From: Mary Lee
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Faith based film festival
Date: June 22, 2026 2:52:35 PM
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To whom it may concern
Please approve the grant for faith based film festival for Erin Miracle. She is a very trustworthy person, and this project is interesting to all faith based community and will draw the community together and create buzz in film making industry!
God bless you
Tatsumi Chikagami
Sent from my iPhone
From: Kim Thompson
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Funding - Miracle Makers IFF
Date: June 22, 2026 3:37:46 PM
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RE: Miracle Makers IFF
I understand Miracle Makers International Film Festival is seeking a grant and/or sponsorship from the City of Newport Beach. I’m writing to express my support of this festival as I believe it will have economic benefits for Newport Beach with increased tourism, hotel stays, restaurants and local spending.
Additionally, bringing filmmakers to the area could also provide economic benefits through increased visibility of Newport Beach should filmmakers wish to shoot in the city.
Please consider providing financial support of this festival.
Thank you,
Kim
Kim Thompson
Gem Event Productions
Luxury Event Design & Production
+1949-933-5313
GemEventProductions.com
[email protected]
Follow us on IG: @gemeventproductions
From: Sharon
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Miracle Makers Film Festival endorsement.
Date: June 22, 2026 3:41:53 PM
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City Clerk office et al, I am writing in support of Miracle Makers International Film Festival , an organization committed to integrity and opportunity for filmmakers and audiences.
As an industry professional for over forty years, I can personally attest to the trustworthiness of the founders and leadership as well as the quality of films and participants.
While you reconsider the request for civic support, a key to the success of MMIF, please recognize that this is a unique festival with unique benefits to Newport area tourism, economy and positive impact on your community.
Take a look at their robust and inviting social media campaign, and the Festival’s range of themes and representation. This family and faith based focus appeals to a growing and grateful culture.
With the City’s partnership, Miracle Makers International Film Festival will draw new visitors to their planned events including screenings, panels and gatherings well marketed to audiences, industry professionals and entertainment press.
My work with Women in Film, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation as well as live performance across the country, convinces me that people want to gather for shared experiences and this community MMIFF is creating is worthy of a welcome in Newport Beach.
Best regards,
Sharon Lawrence
Sharon Lawrence
IG -sharonelawrence
@sagaftrafound VP
@HealtheBay BoD
Board of Dir @IAMA Theater Company
JOE PICKETT on @Paramount+
Sent from my clumsy thumbs.
From: Brett Sturgill
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Miracle Makers Film Festival
Date: June 22, 2026 3:21:23 PM
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Council Members,
My name is Brett Sturgill, and I serve as a pastor at The Cause Church in Brea. I am writing to express my full support for Erin Miracle and the Miracle Makers Film Festival as she appears before you this week.
I have known Erin for several years, and in that time, I have witnessed her integrity, her creativity, and her remarkable ability to bring people together. She is a whirlwind of activity in the best sense of the word—driven, visionary, and deeply committed to building something that serves families, artists, and the broader community. Her dream is to see the Miracle Makers Film Festival become the premier showcase for family‑friendly, values‑driven creative work.
Newport Beach is already home to a respected film festival, and Erin’s vision is not to compete with it, but to complement it. The two festivals can strengthen one another, broaden the city’s cultural footprint, and draw new visitors, creators, and families into Newport Beach.
This represents not only an artistic opportunity, but an economic one—bringing additional tourism, hotel stays, restaurant traffic, and positive visibility to the city.
I respectfully ask the Council to consider supporting Erin and the Miracle Makers Film Festival in any way possible—whether through partnership, logistical support, visibility, or simply by opening the door for continued conversation. Erin is the kind of leader who follows through, builds well, and elevates the communities she serves. Newport Beach would benefit from hosting her festival and the values it represents.
Thank you for your time and for your service to the city.
