings of the city’s own local stories made publicly available online,
maintaining a lasting archive of Carlsbad’s local folklore. These multimedia archives of Carlsbad’s history and
folklore will be provided to the community free of charge, with sustainable effects that will last generations
with no additional investment required.
SSD has conducted similar projects to promote and preserve local lore, notably our 2024 project in Chula
Vista, as well as our 2025-2026 project in the City of Coronado, and we look forward to preserving and
promoting Carlsbad’s history and lore in this unique way as well.
Project Goals:
What are the goals (outputs and/or outcomes) of the project? How will you measure your goals?
PRIMARY GOALS OF THE PROJECT
Celebrate Local Lore: Performances of Carlsbad’s stories will foster community pride, cohesion, and safe
entertainment for all ages.
Collect and Preserve Lore: Stories will be documented in a print/ebook, and audio/video recordings,
preserving this Carlsbad’s local folklore, much of which has existed only in the form of oral lore—until now.
Use Local Lore for Education & Engagement: Teachers and students can use the tales in classrooms. The
book’s addendum of “Suggested Uses for Educators” will include a list of suggested ways that educators can
use these tales in the classroom, as detailed above. Furthermore, the live storytelling events will increase
awareness, engagement, and patronage of the community facilities and spaces hosting them.
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David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
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Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
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Promote Creativity: Residents are encouraged to create and share their own stories, inspiring local creativity
and entrepreneurship.
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
A combination of qualitative and quantitative measures will assess success, including attendance tracking,
participant surveys, and digital engagement metrics.
Immediate measures of success:
-Attendance at the events themselves
-Feedback surveys following each event
Long-term engagement reflecting overall success of the project:
-School and library use of the book
-Increased attendance at cultural venues
-Carlsbad residents inspired to create, share, and engage in their own storytelling and creative projects.
Target Population:
Who is your target population and why? How will you reach them?
The project will engage Carlsbad students of all grade levels, as well as members of the Carlsbad community
at large. Through an application of algorithms, targeted ads, and keywords, the social media consultant will
identify community members who are particularly interested in: legends and folklore, ghost stories and
similar tales, local heritage and folklore, and the arts. While the event will be publicly announced to the
broader community, this specific target audience will be addressed through focused social media campaigns.
We particularly aim for intergenerational integration, with storytelling activities, performances, and
workshops bringing multiple generations together, allowing children and youth to interact with seniors and
other ages, with particular recognition and visibility of seniors’ rich knowledge of local lore and history. The
project will be executed by Storytellers of San Diego (SSD), a local non-profit of professional and highly-
skilled professional storytellers who have promoted storytelling as an art form since the 1980s.
All live events will emphasize the inclusion of all sectors of Carlsbad’s population and socioeconomic groups,
all offered free of charge and held at public venues that are fully accessible to individuals with physical
disabilities.
Project Partnerships:
If applicable, please provide names and brief descriptions of roles for any partners in this project. This would
include any organizations, artists or individuals involved in your project that are not employed or affiliated with the
applying organization.
We have already begun to approach all 33 schools in Carlsbad, both public and private, to offer storytelling
performances to all grade levels, K-12.
We are also in conversation with various libraries, community centers, and other public venues in the City of
Carlsbad to offer storytelling performances, including Carlsbad City Library (Dove Library), Georgina Cole
Library, Harding Community Center, and the Carlsbad Senior Center.
SSD has collaborated with community venues throughout San Diego County, developing long-standing
relationships that we look forward to using these relationships to further approach community spaces
throughout Carlsbad for this project.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
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Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
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Partner Resumes:
If applicable, you may upload any resumes of teaching artists, artists or any other partners in the proposed project
here. Please consolidate into one PDF if possible.
Contact the Cultural Arts department at arts@carlsbadca.gov should you need assistance.
Partner Resumes Carlsbad grant SSD 2026.pdf
Organization Changes/Challenges/Circumstances:
What special circumstances, challenges or changes have affected your organization? What impact has this had on
your organization?
Throughout our 44-year history as an organization, SSD has promoted the art of storytelling, presenting first-
class professional performances and teaching workshops on storytelling and its myriad applications. Our
recent cultural heritage projects, conducted with grants from the cities of Coronado and Chula Vista from
2024-2026, offered us the challenging opportunity to apply this experience and “scale up” our activities to a
broader, more ambitious level.
Our expansive, ambitious local folklore project in the city of Chula Vista, California, titled “Tales from Proctor
Valley: a storytelling, folklore, and cultural heritage initiative,” was an historic first for both the City of Chula
Vista and for our organization. This was the first time many of these local stories and folklore had been
collected, written, and professionally performed; likewise, it was our first time conducting a local cultural
heritage project of this magnitude. Not only did we collect dozens of stories and craft them into engaging
formats, published in a book that was distributed to all local schools and libraries, we also performed these
stories at 27 events throughout the community.
Having met this challenge and risen to the occasion, the experience prepared SSD for a similar project in the
City of Coronado in 2025-2026. We are currently developing a similar project in the City of Escondido as well,
and we look forward to applying this expertise to the benefit of Carlsbad and all its residents.
Project Support Information
You may upload support information in this section.
Contact the Cultural Arts department at arts@carlsbadca.gov should you need assistance.
Materials Upload (OPTIONAL, but recommended):
Please upload any marketing materials, images and/or files that would provide more information about your
project.
FULL PROPOSAL Carlsbad Community Arts Grant SSD 2026 (1).pdf
Videos Upload (OPTIONAL):
Please provide us with a host website link for all videos relevant to the project.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
Printed On: 15 June 2026
Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 10
Videos Upload (OPTIONAL)
If you do not have a URL that hosts your videos, you may upload it here.
Videos and materials Carlsbad grant SSD 2026.pdf
Additional Materials:
You may upload any other additional supplemental materials you wish to provide here (i.e. letters of support from
partnering organization(s) that is essential to your project.)
FULL PROPOSAL Carlsbad Community Arts Grant SSD 2026 (1).pdf
Budget Information
You may upload budget support information in this section. Please consolidate into one PDF if possible.
Contact the Cultural Arts office at arts@carlsbadca.gov should you need assistance.
Total Project Budget
$7,500.00
Project Budget Form:*
Download a Community Arts Grants budget form and complete the "Projected" column. Save your completed file
as a PDF and upload your project budget form here. Make sure costs tie in with your project narrative. * PLEASE
USE COMMUNITY ARTS GRANT BUDGET FORM ONLY. Budget forms are available on the Cultural Arts Community
Arts Grants webpage. Please contact the Cultural Arts office at arts@carlsbadca.gov should you need assistance.
Carlsbad grant BUDGET SSD 2026.pdf
Organizational Budget:*
Please upload a current organizational budget.
ssdincome2ndQuarter2025 (2).pdf
Audited Financials:*
Please upload your organization's most recent completed short form 990s.
Storytellers of San Diego 990 Form 2025.jpg
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
Printed On: 15 June 2026
Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 11
Application Submission
Application Submission:
Note: Once you submit your application, you cannot edit the form. Please review your answers before
submitting
After you submit this application, you will receive an email for the submission confirmation.
