Arts and Culture Funding Operating SupportCity of Dubuque
.marts & Cultural.
airs Advisory Commission
June 30, 2008
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Dubuque
50 W. 13t" Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
Re: Arts and Culture Funding Program for Operating Support
FY 2009 Funding Requests and Commission Recommendations
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
Introduction
The Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission has reviewed twelve funding
requests from Dubuque arts and culture organizations requesting $296,783 in funds
from the FY 2009 Arts and Culture Funding Program for Operating Support. This memo
transmits the Commission's funding recommendations and requests that the Council
approve the recommendations and associated funding agreements.
Background
In March 2005, the City Council approved a $200,000 budget decision package
providing resources for the Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission to make
recommendations to City Council for the best investment in the community for arts and
culture.
In May 2005, the City Council approved the Commission's recommendation to establish
an Arts and Culture Funding Program for Operating Support. The Commission
recommended that operating support be provided to high-quality, established 501(c)(3)
arts and culture organizations located in the City of Dubuque that primarily serve
Dubuque residents with year-round arts and culture events, programs and services, and
can, demonstrate a record of programmatic and administrative stability. Arts and culture
advocates worked for many years to educate the community about why our arts and
culture organizations need City funding and why this financial investment is good for
Dubuque. The Commission believes it is important to sustain and insure long-term
viability for existing arts and culture organizations and to create a welcoming
environment for new organizations. The Commission reviewed funding requests for FY
2006, FY 2007, and FY 2008 and recommended that the council award funding to 12
organizations for FY 2006 totaling $200,000 and 9 organizations for FY 2007 totaling
$200,000, and 11 organizations in FY 2008 totaling $200,000. The fourth round of
competition (FY 2009) for the operating support program was announced in March,
2008. Arts and culture organizations were notified of the funding competition by direct
mail, media releases, and posting on the. City's web site. Staff also conducted two
application workshops in March to provide an overview of the program and answer
questions
Discussion
The Commission received funding requests from twelve different Dubuque Arts and
Culture organizations. Based on the maximum funding levels initially established for the
program, (6% of organization's previous year's operating expenses or $50,000,
whichever is less) the funding requests totaled $296,783. Total funding available in the
FY 2009 budget is $200,000. Budget constraints have limited the Commission's ability
to fully fund the eligible organizations. The Commission was aware that due to a static
budgeted amount for the Arts and Culture Operating Support Program coupled with an
increasing number of eligible applicant organizations and the increased operating
budgets of those organizations, it was highly unlikely that organizations would be
funded at the maximum funding formulas. The program guidelines stated "It is .likely
that qualified organizations will not be funded at this level; actual awards will be based
on the number of eligible applicants and the degree to which applicant meets selection
criteria." The Commission also established a point value for the various rating criteria
to assist with ranking the funding requests.
Selection criteria for the program are:
1. Dubuque arts and culture organizations whose mission is primarily arts and
culture and the degree to which their programs and services support that
mission and the city's cultural arts goals. (40 points possible)
2. Organization's demonstrated management abilities (financial position or
condition, fiscal responsibility, and management.) (25 points possible)
3. Organization's demonstrated artistic or cultural excellence and leadership (20
points possible.)
4. Impact of organization on broader Dubuque Community (15 points possible)
The Commission reviewed a number of possible funding formulas including reducing
the cap and the percentage levels of funding.
After extensive discussion, the consensus of the Commission is to recommend to City
Council the following:
a) Reduce the maximum funding cap from $50,000 to $40,000, or 6% of an
organization's operating expenditures. Reduction of the funding cap will
directly impact the Dubuque County Historical Society this year but may
impact other larger arts organization in future years.
b) Commission is recommending that organizations be funded at the following
percentage of operating expenditures based on their score:
> 85 points: 4.5% of organization's operating expenditures
80-85 points: 3.0% of organization's operating expenditures
< 80 points: 2% of organization's operating expenditures
Recommended funding levels are:
Organization
Dubuque Symphony Orchestra
Dubuque Museum of Art
Dubuque Arts Council
Grand Opera House
Bell Tower Productions
Dubuque County Historical Soc
Fly-By-Night Productions
Colts Drum & Bugle Corps
Dubuque Co Fine Arts Society
Northeast Iowa School of Music
Dubuque Arboretum
Four Mounds Foundation
Score Funding
95.71 38, 334
94.0. 23,452
93.5 4,916
92.57 32,837
91.83 14,020
89.29 40,000
86.43 1,227
81.86 26,582
81.33 1,562
75.43 4,545
70.29 2,233
63.67 10.,292
Total $200,000
A spreadsheet is attached which details the recommended funding levels as well as the
operating support funding provided to the organizations in FY 2008.
Action
The Council is requested to approve the twelve FY 2009 Arts and Culture Operating
Support funding requests and authorize the City Manager to sign the funding
agreements.
The Commission is extremely appreciative of the City Council's support of arts and
cultural organizations and is looking forward to working together to support the artistic
and cultural development of the City.
Sincerely,
Amy Weber
Chairperson
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission
Encl.
Cc: Grant Applicants
fy 2009 worksheet
Operating Support Funding Requests Allocation Worksheet
4.85% with
$40,000 max
2.42% for Four
Mounds & Colts
2009 Funding Allocations
° or ra Ings a ove
or $40,000 max
3.0% for ratings under 85 & New Final
above 80 Funding
fy 08 allocation most recent 6%150,000 score 2.0% for ratings under 80 Figures with 6% Max Figures
expenditures
Dubuque Symphony Orchestra $38,433.92 821,279 49,277 95.71 $36,957.56 $38,223.00 $38,334.00
Dubuque Museum of Art $25,024.64 490,592 29,436 94.00 $22,076.64 $23,342.00 $23,452.00
Dubuque Arts Council $5,066.60 81,928 4,916 93.50 $3,686.76 $4,916.00 $4,916.00
Grand Opera House $25,871.06 699,149 41,949 92.57 $31,461.71 $32,727.00 $32,837.00
Bell Tower Productions $14,213.12 280,964 16,858 91.83 $12,643.38 $13,909.00 $14,020.00
Dubuque County Historical $40,000.00 4,866,879 50,000 89.29 $40,000.00 $40,000.00 $40,000.00
Fly-By-Night Productions $1,406.11 20,452 1,227 86.43 $920.34 $1,227.00 $1,227.00
Colts Drum & Bugle $19,978.24 882,367 50,000 81.86 $26,471.01 $26,471.00 $26,582.00
Dubuque Fine Arts Society $2,250.40 48,393 2,904 81.33 $1,451.79 $1,452.00 $1,562.00
Northeast Iowa School of Music $11,486.98 221,751 13,305 75.43 $4,435.02 $4,435.00 $4,545.00
Dubuque Arboretum $0.00 106,117 6,367 70.29 $2,122.34 $2,122.00 $2,233.00
Four Mounds Foundation $16,268.92 509,087 30,545 63.67 $10,181.74 $10,181.00 $10,292.00
$200,000.00 9,028.96 296,783
$200,000.00
Leftover funds are distributed
to all eligible organizations