Regards,
Brett Sturgill
The Cause Church
950 Beacon Street, Brea, CA 92821
tel: 714-255-0930 ext 107 / fax: 714-255-0931
www.thecause.cc
From: Dr. Kevin Downing
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: re: Miracle Makers International Film Festival Date: June 22, 2026 1:18:50 PM
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City Council –
This Festival sounds like a great idea.
I’d like to see you all make it a reality.
Thanks so much!
Kevin Downing
Dr. Kevin Downing, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Director ~ Co-Founder
1370 N. Brea Blvd.,Ste 245, Fullerton, CA 92835
(800) 998-6329 general office
(714) 451-0789 direct
Turning Point Counseling
Tender Help for Tough Problems
1370 N. Brea Blvd., Ste. 245 ♦ Fullerton ♦ CA 92835
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From: Desiree Larson
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Re: Miracle Maker’s Film Festival
Date: June 22, 2026 3:31:59 PM
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Good afternoon, I wanted to share my excitement for the upcoming film festival with Erin Miracle! Ive known her for the past couple of years and Ive seen her work tirelessly with different church events at our church, as well as personally come alongside my young adult daughter, to encourage her in the arts and her passion for dancing for the Lord! Erin has determination, drive and desire to see wholesome movies & positive artistic films be brought to the general public who are in need of positive and uplifting content. This will boost income for your city in a positive way as we are praying God’s light shines through all she does!
This event will make a huge & encouraging impact on your city, neighboring cities and the lives that will be touched through this film festival!
Thank you in advance for choosing to allow Miracle Maker’s Film Festival happen in your city! I believe you will be blessed for having it!!
Thank you,
Desiree Larson
Sent from my iPhone
From: Nick Laborde
To: City Clerk"s Office
Cc: City Clerk"s Office; Al-Imam, Jason; [email protected] Subject: Reconsideration Request and Procedural Flaw Correction: Miracle Makers Film Festival – FY 2026–27 Funding Date: June 19, 2026 10:38:10 AM
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Members of the City Council,
Thank you very much for your time, leadership, and ongoing consideration of municipal event support for this fiscal year. We greatly appreciate the city's commitment to expanding cultural and economic investments in the community. As the upcoming June 23rd meeting approaches, the organizers wanted to kindly bring forward a critical procedural issue and an administrative discrepancy regarding how the Miracle Makers International Film Festival application was evaluated in the recent staff report.
The original application was submitted in strict compliance with the Signature Event Grants framework under Council Policy A-12. However, the agenda packet for the upcoming meeting reveals that the city has restructured its program—introducing a brand-new Council Policy B-12 (Strategic Sponsorships) for the very first time and evaluating the festival under these newly minted rules.
Miracle Makers was officially deemed a verified, qualified event in the May 14th Finance Committee meeting under the guidelines in place at that time. Denying the festival now based on a B-12 policy that was never made available to the public during the application process creates an unintended retroactive barrier. This letter seeks to clarify how the festival can immediately satisfy either framework under its native business structure to match the city's preferences.
1. Correcting the Record on the Detailed Budget Submission The staff report states that Miracle Makers is not recommended due to a failure to meet "historical budget documentation requirements." This standard mischaracterizes the original submission:
The rigid requirement for multi-year historical financial records belongs exclusively to the legacy qualification criteria under Council Policy A-12.
The text of the newly released Council Policy B-12, Section F (Financial Viability) explicitly protects newly arriving or migrating programs by stating that prior-year financial documentation must be provided "where available." A Complete Financial Roadmap Was Provided: As detailed in the original submission, the festival provided a highly detailed, comprehensive operational budget outlining clear, diversified revenue streams and projected event expenses.
The underlying business model is structurally sound and thoroughly planned. Staff has mistakenly penalized the application using old grant rules while entirely overlooking the strong line-item budget documentation present in the original submission that fully demonstrates independent viability.
2. Flexible Pathways to Match the City's Structural Preference The festival originally utilized the Givsum Foundation as a fiscal sponsor because the original Policy A-12 application rules mandated a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit structure. The fiscal sponsor was included strictly for non-profit compliance purposes.