Application Certification:*
I certify that the information contained in this application, including all attachments and support materials, is true
and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Yes
Date of Application Submission:*
03/27/2026
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
David Schmidt Storytellers of San Diego
Printed On: 15 June 2026
Fiscal Year 2026-27: Arts Projects for Arts
Organizations 12
File Attachment Summary
Applicant File Uploads
• 2-17-2025 _Annual Meeting Minutes.docx
• IRS letter scan SSD (1).pdf
• CA Statement of Information SSD.pdf
• Partner Resumes Carlsbad grant SSD 2026.pdf
• FULL PROPOSAL Carlsbad Community Arts Grant SSD 2026 (1).pdf
• Videos and materials Carlsbad grant SSD 2026.pdf
• FULL PROPOSAL Carlsbad Community Arts Grant SSD 2026 (1).pdf
• Carlsbad grant BUDGET SSD 2026.pdf
• ssdincome2ndQuarter2025 (2).pdf
• Storytellers of San Diego 990 Form 2025.jpg
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
Annual Meeting MinutesStorytellers of San Diego, Annual Board MeetingFebruary 17, 2025, 6:30pmZoom Meeting
1. Call to Order-6:39
2. Directors and Officers Present –
Chair/Treasurer Jim Dickmann
President- Marilyn McPhie
Vice President- Patti Christensen
Board Member- Ollis Mozon
Board Member-Sheila Thompson
Secretary- Li-Anne Rowswell Mufson
Membership Chair- Fred Laskowski
Member- Mindy Donner
Absent- Dave Waters, Deidra Davis
3. Approval of the Agenda-Unanimous Acclaim
4. Approval of the Minutes (October Board Meeting)- Unanimous Acclaim
5. New Business: Actiona. Presentation of Board Members for election to a two-year term, Sheila Thompson, Jim Dieckmann-Jim had planned on stepping down but agrees to stay another 2 years. OJ proposes we elect the slate and Marilyn seconds. We are grateful for the service of Sherrie Brown who has resigned in order to spend
more time with an exciting non-profit she is starting up. b. Nominations from the floor, two additional Board Members allowed- Jim proposes that we discuss changes the bi laws at next meeting to make the Vice-president a Board member.- We would like to conduct this vote via Email.c. Vote by all members present- Unanimous
d. Election of Chairperson of Board of Directors by Board members-Email will be sent out by Jim e. Directors approve Corporation officers for 2025- Jim,Marilyn, Patti,Li-Anne will continue to serve.f. Distribution of annual conflict of interest statements, directors, and officers will
be in person on March 15th at the Storytelling Festival. g. Approval of Grant Application Notification form---This form is so that SSD Board and Corporate officers are aware that a grant is being applied for (especially if SSD has a fiscal responsibility)UNANIMOUSLY approved
6. Treasurer’s Report- See attached
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a. February 2025 financial statement and 2025 budget-See attached, Revised 2024 Budget.b. Board authorizes expenditures for 1st quarter-
c. Approve future stipends and expenditures, including grant fundsi. Festival financial support, include outreach-(Mindy would like to let us
know that the Silver Strand Grant was approved by SAC 5 visits.She is aware
that she may have some difficulty getting fingerprint clearance since she doesn’t
have fingerprints on her fingers. If not able to fufill residency, she will discuss with
Emily about fufilling the terms.)
ii. Highland Games are canceled for 2025- The City of Vista raised the
rates, and Folk Heritage has cancelled for this year. Marilyn will keep us
informed on any possibility for our Scottish Story Event.
ii. The Template stipendsiii. Institute funding and stipends
d. Report on current fund-raising efforts and grant applications- We are trying to
incorporate above form. Marilyn has applied for Chinese Women’s Organization Grant.
7. Media report
a. Website, YouTube Channel, MailChimp email- All going Well
8. President’s Report-see attacheda. Festival Planning, March 15th- Good committee meeting past Saturday.-Patti Sending out Tellers for Children’s We agreed to give James a stipend for the video-ing.
All the concerts are filled and Emails going out this week to let tellers know which concert they will be performing in. (Marilyn will welcome for the first Concert )
9. Membership Report-30 more than halfway to last year’s totals.Organizer’s get an updated list each time.
10. Information/ Discussiona. SB 988 “Freelance Worker Protection Act”-October went into effect in January- Written contract for any individual who receives more than $250.00 . Jim is making inroads into how we can comply with this. Contract must be signed prior to completion of service.
b. Story Swap Festival, Planning, April 26th- 1600 Buena Creek Rd. At PUUF in Vista c. Encinitas Grant 2024-25- Being spent as we speak.i. Additional Outreach1. Organizations
2. Communities11. Next meeting March 18th LOOK for email in the meantime.12. Adjournment 8:06
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PARTNER RESUMES
City of Carlsbad Community Arts Grant 2026-27
Lore and Legends of Carlsbad: Local Folklore, Storytelling, And Cultural Heritage Project
Storytellers of San Diego
This project is an innovative, one-of-a-kind, historically novel effort to record, preserve,
and promote the oral lore of Carlsbad and the surrounding North County area. By combining
multiple forms of media, the project will maximize awareness of this local folklore, while also
inspiring community members to engage these stories and traditions on their own.
The performances will be brought thanks to the artistic expertise of the host organization,
Storytellers of San Diego. SSD is a non-profit, 501(c)3 association made up of dozens of
professional and highly skilled professional storytellers. Since the 1980s, the organization has
devoted itself to promoting storytelling as an art form throughout San Diego County. It exists to
increase awareness of and appreciation for storytelling as an art form in a variety of settings, to
provide opportunities for participation in storytelling for all children and adults, to encourage the
use of storytelling to bring together diverse populations in the community and promote
cross-cultural understanding, and to serve as a source of information on the art of storytelling and
storytelling events in the San Diego area.
Individual biographies and professional credentials of each storyteller in SSD are
available on the official website of the organization.
(https://storytellersofsandiego.org/connect.html )
The Grant Administrator and author of the upcoming book of Proctor Valley legends,
David J. Schmidt is an author, storyteller, podcaster, and multilingual translator. He has
published a diverse array of books, short stories, and articles in both English and Spanish,
including the collections of folklore and legends indicated below. He speaks twelve languages
and has traveled to 33 countries, and received his B.A. in psychology from Point Loma Nazarene
University.
ARTISTIC WORK SAMPLES FROM PREVIOUS LOCAL FOLKLORE PROJECT
Chula Vista, CA
In 2024, we received two grants to conduct a broad-reaching and ambitious local folklore
project in the city of Chula Vista, California, with achievements and activities very similar to
those delineated in this present proposal. The project, titled “Tales from Proctor Valley: a
storytelling, folklore, and cultural heritage initiative,” sought to celebrate, promote, record, and
preserve the rich local oral folklore of Chula Vista, through a series of live storytelling
performances in underserved and low-income public schools, focused on the legends of Proctor
Valley Road.
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Several outlets of local media, television and radio, reported this storytelling series. Grant
Administrator David Schmidt held personal interviews with local television stations, discussing
the legends, the local history, and the storytelling performances. Interviews can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BYp33xQUfI&t=25s
Chula Vista Library Hosts "Tales of the Proctor Valley Monster"
Fox 5 News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj-Posyi3Jg&t=10s
Tales of the Proctor Valley Monster: Halloween storytelling in Chula Vista
ABC 10 News
In addition, two members of SSD (David Schmidt and Kirk Faulkner) recorded a
one-hour radio special, recorded in the studios of local radio station KNSJ 89.9 and broadcast
multiple times the week of Halloween.
