City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 2, 2016
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER
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Consideration of a Fiscal Year 2017 Grant Application to the Virginia Commission for the Arts for a Local Government Challenge Grant for the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities.
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ISSUE: Consideration of a Fiscal Year 2017 grant application to the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) for funding in the amount of $5,000 for the Local Government Challenge Grant Program. The grant application deadline is April 1, 2016.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council authorizes the City Manager to:
(1) Submit a grant application in the amount of $5,000 to the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ Local Government Challenge Grant Program; and
(2) Execute all necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: For Fiscal Year 2017, the City is seeking $5,000, the current maximum permitted in the VCA’s Local Government Challenge Grant category. Through the Local Government Challenge Grant Program, the VCA will match funds up to $5,000 to local arts organizations who are awarded an arts grant from the City of Alexandria in FY17. Independent town, city, and county governments are eligible to apply for funding in this category.
The City has received the maximum funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts’ Local Government Challenge Grant Program each year for 36 years.
The Alexandria Commission for the Arts (ACA) advises the Office of the Arts staff on funding appropriations to grant applicants and fully endorses the application submission.
DISCUSSION: The City of Alexandria's Office of the Arts administers the City's Art Grant program and works in partnership with the Alexandria Commission for the Arts to invite grant applications from organizations and individuals for arts programs in Alexandria. Grants are awarded through a competitive evaluation process and are approved based on available funding.
The goals of the City’s grant program are to strengthen Alexandria's creative capacity by providing its residents with diverse opportunities to meaningfully engage with the arts; improve the capacity and stability of Alexandria-based arts organizations to create, perform, and present works of artistic excellence and innovation through organizational support and program funding; and to create a vibrant urban environment by supporting diverse individual artists, organizations, and other entities in the creation, performance, and presentation of high-quality works of art across the City of Alexandria.
Each year approximately 25 to 30 local arts organizations and artists are awarded grants through the City of Alexandria’s Arts Grant program.
Funding distribution of the VCA grant award will be to any nonprofit arts organizations who receive a City of Alexandria Arts Grant. If the full VCA award of $5,000 is granted to the City, the appropriation to the organizations will be determined by the grant application scores.
Although the distribution may result in small awards to the arts organizations, the impact can be much greater. With the VCA grant, arts groups can promote that they are a recipient of funds from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and its funder, the National Endowment for the Arts, which can often help arts organizations leverage additional donations.
FISCAL IMPACT: The Virginia Commission for the Arts provides up to $5,000. The City has identified the required matching funds in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Fiscal Year 2017 proposed operating budget.
In addition, the City is also responsible for normal administrative costs associated with this grant. These costs include financial and reporting oversight provided by the administering agency (the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities) as well as the Office of Management and Budget and the Finance Department.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
James Spengler, Director, Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (RPCA)
Diane Ruggiero, Deputy Director, RPCA/Office of the Arts
Cheryl Anne Colton, Regional Program Director, RPCA/Office of the Arts