Now that the city has unveiled Policy B-12—which treats funding as a commercial public-private marketing partnership rather than a charitable grant—non-profit status is no longer a requirement. Because Miracle Makers is an established, standalone sole proprietorship, there is no operational need to submit with a fiscal sponsor. If given a fair evaluation, the festival can proceed in either of the two following pathways:
Pathway A – Standalone Sole Proprietorship (Policy B-12 Compliance): If the city prefers a direct public-private partnership under the new Strategic Sponsorship tier, Miracle Makers is fully prepared to submit as a standalone sole proprietorship. This structure is fully established and perfectly satisfies Section B of the new Policy B-12, which explicitly permits standalone, event-specific commercial entities to sign sponsorship contracts without non-profit tax status.
Pathway B – Non-Profit Seed Grant (Policy A-12 Compliance): If the city prefers a non- profit framework, the festival can retain the 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor and be funded under Policy A-12 as a Direct Monetary Grant for "Seed Funding for New Community Programs." Policy A-12 explicitly grants the Council legislative discretion to approve seed grants to incubate new community assets, using the fiscal sponsor's verified financial history to satisfy tracking rules.
3. The Proven Economic Benefit to Newport Beach & Expanding Partnerships
This Council already understands the immense economic engine that cinema brings to the city. The long-standing success of the Newport Beach Film Festival has proven that film enthusiasts are premium consumers who fill hotel rooms, dine at high-end local restaurants, and drive massive sales tax revenue. Film is a tested, high-yield asset class for Newport Beach destination marketing.
The Miracle Makers International Film Festival expands upon this proven economic footprint. By activating Regal Edwards Big Newport—one of the city’s premier cultural landmarks—across dozens of innovative media categories this September, the event will capture a fresh, multi-generational tourism demographic.
Furthermore, the commercial viability of this program continues to accelerate. Every day, new corporate partnerships and sponsorship opportunities are actively arising, with large media and technology companies like MovieNight and Thinkq Media currently engaging with the festival. The thorough budget model ensures maximum economic activity, turning this event into a high-density promotion for the city.
Investing in the festival is an expansion of a cultural portfolio that Newport Beach already knows how to monetize successfully.
Conclusion & Request
Because Miracle Makers was officially verified as a qualified event at the May 14th meeting, and because the city is passing a major budget amendment to inject an additional $165,000 into event funding, the financial capacity to support this program is fully established.
Therefore, a revised staff recommendation to fund the Miracle Makers International Film Festival is formally requested prior to the June 23rd vote. Denying the only qualified new applicant based on a retroactive policy switch creates an arbitrary barrier to cultural innovation.
Please advise which organizational structure (Standalone Sole Proprietorship or Fiscal Sponsor Non-Profit) the city prefers so the festival can immediately submit any necessary updated documentation to finalize this revised recommendation.
Thank you again for your time, leadership, and dedication to the cultural and economic growth of Newport Beach.
Sincerely,
Nick LaBorde
303-720-0422
From: Starkey, David
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Strong Support for Miracle Makers International Film Festival Funding – Please Revisit and Approve Date: June 22, 2026 1:48:29 PM
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Dear Newport Beach City Council Members,
I am writing to respectfully urge you to revisit your evaluation of the Miracle Makers International Film Festival and approve the requested grant and sponsorship support for the event coming to Newport Beach this September.
As a faith- and family-friendly film festival, Miracle Makers stands out for its positive, uplifting programming that brings together filmmakers, veterans, families, students, nonprofits, artists, and visitors. The festival features high-profile projects such as The Hill (starring Dennis Quaid), Finding Faith (starring Keith David), Helen: Believe (executive produced by Chris Pratt), and an upcoming Jimmy Stewart biographical film, along with many other inspirational and independent works. Confirmed partners and speakers include Sharon Lawrence, Nate Boyer (Merging Vets & Players), Karen Covell and the Hollywood Prayer Network, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Movieguide, Kids in the Spotlight, and others. This is far more than just screenings — it includes veterans programming, athlete leadership development, creator economy sessions, film financing education, family activities, and lasting community impact through nonprofit partnerships.