SSD recorded several of the storytelling performances (taking care to only record the
adult storytellers; students are not visible in the recordings). These recordings will serve as a
record of this local folklore of Chula Vista for posterity’s sake, and are accessible to the public
online.
Some recordings include:
Halloween storytelling: Attack of the Proctor Valley Monster (Bonita Vista Middle School)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPtCjrTrUlI
Tales of the Proctor Valley Monster: "Shall We Gather at the River" (Mueller Charter School)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAqToFQZC5I
The Lady in White: a ghost story from Proctor Valley (Mueller Charter School)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z6wTkBMpxY
David Schmidt: The Lady in White (story performed at Tellabration event with Storytellers of
San Diego)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlgUOO0RLiI&list=PLUKwqaGaRjil7_fsbhhxuI_-U8oSFr
U2A&index=4
Other videos were recorded as well which promote the book, discuss the local legends, and retell
several of these tales:
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What is the truth behind the Proctor Valley Monster and other Bigfoot legends? (filmed in
Cuyamaca Mountains)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw05aBlLY70
Bigfoot sighting at Lake Murray? (Filmed at Lake Murray, La Mesa)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQhRRa-Y5wg
OTHER SAMPLE STORYTELLING VIDEOS FROM SSD MEMBERS
OJ Mozon Jr. of SSD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDiORxDo3Y8
Lisette Ryan of SSD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L_Cfv0ztak
SSD President Marilyn McPhee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryYCRg1HcTM
ARTISTIC WORK SAMPLES: BOOKS
Select books of folklore and legends by author David J. Schmidt, similar in genre to the proposed
book “North County Legends” to be used to preserve and promote the lore and history of
Carlsbad:
The Proctor Valley Monster: A Chula Vista Legend
https://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Valley-Monster-Chula-Legend/dp/B0DJGG6FQV
The Haunted Temecula Valley series [ongoing]:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHTDJD9J?binding=paperback&ref_=ast_author_bsi
[published in Spanish]
Más frío que la nieve: cuentos sobrenaturales de Rusia
https://www.amazon.com/M%C3%A1s-fr%C3%ADo-que-nieve-sobrenaturales-ebook/dp/B014I
5F3RM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Holy Ghosts: True Tales from a Haunted Christian College
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Ghosts-Haunted-Christian-College-ebook/dp/B010YF4NCG?ref
_=ast_author_dp
Three Nights in the Clown Motel
https://www.amazon.com/Three-Nights-Clown-Motel-Schmidt-ebook/dp/B077983TYD?ref_=ast
_author_dp
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City of Carlsbad Community Arts Grant 2026-27
Lore and Legends of Carlsbad: Local Folklore, Storytelling, And Cultural Heritage Project
Storytellers of San Diego
I. PROJECT SUMMARY
This project is an innovative, one-of-a-kind, historically novel effort to record, preserve, and
promote the oral lore and history of Carlsbad and the greater North County region, preserving
local history and cultural heritage while forming lasting bonds with cultural venues. By engaging
residents through live storytelling performances and interactive workshops, all hosted by various
schools and other venues throughout Carlsbad, the project preserves and promotes local folklore
and history, teaching the art of storytelling, presenting the work of new storytellers, while
developing access to libraries and other cultural spaces.
II. PROJECT DETAILS
This project is an innovative, one-of-a-kind, historically novel effort to record, preserve, and
promote the oral lore and history of Carlsbad, while teaching and promoting the art of
storytelling.
Throughout 12 months, the diverse and highly skilled professional storytellers of SSD will
conduct the following activities:
-Collecting the unique history, legends, and folklore of Carlsbad and beyond
-Performing these local stories in a series of public storytelling events at schools, libraries, and
other venues in the area
-Preserving these stories for posterity in a published book, to be provided to local schools and
libraries, as well as other multimedia formats (ebook, video and studio-quality audio recordings)
-Teaching a series of workshops, available to the entire community, on the art of storytelling,
how to craft, write, and tell your own stories, and career applications.
Specifically, the project includes the following elements:
1. COLLECTING STORIES
SSD members will interview locals to collect stories of various genres: local history, places of
interest, personal stories, folklore and legends.
2. STORYTELLING PERFORMANCES
Several public storytelling events will occur throughout the year, with performances by SSD’s
team of professional storytellers, all featuring Carlsbad’s own stories and legends.
3. RECORDINGS
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Recordings of these performances will be publicly available online, preserving them for posterity
and maintaining a lasting archive of Carlsbad’s local folklore and history.
4. BOOK PUBLICATION
An original book of these Carlsbad stories and legends will be published, in both print and
e-book formats, and distributed to community facilities free of charge.
5. WORKSHOPS
A series of workshops on crafting, telling, and writing your own stories, where participants learn
to develop stories of several genres—memoir, veteran, folktale and legend, immigration, local
history, and flash fiction—and writing as a source of income.
The project will promote civic pride and engagement, showcasing Carlsbad’s rich living folklore
and using it to teach storytelling skills. The entertaining performances of these stories will instill
a sense of community rootedness, cohesion, and civic pride. Each of the performances offers safe
and healthy entertainment for Carlsbad residents of all ages, all drawing from their community’s
own oral traditions.
Those who hear, engage, and share these legends from their own community will
experience an increased sense of social cohesion, unity, and civic pride. As the UN Refugee
Agency (UNHCR) states: “Stories convey our sense of right and wrong, our organizational
culture, our expectations of others, our worldviews and our fascinations. [...] Stories can help us
gain and share new insights and perspectives, and form new ideas. The stories we tell signal who
we see as allies and heroes, and celebrate behaviors we admire in others.”
This project supports these principles, and stands firmly in line with the nine core values
of the Carlsbad Community Vision, promoting community connectedness, access to recreation,
the arts and cultural resources, community services, and enhancing overall community livability.
III. PREVIOUS PROJECT SUCCESS
SSD has a long history promoting the art of storytelling and presenting first-class professional
performances, throughout our 44-year history as an organization. This includes two recent local
folklore and storytelling projects we successfully completed in San Diego County:
1. In 2024, we received two grants to conduct a broad-reaching and ambitious local folklore
project in the city of Chula Vista, California, titled “Tales from Proctor Valley.” We held a series
of live storytelling performances featuring the region’s own folklore and history, performing
these local legends at 27 different events throughout Fall 2024, at a variety of local schools,
museums, and public libraries. Many of these school assemblies were performed in Spanish
and/or as bilingual performances, with Spanish and English content. (See attached document,
“Partner Resumes,” for several links to videos of these events.)
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2. We conducted a similar local folklore and storytelling project in Coronado in 2025-2026, with
a grant from the City of Coronado. This project likewise produced a book of local stories, and
included several local storytelling performance events and classes and workshops for residents
on the art of storytelling.
We are currently organizing a similar project for Escondido. With decades of experience
conducting storytelling performances and leading classes, workshops, seminars, and institutes on
the art of storytelling, we look forward to applying this expertise to this project as well.
