To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Michelle Halstead, Director, Commissioners' Office
Prepared By:
prepared
Daniela Villarreal, Management Analyst, Commissioners' Office
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presenter
Presenter: Daniela Villarreal, Management Analyst, Commissioners' Office
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Subject:
title
Arapahoe County Cultural Council's 2025-2026 Funding Recommendations for the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District Tier III Awards
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The Arapahoe County Cultural Council requests formal adoption of the recommended 2025/2026 Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) Tier III awards.
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Background and Discussion: The Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) is a seven-county tax district established in Colorado law, approved by the General Assembly, and repeatedly renewed by voters for over 30 years. SCFD distributes funds from a 0.1% (one-tenth of one percent) sales and use tax to eligible cultural organizations across the Denver metro area through three tiers:
* Tier I: The largest cultural institutions receive direct funding based on a formula defined in state statute.
* Tier II: Regional organizations, such as the City of Aurora Cultural Services Division and Wings Over the Rockies, qualify for funding by meeting specific budget and attendance thresholds.
* Tier III: Each participating county receives a portion of the tax revenue and allocates those funds to local organizations through its County Cultural Council.
The Arapahoe County Cultural Council 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, ultimately making recommendations to the BOCC for approval and ratification by the SCFD Board of Directors. Over the last five years, more than ...
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