Public, Educational & Government Access Channel Grant Program

Under the provisions of the City’s cable franchise agreement with Charter Communications, annual funding of $45,000 is made available to the City to award in the form of reimbursement grants to encourage the development of programming to appear on the City’s Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) access channels.

The purpose of the PEG Grant program is to encourage and support the production of quality community television programs, and to make it easier for individuals or groups to use cable telecommunications to share information and to enrich the lives of Riverside residents. Programs may include specials, short series, weekly or daily programs.  The City does not fund infomercials seeking donations or business from viewers. Incorporating copyrighted material into the video without the express written permission of the copyright holder is also forbidden.

Individuals, non-profit organizations, community groups, educational organizations, and production companies who meet the general criteria for producing and broadcasting programming for public, educational and government access television are encouraged to apply.  Programs must be suitable for broadcast on the public, educational and/or governmental access channels. Charter offers a free training program for grant recipients, but they are not responsible for actual production.

The City accepts program applications throughout the year.  Grant funding recommendations will be made to the Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC) in late April and August of each year. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit grant proposals early in the year as this allows for more time to produce the approved program.  Another significant advantage to applying early in the year is that early applicants receive first consideration for the grant funds.  The GAC may disburse all grant funding within the first grant funding round.

To be considered for the April funding round applicants should submit their applications by 5:00 p.m. on March 30.  To be considered for the August funding round, applicants should submit their applications by 5:00 p.m. on July 31.  In both cases production on grant funded programs must be completed in the same calendar year.

Minimum Grant Applicant Requirements:

All grant applicants must:

• Be residents of the City of Riverside, work or own businesses with the City, or be an authorized representative of a educational institution or business.
• Comply with all requirements imposed by the City or Charter for access to the PEG channels.

Please note specific restrictions on use of each Educational and Governmental access channels:

• Educational Access:  All applicants must be an authorized representative of an educational institution located within the City of Riverside. 
• Governmental Access:  All applicants must be authorized representatives of the City of Riverside

Funding Parameters:

Per the franchise agreement, the $45,000 annual funding total is divided with a maximum of $15,000 available in the Public Access, Education and Government categories respectively.  Specific award amounts for each applicant are determined by the City’s Governmental Affairs Committee (GAC), based upon the recommendations of staff. The GAC has the discretion approve or deny funding for all programs, and to approve funding on a partial or complete basis.   

Funding is typically awarded on a reimbursement basis for receipted production costs specific to the program, rather than equipment.  The GAC, however, retains the prerogative to approve reimbursement for equipment costs on a case-by-case basis. 

The GAC also retains the prerogative to approve funding for disbursement either before or after a program is produced.  In all cases, however, a program must be produced in the year for which funding is approved.

Subject to GAC discretion, funding will be disbursed only after a program has been:

• Produced; and
• Reviewed (by City staff) to ensure consistency with the funding application approved by the GAC; and
• Accepted for broadcast.

Upon approval by the GAC, funding recommendations are then presented to the City Council for final approval.  Grant recipients are not exempt from the requirement to report their grant awards for tax purposes.

Grant Award Cycle

The franchise agreement specifies that grants are awarded on a calendar year basis.

The City accepts program applications throughout the year.  Staff will make funding recommendations to the GAC in late April and August of each year.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit grant proposals early in the year as this allows for more time to produce the approved program.  Another significant advantage to applying early in the year is that early applicants receive first consideration for the grant funds.  The GAC may disburse all grant funding within the first grant funding round.

To be considered for the April funding round applicants should submit their applications by 5:00 p.m. on the last business day in March. 

To be considered for the August funding round, applicants should submit their applications by 5:00 p.m. on the last business day in July.

Grant applications should be delivered to the following:

Public Information Officer
Office of the City Manager
City of Riverside
3900 Main Street
Riverside, CA  92522

Fax:  (951) 826-5470
Phone:  (951) 826-5231