Thirteen Central Coast arts institutions are receiving a total of $3.7 million from The James Irvine Foundation, a nonprofit that hands out grants to help organizations achieve cultural and financial success.

The grants, which were announced on Wednesday, are part of the Irvine Foundation’s five-year-old Arts Regional Initiative. Since 2006, the program has targeted music, dance, literary and other art-making associations that have shown a commitment to strengthening their economic sustainability.

Of this year’s recipients, eight are based in the Tri-Counties. In Santa Barbara, the recipients are the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Opera Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra Association, and State Street Ballet. Two Ventura organizations, Burnon d/b/a Rubicon Theatre and the Museum of Ventura County, were also selected. The Ojai Music Festival and San Luis Obispo Art Center round out the Tri-Counties beneficiaries.

According to a press release from the Irvine Foundation, the selected organizations are using the grants to weather the challenging economic environment and increase cultural participation from underrepresented communities.

“These Central Coast organizations are vital anchor institutions within their communities and provide an array of important opportunities for people to engage with the arts,” Josephine Ramirez, Irvine Foundation Arts Program Director, said in a statement. “These grants represent continued commitment to them as they explore new ways of achieving financial sustainability and attracting culturally diverse audiences.”

The James Irvine Foundation was established in 1937 as a grant-making nonprofit dedicated to helping California residents participate in a vibrant and inclusive society. The foundation’s grants focus on three major areas: Arts, California democracy and youth. With assets of $1.6 billion, the foundation gave out a total of $65 million in 2010.