IV. PROJECT DISTINCTION
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensures the right of all people to
“freely participate in the cultural life of the community and to enjoy the arts” (Article 27). This
project will uphold that right of Carlsbad’s residents, providing an unprecedented, multimedia
experience combining live storytelling, live music, print media, video and audio recordings, and
online social media.
It will bring all ages and demographics of Carlsbad’s community together, through stories that
celebrate the city’s diversity and long legacy of local folklore. Local residents will be inspired to
build on this oral tradition and develop their own creative projects in the future. This wealth of
local folklore will be preserved for posterity, for the first time in history, through multiple written
and recorded formats.
This yearlong project will result in a long-lasting impact on Carlsbad’s community, with durable
effects that will impact all generations of the community for years to come.
Carlsbad’s local history and folklore will be preserved for posterity, through the active
participation of the city’s population. Recordings of the city’s own local stories will be made
publicly available online at SSD’s own website, its YouTube channel, and other social media,
preserving these stories for posterity and maintaining a lasting archive of Carlsbad’s local
folklore.
The stories will be further preserved through the other original, one-of-a-kind multimedia
recordings of these stories, to be produced through the project. These multimedia archives of
Carlsbad’s history and folklore will be provided to the community free of charge, with
sustainable effects that will last generations with no additional investment required.
The project is replicable, inasmuch as the diverse community of Carlsbad is an inexhaustible
source of stories and history. Similar projects can be conducted in the future to collect additional
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tales of all types—personal tales, family histories, local history, folklore and legends—among
the community. SSD has conducted similar projects to promote and preserve local lore, notably
our 2024 project in Chula Vista, as well as our 2025-2026 project in the City of Coronado.
V. PROJECT GOALS
The project’s primary goals are:
TO CELEBRATE LOCAL LORE:
The entertaining performances of these stories will instill a sense of community rootedness,
cohesion, and civic pride. Each of the performances offers safe and healthy entertainment for
Carlsbad residents of all ages, all drawing from their community’s own oral traditions.
TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE LOCAL LORE:
Following the live storytelling performances, the community of Carlsbad will be left with a
lasting record of the local legends and stories collected, in the form of the book, published in
print and ebook formats, as well as video and audio recordings of the storytelling performances.
These recordings will all be hosted on SSD’s website, YouTube channel, and other social media,
as well as other publicly available platforms, all free of charge.
Up to now, much of Carlsbad’s local folklore has existed purely in the form of oral lore. These
written and recorded collections will preserve this local heritage, just as folklorists have done
throughout history: Vance Randolph in the Ozarks, Alexander Afanasiev in Eastern Europe, and
Lafcadio Hearn in ancient Japan.
TO USE LOCAL LORE FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Local public school teachers and students will have the opportunity to incorporate these tales into
a variety of educational contexts. The book’s addendum of “Suggested Uses for Educators” will
include a list of suggested ways that educators can use these tales in the classroom, as detailed
above.
Furthermore, the live storytelling events will increase awareness, engagement, and patronage of
the community facilities and spaces hosting them.
TO PROMOTE CREATIVITY, CULTURAL ACTIVITY, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN
CARLSBAD THROUGH LOCAL LORE:
It is our hope that Carlsbad residents will be inspired to create their own stories as a result of this
project. Community members of all ages will record narrations and creative dramatizations on
YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms. Such stories may inspire local artists to create sculptures,
murals, drawings, and paintings, while musicians may compose new pieces. Local authors may
write their own books of Carlsbad’s history, urban legends, and traditions.
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In addition, the existence of local legends can be a boon to business of all kinds.
Increased tourism is good for a community’s economy in general. This increased positive
attention will dovetail nicely with other expansions in the Carlsbad area.
This project may also inspire enterprising Carlsbad residents to develop activities for
tourists based specifically on the city’s own folklore. San Diego’s Old Town has practically
created a cottage industry out of its ghostly and supernatural lore, offering at least five different
“ghost tours.” If they can do it, why not Carlsbad?
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
A combination of qualitative and quantitative measures will assess success, including attendance
tracking, participant surveys, and digital engagement metrics. The most immediate measures of
success will be attendance at the events themselves, with feedback surveys will be offered to
participants to gauge their impressions following each event. We anticipate the direct
participation of approximately 5,000-10,000 community members, both as attendees at
storytelling events and as participants in workshops.
Online engagement with the project’s social media accounts will be gauged both prior to the
storytelling performances, and following the events, evaluating engagement with the video and
audio recordings of the storytelling.
In addition, several long-term forms of engagement will reflect the overall success of the project:
Engagement by local schools and libraries: using the book and its educational addendum in the
classroom.
Community engagement: increased interest in the cultural institutions hosting these storytelling
sessions, with greater attendance and patronage at libraries and museums.
Creative endeavors, cultural engagement, and enterprises by Carlsbad’s own residents: the
community will be inspired to create and tell their own stories. This may be through digital
media: YouTube, TikTok, and other social media; through the publication of print books, ebooks,
and audiobooks; podcasts and audio recordings; music and the arts; and other creative media.
These local creative endeavors inspired by the project will certainly not be limited to the tales we
share, with other stories of local historical figures and traditions told as well.
By preserving a written, audio, and video record of Carlsbad’s folklore, and by promoting this
heritage, tourism and awareness of the region will increase as well. This can be gauged through
increased revenue and income for local businesses. We look forward to providing a full report on
the outcome and results.
VI. TARGET POPULATION
The project will engage Carlsbad students of all grade levels, as well as members of the
Carlsbad community at large. Through an application of algorithms, targeted ads, and keywords,
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the social media consultant will identify community members who are particularly interested in:
legends and folklore, ghost stories and similar tales, local heritage and folklore, and the arts.
While the event will be publicly announced to the broader community, this specific target
audience will be addressed through focused social media campaigns.
We particularly aim for intergenerational integration, with storytelling activities,
performances, and workshops bringing multiple generations together, allowing children and
youth to interact with seniors and other ages, with particular recognition and visibility of seniors’
rich knowledge of local lore and history. The project will be executed by Storytellers of San
Diego (SSD), a local non-profit of professional and highly-skilled professional storytellers who
have promoted storytelling as an art form since the 1980s.
All live events will emphasize the inclusion of all sectors of Carlsbad’s population and
socioeconomic groups, all offered free of charge and held at public venues that are fully
accessible to individuals with physical disabilities.
VII. PROJECT PARTNERSHIPS
LIBRARIES AND OTHER COMMUNITY VENUES
We will approach the following libraries, community centers, and other public venues in the City
of Carlsbad to offer storytelling performances. We have already begun contacting many of the
venues on this list:
● Harding Community Center
● Pine Avenue Community Center
● Calavera Hills Community Center
● Stagecoach Community Center
● Carlsbad Senior Center
● Carlsbad City Library (Dove Library)
● Georgina Cole Library
● Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium
● Carlsbad City Library Learning Center
● Heritage Hall
● Magee Park
● Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park
● Alga Norte Community Park
● Poinsettia Community Park
● Hidden Canyon Community Park
SCHOOLS
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We will approach all 33 schools in Carlsbad, both public and private, to offer storytelling
performances. These schools are listed below:
Elementary Schools ( 20 total)
Public (Carlsbad Unified + nearby districts)
Examples include:
Aviara Oaks Elementary
Buena Vista Elementary
Calavera Hills Elementary
Hope Elementary
Jefferson Elementary
Kelly Elementary
Magnolia Elementary
Pacific Rim Elementary
Poinsettia Elementary
(These 9 are within Carlsbad Unified School District.)
