Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of the Arts American Rescue Plan Act Funds from Underutilized Budgeted Line Items to Supplement Round 2 of the Creative Empowerment Subgrant Program Copyrighted
August 7, 2023
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 015.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of the Arts
American Rescue Plan Act Funds from Underutilized Budgeted Line
Items to Supplement Round 2 of the Creative Empowerment Subgrant
P rog ram
SUM MARY: City Manager recommending City Council approve reallocating $2,881
from underutilized budget line-item costs to raise the available funding
amount from $7,119 to $10,000 to assist in addressing the gap in eligible
requests received in Round 2 of the NEA LAA Creative Empowerment
subgrant program as the Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission
approved at their July 25, 2023, regular meeting.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File;Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of
the Arts American Rescue Plan Act Funds from
Underutilized Budgeted Line Items to Supplement Staff Memo
Round 2 of the Creative Empowerment Subgrant
Program
Dubuque
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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 Round 2 of the Creative Empowerment Subgrant Program
DATE: August 1, 2023
Arts & Cultural Affairs Manager Bonnie Spurling is recommending City Council approve
reallocating $2,881 from underutilized budget line-item costs to raise the available
funding amount from $7,119 to $10,000 to assist in addressing the gap in eligible
requests received in Round 2 of the NEA LAA Creative Empowerment subgrant
program as the Arts & Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission approved at their July 25,
2023 regular meeting.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jill Connors, Economic Development Director
Bonnie Spurling, Arts & Cultural Affairs Manager
Teri Goodmann, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Justin Thiltgen, Technical Grant Analyst/Assistant
Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Laura Merrick, Communications and Grants Administration Assistant
Dubuque Economic Development Department
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Bonnie Spurling, Arts & Cultural Affairs Manager
SUBJECT: Recommendation to Reallocate National Endowment of the Arts American
Rescue Plan Act Funds from Underutilized Budgeted Line Items to Supplement
Round 2 of the Creative Empowerment Subgrant Program
DATE: July 28, 2023
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to recommend the reallocation of underutilized budgeted
expenses in the amount of $2,881 to supplement the Round 2 balance of $7,119 for the
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 — Applications were received Wednesday, February 15 — Friday, March 24, 2023,
for projects occurring between June 1, 2023 — March 31, 2024.
ROUND 2 — Applications were received Thursday, June 1 — Friday, July 14, 2023, for
projects occurring between October 1, 2023 — March 31, 2024.
On April 10, 2023, City Council, upon motion the documents were received, filed, and
approved for consent item 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. The reallocation of$12,000 resulted in expanding
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.
On May 1, 2023, City Council carried the motion 7-0 to receive, file the documents, and
approve action item National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Local Arts Agency (LAA)
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Creative Empowerment Subgrant Funding
Recommendation for Round 1 resulting in awarding $19,881 to ten (10) creatives and leaving
a $7,119 balance to award in Round 2.
Round 2 of the NEA-ARPA-funded Creative Empowerment subgrant program closed on
Friday, July 14, 2023. Seven (7) applications were received. All are eligible for funding
consideration per the program guidelines. All applicants requested the max funding of$2,000
for a total of $14,000 in funding requests.
As with Round 1, the NEA-ARPA budget was reviewed, cumulative costs calculated, and
forecasted expenses accounted for the remaining administrative activities required through
the end of the period of performance. It was determined that funds in the line item LAA
Grants Administrator were available to reassign. Reallocating $2,881 in the NEA-ARPA
budget to fund Round 2 at $10,000 enables five (5) applicants to be fully funded. In Round 1,
14 applications were received, and ten (10) were funded. Funding five (5) applications in
Round 2 is in alignment with the Round 1 funding strategy, supports empowering even more
local creatives, and aids in the effective utilization of the awarded NEA-ARPA funds.
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. Following a discussion at the July 25, 2023, regular Commission
meeting, the Commission voted unanimously to recommend $2,881 be reallocated to support
Round 2 in the pursuit to elevate additional creatives in their projects and efforts to enhance
the vitality of the arts in Dubuque.
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 $2,881 from underutilized budget line item costs to
raise the available funding amount from $7,119 to $10,000 to assist in addressing the gap in
eligible requests received in Round 2 of the NEA LAA Creative Empowerment subgrant
program.
CC:
Jill Connors, Economic Development Director
Teri Goodman, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Justin Thiltgen, Technical Grant Analyst/Assistant
Jenny Larson, Finance Director
Laura Merrick, Communications and Grants Administration Assistant