Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of the Arts American Rescue Plan Act Funds from Underutilized Budgeted Line Items to Supplement the Creative Empowerment Subgrant ProgramCity of Dubuque
City Council Meeting
Consent Items # 04.
Copyrighted
April 17, 2023
ITEM TITLE: Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of the Arts
American Rescue Plan Act Funds from Underutilized Budgeted Line
Items to Supplement the Creative Empowerment Subgrant Program
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval to reallocate $12,000
from underutilized budget line item costs to raise the available funding
amount from $15,000 to $27,000 to assist in addressing the gap in
eligible requests received through Round 1 and projected asks in Round
2 of the National Endowment for the Arts Local Arts Agency Creative
Empowerment subgrant program administered through the Office of Arts
and Cultural Affairs.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
MVM Memo
Staff Memo
Type
City Manager Memo
Staff Memo
THE CITY OF
Dubuque
DUB TEE1.
All -America City
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of the Arts American
Rescue Plan Act Funds from Underutilized Budgeted Line Items to
Supplement the Creative Empowerment Subgrant Program
DATE: April 10, 2023
Economic Development Director Jill Connors is recommending City Council approval to
reallocate $12,000 from underutilized budget line item costs to raise the available
funding amount from $15,000 to $27,000 to assist in addressing the gap in eligible
requests received through Round 1 and projected asks in Round 2 of the National
Endowment for the Arts Local Arts Agency Creative Empowerment subgrant program
administered through the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs..
The Creative Empowerment subgrant program consists of two (2) application and
funding rounds. The rounds are offered at different times to align with two (2)
independent yet overlapping periods of performance. The total funds to be awarded
over both rounds through the program is $15,000. No match is required. The minimum
request is $500. The maximum request is $2,000. Applicants may apply each round but
only receive funding for one (1) project-, if an applicant submits to Round 1 and is not
funded, they may submit a revised or new proposal for Round 2. Awards will be
distributed to ensure funds are available for each round.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jill Connors, Economic Development Director
Dubuque
THE CF
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Masterpiece on the Mississippi
2007+2012+2013
2017*2019
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Jill Connors, Economic Development Director
Economic Development Department
1300 Main St
Dubuque, IA 52001
Office (563) 589-4393
TTY (563) 690-6678
http://www.cityofdubuque.org
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of the Arts American
Rescue Plan Act Funds from Underutilized Budgeted Line Items to Supplement
the Creative Empowerment Subgrant Program
DATE: April 6, 2023
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to recommend the reallocation of underutilized budgeted
expenses in the amount of $12,000 to supplement the $15,000 Creative Empowerment
subgrant program administered through the Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs as a result of
the $500,000 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded National Endowment for the Arts
(NEA) Local Arts Agency (LAA) award received in FY22.
BACKGROUND
On November 18, 2021, the City of Dubuque's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs announced the
receipt of a $500,000 award through the NEA's LAA Subgranting Program funded by the
ARPA to help the arts and culture sector recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The award allocated $15,000 to the Creative Empowerment subgrant program to support
individual creatives in producing tangible, public -facing, arts -based projects that further their
careers and deepen their community engagement. Additionally, $435,000 of the awarded
funds were directed to the Arts Operating Recovery subgrant program supporting the arts
operations of eligible local nonprofit organizations. Finally, $50,000 of the award was
allocated to facilitate the management and administration of the NEA LAA ARPA funding by
the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs in the Economic Development Department with oversight
from the Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission (the Commission).
DISCUSSION
The Creative Empowerment subgrant program is a one-time, restricted funding opportunity
supporting individual creatives in producing public -facing tangible arts -based projects that
strategically advance their career while deepening their community connections through
meaningful public programs and activities with measurable impact.
The Creative Empowerment subgrant program consists of two (2) application and funding
rounds. The rounds are offered at different times to align with two (2) independent yet
overlapping periods of performance. The total funds to be awarded over both rounds through
the program is $15,000. No match is required. The minimum request is $500. The maximum
request is $2,000. Applicants may apply each round but only receive funding for one (1)
project; if an applicant submits to Round 1 and is not funded, they may submit a revised or
new proposal for Round 2. Awards will be distributed to ensure funds are available for each
round.
ROUND 1 — Open for applications Wednesday, February 15 — Friday, March 24, 2023, for
consideration of projects occurring between June 1, 2023 — March 31, 2024.
ROUND 2 — Open for applications Thursday, June 1 — Friday, July 14, 2023, for
consideration of projects occurring between October 1, 2023 — March 31, 2024.
After the closing of Round 1 on March 24, 2023, it was noted that the response from the
creative community to the program was greater than forecasted. The Office of Arts and
Culture received 14 eligible applications requesting $27,016.00 in support. Another ten (10)
applications were started but not submitted. Other creatives, who did not apply in Round 1,
have shared their intent to apply in Round 2. With a shortfall of $12,016 in Round 1 and more
applications yet to be received in Round 2, Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs staff assessed
options to more fully address the demonstrated need to support community creatives in their
work and generate constructive community outcomes. A resulting action was a thorough
review of the approved NEA LAA ARPA grant budget. The budget review and calculation of
projected costs to fulfill the management and administration of the grant revealed
underutilized funds in the following categories:
• Direct costs salaries and wages ($7,179.00)
• Fringe benefits ($2,632.00)
• LAA Grants Manager ($1,284.00)
• Marketing ($905.00)
The reallocation of the identified funds ($12,000), if approved, will expand the total amount
available to the Creative Empowerment subgrant from $15,000 to $27,000 to be disbursed
across both rounds (e.g., awarding $18,000 to Round 1 and $9,000 to Round 2) translating to
a more significant investment in Dubuque's creatives and the integration of more accessible
arts experiences into the community.
Before presenting this recommendation, staff consulted with the NEA grants administration
team. Staff was advised that shifting costs between approved line items in the budget is a
reasonable request. Additionally, the staff received instruction and is prepared to execute the
necessary steps to reallocate the funds within the budget if the recommendation is approved.
BUDGETIMPACT
There are no new budget impacts. The reallocation of funds is within the scope of the
received National Endowment for the Arts American Rescue Plan Act Grant to Local Arts
Agencies for Subgranting award.
RECOMMENDATION/ACTION STEP
I respectfully request the reallocation of $12,000 from underutilized budget line item costs to
raise the available funding amount from $15,000 to $27,000 to assist in addressing the gap in
eligible requests received through Round 1 and projected asks in Round 2 of the NEA LAA
Creative Empowerment subgrant program.
CC: Teri Goodman, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Justin Thiltgen, Technical Grant Analyst/Assistant
Jenny Larson, Finance Director
Laura Merrick, Communications and Grants Administration Assistant