This event has clear potential to deliver meaningful economic benefits to Newport Beach through increased tourism, hotel stays, restaurant patronage, local business spending, sponsorships, and partnerships. Even modest city support can help leverage additional private funding and attract more filmmakers, guests, and visitors, amplifying the overall return on investment for our community.
I encourage the Council to consider that the festival appears to qualify under the City’s funding framework and deserves a fair, thorough review before a final decision.
Supporting quality, values-driven events like this strengthens Newport Beach’s reputation as a vibrant, family-oriented destination.
Thank you for your time and service to the community. I respectfully ask that you approve this funding opportunity on Tuesday, June 23.
Sincerely,
David Starkey, MBA
Wealth Management Advisor
CA License # 0H87731
LPL Financial
4 Upper Newport Plaza, Suite 103
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Office: 949.536.5820
Fax: 949.258.5656
[email protected]
www.dlswealth.com
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From: Erin Miracle
To: City Clerk"s Office
Subject: Thank You and Additional Context Regarding Miracle Makers International Film Festival Date: June 19, 2026 11:43:32 AM
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Dear Mayor Lauren Kleiman, Mayor Pro Tem Noah Blom, and Honorable Members of the Newport Beach City Council,
I understand that another email was recently sent by Nick Laborde on behalf of Miracle Makers International Film Festival outlining concerns regarding the evaluation process, including procedural questions and an apparent discrepancy between the staff recommendation and the applicable policies. I appreciate your willingness to consider those matters carefully.
However, I wanted to reach out personally, not to revisit the technical aspects of the application, but simply to express my gratitude, my growing appreciation for Newport Beach, and the genuine respect I have developed for each of you and the work you do. With the Council meeting approaching on June 23rd, I felt it was important to share a few thoughts from the heart.
First and foremost, thank you.
Over the past several months, I have spent countless hours learning about Newport Beach, watching Council meetings online, connecting with residents, business leaders, nonprofits, churches, and community members, and trying to better understand what makes this city so special.
What I have come away with is an enormous amount of respect for each of you and for the work you do. Newport Beach is exceptional for many reasons, but what has impacted me most has been the people. The care, pride, generosity, and genuine love that residents have for their city is evident everywhere. Every person I have met has been gracious, welcoming, authentic, and deeply invested in the wellbeing of their community.
I also want to acknowledge something important.
Miracle Makers International Film Festival is new to Newport Beach, and we are not entitled to funding, sponsorship, or support of any kind.
Regardless of the outcome, this process has been incredibly valuable to me personally. It has caused me to spend months learning about the city, civic processes, building relationships, and investing time and energy into understanding the community we hope to serve for many years to come.
While we originally chose Newport Beach because of its beauty, values, reputation, and family friendly environment, I have honestly been stunned by the warmth, kindness, and authenticity of the people I have met along the way. What began as a search for the right location for the festival has become a genuine appreciation for the city itself and the people who call it home.
One thing I hope the Council will consider is that much of what we have been building has happened quietly behind the scenes and is only now beginning to become public.
For several weeks, we were told it was unlikely we would be able to host the festival at Regal Edwards Big Newport. Because of that uncertainty, marketing efforts, sponsorship conversations, guest commitments, and public announcements were delayed while we worked to secure the venue.
Thankfully, what felt like a mountain moved.
We now have confirmation that the festival can move forward at Regal Edwards Big Newport as contracted, and we understand how beloved that theater is within the community.
