To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Michelle Halstead, Director, Commissioners’ Office
Prepared By:
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Keke Kosse, Management Analyst I, Commissioners’ Office
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presenter
Presenter: Keke Kosse, Management Analyst I, Commissioners’ Office,
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Subject:
title
1:00 PM Arapahoe Cultural Council 2024/2025 SCFD Tier III Recommendations
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The purpose of this study session is to present the Arapahoe County Cultural Council Tier III funding recommendations for 2024/2025 for Board consideration. Pending discussion, formal adoption of these recommendations is scheduled for the July 23, 2024, business meeting.
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Background and Discussion: The Scientific Cultural and Facilities District (SCFD) is a seven-county tax district created within Colorado law, approved by Colorado’s General Assembly and renewed by voters multiple times over more than 30 years. SCFD distributes funds from a 1/10 of 1% sales and use tax to qualified cultural organizations throughout the Denver metro area in three ways: First, the largest cultural organizations receive specific amounts determined by a funding formula set out in state statute. Regional organizations like the City of Aurora Cultural Services Division and Wings Over the Rockies, qualify for a second formula of funding by reaching certain budget and attendance thresholds. Finally, counties that participate in the SCFD each receive a share of the tax collected and make decisions about how the tax is spent through County Cultural Councils, which is known as the Tier III funding process.
The Arapahoe County Cultural Council (ACCC) is appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to solicit and screen applications from eligible non-profit and/or governmental entities for Arapahoe County's portion of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District sales tax, consistent with SCFD’s established grant process and timeline. The ACCC makes funding recommendations to the BOCC for approval and ratification by the SCFD Board of Directors. Over the last five years, more than $11 million of Tier III funding has supported over 500 local art, cultural, scientific, and historical organizations that benefit Arapahoe County residents.
For 2024/2025 grant cycle, Arapahoe County’s share of the SCFD tax revenue is $2,678.644.40, a 7% decrease from last year. The decreased amount is due to a reduced rollover amount from previous years and a decrease in returned funds. Tier III funding can be used to support general operating costs for applicants as well as specific projects. The SCFD issued a competitive grant call for applications earlier this year with the deadline of March 6, 2024, for multiple county funding requests and March 13, 2024, for single county funding requests.
The ACCC met on a weekly basis from March 7 through May 16, 2024, to review and evaluate 95 grant submittals, using the cultural council’s established criteria (see attached for reference). This year, the Cultural Council is recommending allocating funding all submittals, which include 33 general operating support (GOS) requests and 61 project requests. Please refer to the attachment for a summary of the ACCC’s recommendation.
Fiscal Impact: $2,678,644.40 of SCFD Tier III funding would be allocated.
Alternatives: The Board could choose not to approve the recommendations as presented.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☐Be fiscally sustainable
☒Provide essential and mandated service
☒Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: Approve recommendation as presented.
Concurrence: N/A