Additional public elementary schools within Carlsbad city boundaries (but different districts):
Carrillo Elementary
El Camino Creek Elementary
La Costa Heights Elementary
La Costa Meadows Elementary
Mission Estancia Elementary
Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary
Private elementary schools (examples)
Aspirations School of Learning
Carlsbad Christian Academy
Carlsbad Country Day School
Casa Montessori de Carlsbad
Sanderling Waldorf School
Village Montessori School
Middle Schools / Junior High ( 7 total)
Public
Aviara Oaks Middle School
Calavera Hills Middle School
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Valley Middle School
Private / combined-grade schools (include middle grades)
Pacific Ridge School (Grades 6–12)
Some private K–8 or K–12 schools listed above also serve middle grades
Other public/alternative
Carlsbad Seaside Academy (K–12 alternative)
High Schools (5 total)
Public
Carlsbad High School
Sage Creek High School
Alternative public
Carlsbad Village Academy (alternative high school)
Carlsbad Seaside Academy (K–12 alternative)
Private (serving high school grades)
Pacific Ridge School (6–12)
SSD has collaborated with venues throughout San Diego County, and several have confirmed
their commitment to collaborate on this project as well. As an organization that has promoted the
art of storytelling since the 1980s, SSD has developed long-standing relationships with numerous
libraries, community and cultural centers, and museums throughout San Diego County. We look
forward to using these relationships to further approach community spaces throughout Carlsbad
for this project.
VIII. ORGANIZATION CHALLENGES
Throughout our 44-year history as an organization, SSD has promoted the art of storytelling,
presenting first-class professional performances and teaching workshops and classes in
storytelling and its myriad applications. Our recent cultural heritage projects, conducted with
grants from the cities of Coronado and Chula Vista from 2024-2026, offered us the challenging
opportunity to apply this experience and “scale up” our activities to a broader and more
ambitious level.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
Our broad-reaching and ambitious local folklore project in the city of Chula Vista, California,
titled “Tales from Proctor Valley: a storytelling, folklore, and cultural heritage initiative,” was an
historic first for both the City of Chula Vista and for our organization. This was the first time
many of these local stories and folklore had been collected, written, and professionally
performed; likewise, it was our first time conducting a local cultural heritage project of this
magnitude. Not only did we collect dozens of stories and craft them into engaging formats,
published in a book that was distributed to all local schools and libraries, we also performed
these stories at 27 events throughout the community.
Having met this challenge and risen to the occasion, the experience prepared SSD for a similar
project in the City of Coronado in 2025-2026. We are currently developing a similar project in
the City of Escondido as well, and we look forward to applying this expertise to the benefit of
Carlsbad and all its residents.
IX. BUDGET NARRATIVE
Full amount requested: $7,500.
Please note, SSD is flexible and open to feedback, changes, and adjustments of the specifics
of the project proposed herein.
1. Storytelling: professional fees
The standard fee for each professional storyteller’s performance, per event, is $300, as per the
suggested fee schedule contained on the website of SSD.
(https://storytellersofsandiego.org/images/Fee%20schedule%2011-18-12.pdf)
A total of 8 storytelling performances will be held, with two storytellers performing at each
performance.
8 x 2 x 300 = $4,800
2. Workshop teachers’ fees
$150/hour per teacher per workshop session.
A total of 8 workshop sessions will be taught by members of SSD.
8 x 150 = $1,200
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
3. Book: research, story collection, writing and editing
The book’s author will be paid a flat fee of $500 for work invested in researching, interviewing
subjects, transcribing interviews, planning, writing, and editing the book.
4. Print copies of the book
Grant funds will be used to purchase copies of the book, at-cost with no mark-up, to be
distributed free of charge to all libraries and participants in workshops.
Cost per book: $5 (at cost, obtained by author directly from Amazon)
100 books provided x 5 = $250
6. Grant administration and grant-related overhead expenses
Following generally accepted practices, an amount equivalent to 10% of the grant amount will
cover the overhead costs: coordinating the project, planning, publicity, research, planning and
venues, overhead accounting costs, among other activities throughout the yearlong duration of
the project.
This comes to $750, 10% of the total amount ($7,500) requested.
X. CONCLUSION
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensures the right of all
people to “freely participate in the cultural life of the community and to enjoy the arts” (Article
27). This project will uphold that right of Carlsbad’s residents, providing an unprecedented,
multimedia experience combining live storytelling, live music, print media, video and audio
recordings, and online social media. It will bring all ages and demographics of Carlsbad’s
community together, through stories that celebrate the city’s diversity and long legacy of local
folklore. Local residents will be inspired to build on this oral tradition and develop their own
creative projects in the future. This wealth of local folklore will be preserved for posterity, for the
first time in history, through multiple written and recorded formats.
As such, the project stands firmly in line with the nine core values of the Carlsbad
Community Vision, promoting community connectedness, access to recreation, the arts and
cultural resources, community services, and enhancing overall community livability.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
VIDEOS AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS
City of Carlsbad Community Arts Grant 2026-27
Lore and Legends of Carlsbad: Local Folklore, Storytelling, And Cultural Heritage Project
Storytellers of San Diego
ARTISTIC WORK SAMPLES FROM PREVIOUS LOCAL FOLKLORE PROJECT
Chula Vista, CA
In 2024, we received two grants to conduct a broad-reaching and ambitious local folklore
project in the city of Chula Vista, California, with achievements and activities very similar to
those delineated in this present proposal. The project, titled “Tales from Proctor Valley: a
storytelling, folklore, and cultural heritage initiative,” sought to celebrate, promote, record, and
preserve the rich local oral folklore of Chula Vista, through a series of live storytelling
performances in underserved and low-income public schools, focused on the legends of Proctor
Valley Road.
Several outlets of local media, television and radio, reported this storytelling series. Grant
Administrator David Schmidt held personal interviews with local television stations, discussing
the legends, the local history, and the storytelling performances. Interviews can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BYp33xQUfI&t=25s
Chula Vista Library Hosts "Tales of the Proctor Valley Monster"
Fox 5 News
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj-Posyi3Jg&t=10s
Tales of the Proctor Valley Monster: Halloween storytelling in Chula Vista
ABC 10 News
In addition, two members of SSD (David Schmidt and Kirk Faulkner) recorded a
one-hour radio special, recorded in the studios of local radio station KNSJ 89.9 and broadcast
multiple times the week of Halloween.
SSD recorded several of the storytelling performances (taking care to only record the
adult storytellers; students are not visible in the recordings). These recordings will serve as a
record of this local folklore of Chula Vista for posterity’s sake, and are accessible to the public
online.
