Discussion and possible action to approve the Fiscal Year 2022 Art Grant requests in the amount of $75,000, as recommended by the Arts Commission, in accordance with budget authority previously approved by Council.

Since 1991, the Arts Division has proposed and managed the Arts Grant Program. Similar to last year, the base budget of $25,200 has been augmented by a one-time supplemental in FY 2022, of $49,800 for a total of $75,000 available for arts grant awards. By design of the program, several non-profit organizations and Peoria-based small businesses are afforded support in delivering exceptional programs and services to Peoria residents in the areas of visual and performing arts.

The goal of the program is to assist non-profit organizations, schools, and Peoria small businesses with financial support enhancing art-centric events and activities benefitting Peoria residents.

This year’s requests, like previous years, are beneficial in several areas such as:

• providing organizations capacity to participate in city-sponsored events

• enhancing arts programs at Peoria Unified School District schools

• bringing the arts and arts activities to underserved populations

• assisting arts organizations with building a significant presence in Peoria   

   

Single grant awards for FY 2022 range from $2,000 to $5,000. A list of the requests, recommended recipients with recommended funding level, and the program description of the grant request are included. In FY 2022, 20 applications are recommended for funding out of 30 applications received. The requests for FY 2022 totaled $144,338, of the $75,000 available.

Several criteria must be met as part of the minimum qualifications for each grant application. The recipient must be a tax exempt 501(c) 3 not-for-profit individual or organization or a Peoria small business with a Peoria business license; applicant schools must be located within Peoria or have a portion of enrollment area within Peoria; grants for festivals must be held in the city of Peoria; the individual or organization must operate in Peoria or serve residents of Peoria; and each applicant awarded a grant must fulfill all contractual requirements, such as providing a final grant report. 

A detailed process is used to review, rank, and recommend each application. All grant applications were reviewed by a mixed panel consisting of an Arts Commission member, Peoria citizens, and city staff outside of the Arts Division. The grants were assessed in five categories: 1) Applicant History, 2) the Grant Request, 3) Project/Organizational Quality, 4) Project/Organizational Capability, 5) Project Budget. Each application is scored individually by panel members and ranked based on total score. Staff compiles the funding requests in various amounts and presents to the full Arts Commission for advisory action.

On June 22, 2021, the Peoria Arts Commission held its public meeting conducting further evaluation of the applications, discussing the values of the proposals and unanimously approving the below recommendations for Mayor and Council information.   

Summary information of the grant awards for FY 2022 follows:

There has been no previous action on this request.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the art grant requests as approved by the Arts Commission.

This request is available in the current budget through a $25,200 base budget and an approved FY 2022 budget supplemental of $49,800.