In fact, there is a real possibility that Miracle Makers International Film Festival could be among the final major events hosted at the Regal. If that proves to be the case, it feels like an extraordinary opportunity to maximize tourism, hotel stays, local spending, and economic activity through one final large scale cultural event while the venue remains active. As someone who believes deeply in the power of storytelling and community, it would be incredibly meaningful to help celebrate the legacy of such a beloved venue while simultaneously bringing filmmakers, families, creators, industry professionals, and visitors into Newport Beach.
Now that the venue is confirmed, we are finally able to begin publicly sharing what has been developing for months behind the scenes.
What is visible publicly today represents only a portion of what has been developing behind the scenes over the past several months. As we begin announcing partnerships, films, speakers, and initiatives, the level of interest and participation continues to exceed our expectations.
Major sponsorship deals and partnerships with organizations ranging from Movie Night, THINQ Media, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Hollywood Prayer Network, Kids in the Spotlight, Mariners Church, Biola University, Kappa Studios, Angel Studios, Collide Media & Distribution, Entre.One, and numerous production companies filmmakers, producers, creators, nonprofits, and industry leaders have either committed, entered discussions, submitted projects, or become involved in festival programming.
Our intention is simple:
To bring as many visitors, filmmakers, speakers, athletes, veterans, creators, industry leaders, sponsors, and guests to Newport Beach as possible and then reinvest those resources directly back into Newport Beach.
Every sponsorship dollar we secure becomes additional hotel bookings, venue rentals, restaurant spending, transportation, local vendor contracts, marketing expenditures, and expanded programming.
The sooner support, sponsorships, and participation commitments can be secured, the sooner additional special guests, filmmakers, celebrities, athletes, veterans, creators, and industry leaders can finalize travel plans and hotel accommodations, allowing us to maximize the economic benefit generated for Newport Beach.
Some of the organizations, participants, and projects currently involved or in development include:
• Sharon Lawrence, SAG-AFTRA National Vice President
• Hollywood Prayer Network and Karen Covell
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes
• Merging Vets & Players (MVP) and Nate Boyer
• Movie Night
• THINQ Media
• Movieguide
• Entre.One and David Russek
• Kids in the Spotlight
• Mariners Church
• Biola University
• California Baptist University
• Vanguard University
• John Paul the Great Catholic University
• Liberty University
• Taylor University
• Life Pacific University
• Harvest Christian Fellowship
• Kappa Studios
• Collide Media & Distribution
• Frederick Peña and film financing programming
• Creator economy and new media programming featuring major digital creators and influencers
Featured and developing film programming includes:
• The Hill, directed by Jeff Celentano and starring Dennis Quaid • Helen: Believe, executive produced by Darren Moorman and Chris Pratt • Finding Faith, starring Keith David
• He Calls Me Daughter
• MVP
• A forthcoming World War II documentary project connected to Nate Boyer • The Jimmy Stewart biographical film project with director Aaron Burns • Additional films featuring recognizable actors, acclaimed filmmakers, producers, athletes, veterans, creators, and entertainment professionals
And honestly, this list only scratches the surface.
Even this list represents only a portion of the films, organizations, partnerships, speakers, creators, nonprofits, industry leaders, athletes, veterans, and opportunities currently connected to the festival. New relationships continue to develop, additional films continue to be submitted, and many significant announcements remain ahead.
What is visible publicly today represents only a portion of what is actually being built behind the scenes.
Regardless of the outcome of this request, Miracle Makers International Film Festival will take place in Newport Beach.
We simply believe that support at this stage would allow us to maximize the opportunity before us, increase visitor attendance, increase hotel stays, increase local spending, attract additional sponsors and participants, and create the greatest possible economic and community benefit for Newport Beach.
Thank you again for your service, your time, and your thoughtful consideration. We remain grateful for the opportunity to bring Miracle Makers International Film Festival to Newport Beach and hope to serve the city well for many years to come.
With gratitude and hope,
Erin
--
Erin Miracle
Founder & Festival Director
Miracle Makers International Film Festival
Film Producer/Writer/Director
818-235-6165
www.miraclemakersiff.com
“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” — C. S. Lewis