Arts and Cultural Program - FY17 Operating Support Requests Copyright 2014
City of Dubuque Action Items # 2.
ITEM TITLE: Arts and Cultural Program - FY17 Operating Support
Requests
SUMMARY: Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission requesting
approval of the thirteen eligible FY 2017 Arts and Cultural
Operating Support funding requests and authorizing the
City Manager to sign the funding agreements.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Approve
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Commission recommendations for Operating Support Staff Memo
Grants
City of Dubuque C�
.Arts CuLturaL Affalr.S Advisory Commission
July 13th, 2016
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 and Special Projects
FY 2017 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 with total operating budgets of
$11 ,350,273.13. Of that amount the commission funds from the FY 2017 a cap of
$35,000 or 7%of the request through the Operating Support Grant. 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 ensure 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
0 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
• 16 organizations in FY 2015 totaling $210,000
• 16 organizations in FY 2016 totaling $210,000
The next round of competition (FY 2017) for the operating support program was
announced and arts and culture organizations were notified of the funding competition
via, media releases, "notify me" notifications, social media and posting on the City's web
site. Staff also conducted two grant workshops 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 fifteen different Dubuque Arts and
Culture organizations, which would have been 16 due to the fact that the Dubuque
museum of art was in the middle of staffing changes. The maximum funding levels
initially established for the program are 6% of an organization's previous year's
operating expenses or $50,000, whichever is less.
However, total funding available in the FY 2017 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." This year the cap has
dropped even further to $35,000. The past two years, there has been an increased
challenge due to the number of eligible applicants.
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)
2. Organization's demonstrated management abilities (financial position or
condition, fiscal responsibility, and management.) (25 points)
3. Organization's demonstrated artistic or cultural excellence and leadership (20
points)
4. Impact of organization on broader Dubuque Community (15 points)
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:
The organizations were tiered according to the ranking of their score and each tier
contains 3 organizations.
1 st tier received 7% of operating budget
2nd tier received 6.5% of operating budget
3rd tier received 6% of operating budget
4th tier received 5% of operating budget
5th tier received 4.2% of operating budget
Recommended funding levels in ranked order are:
Organization Funding
Dubuque Symphony Orchestra $35,000.00
Northeast Iowa School of Music $16,329.02
Dubuque County Historical Society $35,000.00
Bell Tower Productions $20,537.37
Dubuque Arboretum Association $19,580.01
Grand Opera House $27,169.69
Fly-By-Night Productions $763.52
Dubuque Arts Council $4534.06
Colts Drum & Bugle Corps $35,000.00
Rising Star Theatre Company $2819.56
Matter $10,011 .55
Dubuque County Fine Arts $2,383.34
Dubuque Barbershop Harmony Society $871 .88
Total $210,000.07
The commission was regrettably unable to provide funding to the Downtown Dubuque
Cultural Corridor and The Dubuque Chorale due to inconclusive application materials
that made it impossible to determine the operating costs for their cultural endeavors.
Recommendation/Action
The Council is requested to approve the thirteen eligible FY 2017 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,
Gina Siegert, Secretary
Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission
Cc: Grant Applicants