Agenda Item: 8
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: January 23, 2024
SUBJECT: 2024 COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ARTS GRANTS
DEPARTMENT: Recreation and Community Services
PRESENTER: Noely Serrato
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Approve the 2024 Community Services and Arts Grants Committee’s program funding recommendations in an amount not to exceed $99,545 for Community Services Grants and $99,500 for Arts Grants, for a total not to exceed $199,045.
2. Direct staff to execute Grants Program Agreements with the agencies approved for funding.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita has provided funds for nonprofit organizations through the Community Services and Arts Grants program for approximately 34 years. Each year, a Grants Committee (Committee) is assembled to determine funding categories, review and rate applications, and make funding recommendations for community service and arts projects throughout Santa Clarita.
This year’s Committee included Mayor Cameron Smyth; Councilmember Laurene Weste; Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Commission Chair Skye Ostrom; Arts Commission Chair April Scott-Goss; and three staff members from across the City Manager’s Office, Human Resources and Library Services, and Neighborhood Services departments. The Committee, with the exception of Arts Commission Chair April Scott-Goss, is responsible for reviewing and rating the Community Services grants.
All grants under the Arts categories were reviewed and rated by a separate Peer Review Rating Panel, which included the following members:
1. April Scott-Goss - Arts Commission Chair
2. Brenda Slaughter Reynolds - Regional Arts Advocate, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
3. Marc Winger - Local Arts Educator, Retired Educator, Newhall Union School District
4. Abigail Salling - Local Arts Advocate, California Institute of the Arts
The Committee continues to be responsible for determining the funding categories and making funding recommendations based on aggregate scores for each of the individual grant applications. This year, the Committee selected “City of Santa Clarita Community Benefit” for Community Services grants and “Supporting the Arts in the City of Santa Clarita” for Arts grants as the focus areas.
The maximum funding limit for each category was broken down as follows:
1. Community Services Grants $5,000
2. Community Arts Grants $5,000
3. Arts Organization Capacity Grants $5,000
4. Santa Clarita Presents Grants $7,500
With the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget, the City Council approved a budget for the Community Services and Arts Grants program of $200,000. The allocated amount for each area of the grant program is $100,000 for Community Services grants and $100,000 for Community Arts, Arts Organization Capacity, and Santa Clarita Presents grants.
Community Services Grants - Twenty-eight Community Services Grants applications were received, with requests totaling $137,545. This year’s grant program includes a recommendation from the Committee to fund 20 of the applicants with a total grant allocation of $99,545.
Arts Grants - Thirty-five Arts Grants applications were received across all three Arts categories, with grant requests totaling $180,000. The Committee is recommending that funding be awarded to 18 of the applications, totaling $99,500.
Attachments A1 and A2 list the agencies and their respective programs or projects recommended for funding. Attachment B lists the agencies and their respective programs not recommended for funding.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds in the amount of $200,000 are available in the Recreation and Community Services Grants expenditure account 1005000-517101 (General Fund).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A1 - CS Recommended Funding - 2024
Attachment A2 - Arts Recommended Funding - 2024
Attachment B - Not Recommended for Funding - 2024