Arts and Cultural Program_FY14 Operating Support RequestsCity of Dubuque
.marts & Cultural _Affairs Advisory Commission
June 9, 2014
The Honorable Mayor and City Council
City of Dubuque
50 W.13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
Re: Arts and Culture Funding Program for Operating Support
FY 2015 Funding Requests and Commission Recommendations
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
Introduction
The Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission has reviewed funding requests from
sixteen Dubuque arts and culture organizations requesting $290,295 in funds from the
FY 2015 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. During the FY 2013 budget process, the Arts
Commission recommended that the Arts Operating Support program be increased by
10%, to $220,000. The City Manager's recommendation was to increase the program
by 5%, or an additional $10,000. Past funding has been awarded to:
• 12 organizations for FY 2006 totaling $200,000
• 9 organizations for FY 2007 totaling $200,000
• 11 organizations in FY 2008 totaling $200,000
• 12 organizations for FY 2009 totaling $200,000
• 11 organizations in FY 2010 totaling $200,000
• 13 organizations in FY 2011 totaling $200,000
• 14 organizations in FY 2012 totaling $200,000
• 10 organizations in FY 2013 totaling $210,000
• 16 organizations in FY 2014 totaling $210,000
The tenth round of competition (FY 2015) for the operating support program was
announced in January, 2014. Arts and culture organizations were notified of the funding
competition by direct mail, media releases, "notify me" notifications, and posting on the
City's web site. Staff also conducted two grant workshops in March for potential
applicants. Staff was also available to provide assistance to applicant organizations on
an individual basis throughout the application period.
Discussion
The Commission received funding requests from sixteen different Dubuque Arts and
Culture organizations, the largest number ever. The funding requests totaled $290,295.
The maximum funding levels initially established for the program are 6% of
organization's previous year's operating expenses or $50,000, whichever is less.
Total funding available in the FY 2015 budget is $210,000. Budget constraints have
limited the Commission's ability to fully fund the eligible organizations. Over the history
of this funding program, the Commission has never been able to fully fund the eligible
organizations. The program guidelines state "It is unlikely that qualified organizations
will be funded at this level. Funding levels over the past few years have ranged from 2-
6% or $45,000, depending upon the number of eligible applicants and the degree to
which an applicant meets selection criteria." The past two years, there was an
increased challenge because we received applications from a record 16 eligible
organizations. New eligible arts organizations in FY 2014 included Julien Dubuque
International Film Festival and Rising Star Theater Company. The Commission
anticipates that next year funding requests will be received from both Studio Works and
Voices Productions and possibly Dubuque Area Arts Collective creating additional
demand for these funds.
The Commission utilizes a point value for the various rating criteria to determine the
ranking of 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. The Commission is unanimously
recommending to City Council the following:
a) Reduce the maximum funding cap this year from $50,000 to $40,000, or
4.4% of an organization's operating expenditures. Reduction of the funding
cap directly impacts the Dubuque County Historical Society and the Colt's
Drum and Bugle Corps 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:
>90 4.4% of organization's operating expenditures
85-90 4.0% of organization's operating expenditures
80-85 3.3% of organization's operating expenditures
<70 3.0% of organization's operating expenditures
Recommended funding levels are:
Organization Score Funding
Dubuque County Historical Society 94.71 40,000
Dubuque Symphony Orchestra 93.86 37,259
Northeast Iowa School of Music 93.86 10,061
Bell Tower Productions 92.83 12,477
Dubuque Arboretum 92.33 7,285
Grand Opera House 92.00 16,394
Colts Drum & Bugle 91.43 40,000
Dubuque Museum of Art 88.83 18,239
Dubuque Arts Council 88.00 3,821
Fly -By -Night -Productions 87.83 987
Dubuque Main Street Ltd. 84.67 5,440
Rising Star Theatre Company 83.86 2,984
Dubuque Chorale 82.43 1,139
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival 81.86 4,887
Matter Creative 72.71 6,199
Dubuque County Fine Arts 64.17 2,828
Total 210,000
Action
The Council is requested to approve the sixteen FY 2015 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 our continuing working together to
support the artistic and cultural development of the City. As a Commission we are
constantly receiving feedback from the funded arts organizations about the critical
positive impact this funding has on their organizations and their ability to provide cultural
opportunities to the citizens of Dubuque. However, we do want the City Council to be
aware of the increased budget demands in awarding operating support funding to an
ever increasing number of eligible arts organizations.
Sincerely,
Ellen Henkels
Chairperson
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission
Cc: Grant Applicants