Some recordings include:
Halloween storytelling: Attack of the Proctor Valley Monster (Bonita Vista Middle School)
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPtCjrTrUlI
Tales of the Proctor Valley Monster: "Shall We Gather at the River" (Mueller Charter School)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAqToFQZC5I
The Lady in White: a ghost story from Proctor Valley (Mueller Charter School)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z6wTkBMpxY
David Schmidt: The Lady in White (story performed at Tellabration event with Storytellers of
San Diego)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlgUOO0RLiI&list=PLUKwqaGaRjil7_fsbhhxuI_-U8oSFr
U2A&index=4
Other videos were recorded as well which promote the book, discuss the local legends, and retell
several of these tales:
What is the truth behind the Proctor Valley Monster and other Bigfoot legends? (filmed in
Cuyamaca Mountains)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw05aBlLY70
Bigfoot sighting at Lake Murray? (Filmed at Lake Murray, La Mesa)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQhRRa-Y5wg
OTHER SAMPLE STORYTELLING VIDEOS FROM SSD MEMBERS
OJ Mozon Jr. of SSD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDiORxDo3Y8
Lisette Ryan of SSD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L_Cfv0ztak
SSD President Marilyn McPhee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryYCRg1HcTM
ARTISTIC WORK SAMPLES: BOOKS
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Select books of folklore and legends by author David J. Schmidt, similar in genre to the proposed
book “North County Legends” to be used to preserve and promote the lore and history of
Carlsbad:
The Proctor Valley Monster: A Chula Vista Legend
https://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Valley-Monster-Chula-Legend/dp/B0DJGG6FQV
The Haunted Temecula Valley series [ongoing]:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHTDJD9J?binding=paperback&ref_=ast_author_bsi
[published in Spanish]
Más frío que la nieve: cuentos sobrenaturales de Rusia
https://www.amazon.com/M%C3%A1s-fr%C3%ADo-que-nieve-sobrenaturales-ebook/dp/B014I
5F3RM?ref_=ast_author_dp
Holy Ghosts: True Tales from a Haunted Christian College
https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Ghosts-Haunted-Christian-College-ebook/dp/B010YF4NCG?ref
_=ast_author_dp
Three Nights in the Clown Motel
https://www.amazon.com/Three-Nights-Clown-Motel-Schmidt-ebook/dp/B077983TYD?ref_=ast
_author_dp
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
City of Carlsbad Community Arts Grant 2026-27
Lore and Legends of Carlsbad: Local Folklore, Storytelling, And Cultural Heritage Project
Storytellers of San Diego
I. PROJECT SUMMARY
This project is an innovative, one-of-a-kind, historically novel effort to record, preserve, and
promote the oral lore and history of Carlsbad and the greater North County region, preserving
local history and cultural heritage while forming lasting bonds with cultural venues. By engaging
residents through live storytelling performances and interactive workshops, all hosted by various
schools and other venues throughout Carlsbad, the project preserves and promotes local folklore
and history, teaching the art of storytelling, presenting the work of new storytellers, while
developing access to libraries and other cultural spaces.
II. PROJECT DETAILS
This project is an innovative, one-of-a-kind, historically novel effort to record, preserve, and
promote the oral lore and history of Carlsbad, while teaching and promoting the art of
storytelling.
Throughout 12 months, the diverse and highly skilled professional storytellers of SSD will
conduct the following activities:
-Collecting the unique history, legends, and folklore of Carlsbad and beyond
-Performing these local stories in a series of public storytelling events at schools, libraries, and
other venues in the area
-Preserving these stories for posterity in a published book, to be provided to local schools and
libraries, as well as other multimedia formats (ebook, video and studio-quality audio recordings)
-Teaching a series of workshops, available to the entire community, on the art of storytelling,
how to craft, write, and tell your own stories, and career applications.
Specifically, the project includes the following elements:
1. COLLECTING STORIES
SSD members will interview locals to collect stories of various genres: local history, places of
interest, personal stories, folklore and legends.
2. STORYTELLING PERFORMANCES
Several public storytelling events will occur throughout the year, with performances by SSD’s
team of professional storytellers, all featuring Carlsbad’s own stories and legends.
3. RECORDINGS
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Recordings of these performances will be publicly available online, preserving them for posterity
and maintaining a lasting archive of Carlsbad’s local folklore and history.
4. BOOK PUBLICATION
An original book of these Carlsbad stories and legends will be published, in both print and
e-book formats, and distributed to community facilities free of charge.
5. WORKSHOPS
A series of workshops on crafting, telling, and writing your own stories, where participants learn
to develop stories of several genres—memoir, veteran, folktale and legend, immigration, local
history, and flash fiction—and writing as a source of income.
The project will promote civic pride and engagement, showcasing Carlsbad’s rich living folklore
and using it to teach storytelling skills. The entertaining performances of these stories will instill
a sense of community rootedness, cohesion, and civic pride. Each of the performances offers safe
and healthy entertainment for Carlsbad residents of all ages, all drawing from their community’s
own oral traditions.
Those who hear, engage, and share these legends from their own community will
experience an increased sense of social cohesion, unity, and civic pride. As the UN Refugee
Agency (UNHCR) states: “Stories convey our sense of right and wrong, our organizational
culture, our expectations of others, our worldviews and our fascinations. [...] Stories can help us
gain and share new insights and perspectives, and form new ideas. The stories we tell signal who
we see as allies and heroes, and celebrate behaviors we admire in others.”
This project supports these principles, and stands firmly in line with the nine core values
of the Carlsbad Community Vision, promoting community connectedness, access to recreation,
the arts and cultural resources, community services, and enhancing overall community livability.
III. PREVIOUS PROJECT SUCCESS
SSD has a long history promoting the art of storytelling and presenting first-class professional
performances, throughout our 44-year history as an organization. This includes two recent local
folklore and storytelling projects we successfully completed in San Diego County:
1. In 2024, we received two grants to conduct a broad-reaching and ambitious local folklore
project in the city of Chula Vista, California, titled “Tales from Proctor Valley.” We held a series
of live storytelling performances featuring the region’s own folklore and history, performing
these local legends at 27 different events throughout Fall 2024, at a variety of local schools,
museums, and public libraries. Many of these school assemblies were performed in Spanish
and/or as bilingual performances, with Spanish and English content. (See attached document,
“Partner Resumes,” for several links to videos of these events.)
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
2. We conducted a similar local folklore and storytelling project in Coronado in 2025-2026, with
a grant from the City of Coronado. This project likewise produced a book of local stories, and
included several local storytelling performance events and classes and workshops for residents
on the art of storytelling.
We are currently organizing a similar project for Escondido. With decades of experience
conducting storytelling performances and leading classes, workshops, seminars, and institutes on
the art of storytelling, we look forward to applying this expertise to this project as well.
IV. PROJECT DISTINCTION
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensures the right of all people to
“freely participate in the cultural life of the community and to enjoy the arts” (Article 27). This
project will uphold that right of Carlsbad’s residents, providing an unprecedented, multimedia
experience combining live storytelling, live music, print media, video and audio recordings, and
online social media.
It will bring all ages and demographics of Carlsbad’s community together, through stories that
celebrate the city’s diversity and long legacy of local folklore. Local residents will be inspired to
build on this oral tradition and develop their own creative projects in the future. This wealth of
local folklore will be preserved for posterity, for the first time in history, through multiple written
and recorded formats.
This yearlong project will result in a long-lasting impact on Carlsbad’s community, with durable
effects that will impact all generations of the community for years to come.
Carlsbad’s local history and folklore will be preserved for posterity, through the active
participation of the city’s population. Recordings of the city’s own local stories will be made
publicly available online at SSD’s own website, its YouTube channel, and other social media,
preserving these stories for posterity and maintaining a lasting archive of Carlsbad’s local
folklore.
The stories will be further preserved through the other original, one-of-a-kind multimedia
recordings of these stories, to be produced through the project. These multimedia archives of
Carlsbad’s history and folklore will be provided to the community free of charge, with
sustainable effects that will last generations with no additional investment required.
The project is replicable, inasmuch as the diverse community of Carlsbad is an inexhaustible
source of stories and history. Similar projects can be conducted in the future to collect additional
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
tales of all types—personal tales, family histories, local history, folklore and legends—among
the community. SSD has conducted similar projects to promote and preserve local lore, notably
our 2024 project in Chula Vista, as well as our 2025-2026 project in the City of Coronado.
V. PROJECT GOALS
The project’s primary goals are:
TO CELEBRATE LOCAL LORE:
The entertaining performances of these stories will instill a sense of community rootedness,
cohesion, and civic pride. Each of the performances offers safe and healthy entertainment for
Carlsbad residents of all ages, all drawing from their community’s own oral traditions.
TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE LOCAL LORE:
Following the live storytelling performances, the community of Carlsbad will be left with a
lasting record of the local legends and stories collected, in the form of the book, published in
print and ebook formats, as well as video and audio recordings of the storytelling performances.
These recordings will all be hosted on SSD’s website, YouTube channel, and other social media,
as well as other publicly available platforms, all free of charge.
Up to now, much of Carlsbad’s local folklore has existed purely in the form of oral lore. These
written and recorded collections will preserve this local heritage, just as folklorists have done
throughout history: Vance Randolph in the Ozarks, Alexander Afanasiev in Eastern Europe, and
Lafcadio Hearn in ancient Japan.
TO USE LOCAL LORE FOR EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Local public school teachers and students will have the opportunity to incorporate these tales into
a variety of educational contexts. The book’s addendum of “Suggested Uses for Educators” will
include a list of suggested ways that educators can use these tales in the classroom, as detailed
above.
Furthermore, the live storytelling events will increase awareness, engagement, and patronage of
the community facilities and spaces hosting them.
TO PROMOTE CREATIVITY, CULTURAL ACTIVITY, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN
CARLSBAD THROUGH LOCAL LORE:
It is our hope that Carlsbad residents will be inspired to create their own stories as a result of this
project. Community members of all ages will record narrations and creative dramatizations on
YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms. Such stories may inspire local artists to create sculptures,
murals, drawings, and paintings, while musicians may compose new pieces. Local authors may
write their own books of Carlsbad’s history, urban legends, and traditions.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
In addition, the existence of local legends can be a boon to business of all kinds.
Increased tourism is good for a community’s economy in general. This increased positive
attention will dovetail nicely with other expansions in the Carlsbad area.
This project may also inspire enterprising Carlsbad residents to develop activities for
tourists based specifically on the city’s own folklore. San Diego’s Old Town has practically
created a cottage industry out of its ghostly and supernatural lore, offering at least five different
“ghost tours.” If they can do it, why not Carlsbad?
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
A combination of qualitative and quantitative measures will assess success, including attendance
tracking, participant surveys, and digital engagement metrics. The most immediate measures of
success will be attendance at the events themselves, with feedback surveys will be offered to
participants to gauge their impressions following each event. We anticipate the direct
participation of approximately 5,000-10,000 community members, both as attendees at
storytelling events and as participants in workshops.
Online engagement with the project’s social media accounts will be gauged both prior to the
storytelling performances, and following the events, evaluating engagement with the video and
audio recordings of the storytelling.
In addition, several long-term forms of engagement will reflect the overall success of the project:
Engagement by local schools and libraries: using the book and its educational addendum in the
classroom.
Community engagement: increased interest in the cultural institutions hosting these storytelling
sessions, with greater attendance and patronage at libraries and museums.
Creative endeavors, cultural engagement, and enterprises by Carlsbad’s own residents: the
community will be inspired to create and tell their own stories. This may be through digital
media: YouTube, TikTok, and other social media; through the publication of print books, ebooks,
and audiobooks; podcasts and audio recordings; music and the arts; and other creative media.
These local creative endeavors inspired by the project will certainly not be limited to the tales we
share, with other stories of local historical figures and traditions told as well.
By preserving a written, audio, and video record of Carlsbad’s folklore, and by promoting this
heritage, tourism and awareness of the region will increase as well. This can be gauged through
increased revenue and income for local businesses. We look forward to providing a full report on
the outcome and results.
VI. TARGET POPULATION
The project will engage Carlsbad students of all grade levels, as well as members of the
Carlsbad community at large. Through an application of algorithms, targeted ads, and keywords,
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
the social media consultant will identify community members who are particularly interested in:
legends and folklore, ghost stories and similar tales, local heritage and folklore, and the arts.
While the event will be publicly announced to the broader community, this specific target
audience will be addressed through focused social media campaigns.
We particularly aim for intergenerational integration, with storytelling activities,
performances, and workshops bringing multiple generations together, allowing children and
youth to interact with seniors and other ages, with particular recognition and visibility of seniors’
rich knowledge of local lore and history. The project will be executed by Storytellers of San
Diego (SSD), a local non-profit of professional and highly-skilled professional storytellers who
have promoted storytelling as an art form since the 1980s.
All live events will emphasize the inclusion of all sectors of Carlsbad’s population and
socioeconomic groups, all offered free of charge and held at public venues that are fully
accessible to individuals with physical disabilities.
VII. PROJECT PARTNERSHIPS
LIBRARIES AND OTHER COMMUNITY VENUES
We will approach the following libraries, community centers, and other public venues in the City
of Carlsbad to offer storytelling performances. We have already begun contacting many of the
venues on this list:
● Harding Community Center
● Pine Avenue Community Center
● Calavera Hills Community Center
● Stagecoach Community Center
● Carlsbad Senior Center
● Carlsbad City Library (Dove Library)
● Georgina Cole Library
● Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium
● Carlsbad City Library Learning Center
● Heritage Hall
● Magee Park
● Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park
● Alga Norte Community Park
● Poinsettia Community Park
● Hidden Canyon Community Park
SCHOOLS
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
We will approach all 33 schools in Carlsbad, both public and private, to offer storytelling
performances. These schools are listed below:
Elementary Schools ( 20 total)
Public (Carlsbad Unified + nearby districts)
Examples include:
Aviara Oaks Elementary
Buena Vista Elementary
Calavera Hills Elementary
Hope Elementary
Jefferson Elementary
Kelly Elementary
Magnolia Elementary
Pacific Rim Elementary
Poinsettia Elementary
(These 9 are within Carlsbad Unified School District.)
Additional public elementary schools within Carlsbad city boundaries (but different districts):
Carrillo Elementary
El Camino Creek Elementary
La Costa Heights Elementary
La Costa Meadows Elementary
Mission Estancia Elementary
Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary
Private elementary schools (examples)
Aspirations School of Learning
Carlsbad Christian Academy
Carlsbad Country Day School
Casa Montessori de Carlsbad
Sanderling Waldorf School
Village Montessori School
Middle Schools / Junior High ( 7 total)
Public
Aviara Oaks Middle School
Calavera Hills Middle School
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
Valley Middle School
Private / combined-grade schools (include middle grades)
Pacific Ridge School (Grades 6–12)
Some private K–8 or K–12 schools listed above also serve middle grades
Other public/alternative
Carlsbad Seaside Academy (K–12 alternative)
High Schools (5 total)
Public
Carlsbad High School
Sage Creek High School
Alternative public
Carlsbad Village Academy (alternative high school)
Carlsbad Seaside Academy (K–12 alternative)
Private (serving high school grades)
Pacific Ridge School (6–12)
SSD has collaborated with venues throughout San Diego County, and several have confirmed
their commitment to collaborate on this project as well. As an organization that has promoted the
art of storytelling since the 1980s, SSD has developed long-standing relationships with numerous
libraries, community and cultural centers, and museums throughout San Diego County. We look
forward to using these relationships to further approach community spaces throughout Carlsbad
for this project.
VIII. ORGANIZATION CHALLENGES
Throughout our 44-year history as an organization, SSD has promoted the art of storytelling,
presenting first-class professional performances and teaching workshops and classes in
storytelling and its myriad applications. Our recent cultural heritage projects, conducted with
grants from the cities of Coronado and Chula Vista from 2024-2026, offered us the challenging
opportunity to apply this experience and “scale up” our activities to a broader and more
ambitious level.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
Our broad-reaching and ambitious local folklore project in the city of Chula Vista, California,
titled “Tales from Proctor Valley: a storytelling, folklore, and cultural heritage initiative,” was an
historic first for both the City of Chula Vista and for our organization. This was the first time
many of these local stories and folklore had been collected, written, and professionally
performed; likewise, it was our first time conducting a local cultural heritage project of this
magnitude. Not only did we collect dozens of stories and craft them into engaging formats,
published in a book that was distributed to all local schools and libraries, we also performed
these stories at 27 events throughout the community.
Having met this challenge and risen to the occasion, the experience prepared SSD for a similar
project in the City of Coronado in 2025-2026. We are currently developing a similar project in
the City of Escondido as well, and we look forward to applying this expertise to the benefit of
Carlsbad and all its residents.
IX. BUDGET NARRATIVE
Full amount requested: $7,500.
Please note, SSD is flexible and open to feedback, changes, and adjustments of the specifics
of the project proposed herein.
1. Storytelling: professional fees
The standard fee for each professional storyteller’s performance, per event, is $300, as per the
suggested fee schedule contained on the website of SSD.
(https://storytellersofsandiego.org/images/Fee%20schedule%2011-18-12.pdf)
A total of 8 storytelling performances will be held, with two storytellers performing at each
performance.
8 x 2 x 300 = $4,800
2. Workshop teachers’ fees
$150/hour per teacher per workshop session.
A total of 8 workshop sessions will be taught by members of SSD.
8 x 150 = $1,200
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
3. Book: research, story collection, writing and editing
The book’s author will be paid a flat fee of $500 for work invested in researching, interviewing
subjects, transcribing interviews, planning, writing, and editing the book.
4. Print copies of the book
Grant funds will be used to purchase copies of the book, at-cost with no mark-up, to be
distributed free of charge to all libraries and participants in workshops.
Cost per book: $5 (at cost, obtained by author directly from Amazon)
100 books provided x 5 = $250
6. Grant administration and grant-related overhead expenses
Following generally accepted practices, an amount equivalent to 10% of the grant amount will
cover the overhead costs: coordinating the project, planning, publicity, research, planning and
venues, overhead accounting costs, among other activities throughout the yearlong duration of
the project.
This comes to $750, 10% of the total amount ($7,500) requested.
X. CONCLUSION
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights ensures the right of all
people to “freely participate in the cultural life of the community and to enjoy the arts” (Article
27). This project will uphold that right of Carlsbad’s residents, providing an unprecedented,
multimedia experience combining live storytelling, live music, print media, video and audio
recordings, and online social media. It will bring all ages and demographics of Carlsbad’s
community together, through stories that celebrate the city’s diversity and long legacy of local
folklore. Local residents will be inspired to build on this oral tradition and develop their own
creative projects in the future. This wealth of local folklore will be preserved for posterity, for the
first time in history, through multiple written and recorded formats.
As such, the project stands firmly in line with the nine core values of the Carlsbad
Community Vision, promoting community connectedness, access to recreation, the arts and
cultural resources, community services, and enhancing overall community livability.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
Applicant:COMMUNITY ARTS GRANTS 2024-25 PROJECT BUDGET INFORMATION
$ Notes $
Admissions All project events will be offered to the public free of charge.
Please see budget section (Section 9) of attached document "FULL
PROPOSAL" for full budget narrative.
Gifts/Merchandise/
Concessions
Advertising
Other
-$ Subtotal Earned Income -$
CONTRIBUTED INCOME $ Notes $
Private
Individual
Public Support
Applicant Cash
CAG Request Amount $ 7,500.00 Amount requested through Community Arts Grants 2026-27
Other
Other
Subtotal Unearned Income 7,500.00$ Subtotal Unearned Income -$
Cash Notes Cash
Project Staff (non-artist)
Amount received through Community Arts Grants 2026-2027
CAG FY 2026-27 BUDGET FORM PROJECTED - APPLICATION ACTUALS - FINAL REPORT
PROJECT INCOME ORGANIZATION NAME:
Notes
7,500.00$ INCOME TOTALS
PROJECT EXPENSES
-$
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Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
Applicant:COMMUNITY ARTS GRANTS 2024-25 PROJECT BUDGET INFORMATION
Project Artist(s) or Arts
Instructor(s) $ 6,500.00
Three items: 1. Storytelling: professional fees (4800), 2. Workshop
teachers’ fees (1200), and 3. Book: research, story collection,
writing and editing (500). Please see attached document "FULL
PROPOSAL" for full budget narrative.
Educational Materials/Printing
Costumes/Props
Sets
Supplies $ 250.00 Print copies of book for Carlsbad community spaces and schools.
To be provided free of charge.
Licensing/Royalties
Rentals (space and/or other)All spaces will be schools and community spaces, offering space as
in-kind donation
Transportation
Food & Beverage
Marketing/Promotion/
Publicity
Fiscal Agency Fee
Other $ 750.00 Grant administration and grant-related overhead expenses
Other Please see budget section (Section 9) of attached document "FULL
PROPOSAL" for full budget narrative
Other
EXPENSES TOTALS 7,500.00$ -$
Value Notes Value
Venues for storytelling performance
events and workshops $ 9,600.00 All venues will donate the regular auditorium / venue fee of $600.
With a total of 16 events, this comes to $9,600 in-kind donation.
IN-KIND SUPPORT Notes
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F
Applicant:COMMUNITY ARTS GRANTS 2024-25 PROJECT BUDGET INFORMATION
IN-KIND TOTALS 9,600.00$ -$
Please give detailed descriptions for each line item in the notes column. For example, if your total admissions is $1,000, enter "4 shows, 50 attendees, $5 each."
Please insert your organization name in the top right header.
Budget Instructions:
For application, fill out only green. For final report, fill in blue.
You will only be able to fill out the cells highlighted in green or blue.
The application project budget must balance. Total income must equal total expenses. Final Report may
Round all budget figures to the nearest whole dollar.
Enter a '0' in any cells that you don't have an amount to add.
Docusign Envelope ID: 998D889D-46D9-89BA-80E2-6BB55AA97B8F