Title
Cultural Access Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations and Program Planning Briefing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Cultural Access Ad Hoc Committee recommends receiving a briefing on their recommendations and program planning.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a briefing on the Cultural Access Ad Hoc Committee recommendations and program planning.
Report Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing on the Cultural Access Ad Hoc Committee recommendations and program planning.
Staff Contact:
Marygrace Goddu, Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program Manager, Community Planning & Development, 360.480.0923
Presenter(s):
Marygrace Goddu, Inspire Olympia Program Manager
Amelia Layton, Inspire Olympia Program Specialist
Mariella Luz, Ad Hoc Committee Member
Background and Analysis:
Recent Activity
With the Cultural Access Tax set to take effect on January 1, 2023, City Council endorsed and funded an “early start” plan in October 2022 to being planning for implementation of the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program, which was approved by voters in April 2022 and funded with a one-tenth of one percent increase in local sales and use tax.
The early start included funding for program staffing, initial consultant support, and the creation of an Ad Hoc Committee for Cultural Access composed of seven Olympia residents representing various disciplines, sectors of our community, diverse lived experiences, and experience with granting programs.
The Ad Hoc Committee was commissioned to:
• Develop recommendations for consideration by the future Cultural Access Program Advisory Board.
• Address technical elements of the new program framework in advance, developing a set of operational recommendations that will allow the permanent Advisory Board to begin work in 2023.
• Engage in strategic planning on program values and objectives, develop recommendations for fundamental program elements and offer strategies to tailor these program elements to Olympia’s cultural nonprofit organizations and the needs of the Olympia community.
Committee Recommendations
The Ad Hoc Committee began its work in November 2022 and adjourned their tenth and final meeting on March 21, 2023. A report documenting their process, discussions, and recommendations has been prepared for the incoming Advisory Board.
In summary, the Committee’s recommendations include:
§ Mission statement and high-priority program goals
§ Strategies for promoting equity in and through the program
§ Strategies for defining, achieving, and demonstrating “public benefit”
§ Recommended granting structure and timeline
§ Eligibility parameters
§ Recommendations on evaluation and review
§ Priorities for program communications
The Committee discussed options for distribution of grant funds in 2023 through various means, including an early granting cycle, a program “pilot,” or a stipend associated with early eligibility review. They agreed that any such effort would be rushed and possibly confusing for applicants; raising concerns about equity and building of community trust; and would distract from the work of preparing for the first full grant cycle in 2024.
Next Steps
Candidates for the permanent Cultural Access Advisory Board (CAAB) will be interviewed by the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee on April 19 and 20; their recommended members will go forward for approval by the City Council on May 9 and the C AAB will begin meeting in May. A workplan for the CAAB’s first six months will focus first on completing work to define the grant program guidelines and logistics. Beginning in September, fall and winter months of this year will be dedicated to public outreach and workshops to prepare the community for an application process that will launch in January 2024, and the first grant distributions to follow in July.
The implementation timeline through 2024 includes the following quarterly milestones:
2023
First Quarter
• Ad Hoc Committee Recommendations Report
Second Quarter
• CAAB Orientation
• 2024 Grant Process Development
• Program Branding
Third Quarter
• Finalize 2024 Grant Process
• Legal Review
• Community Livability and Public Safety Committee and City Council Review
Fourth Quarter
• Public Outreach
2024
First Quarter
• Application Process
Second Quarter
• Review and Award (with Council Approval)
• Contracts signed
Third Quarter
• July 1 - Programs Funded and Active
• Monitoring & Evaluation
Fourth Quarter
• Program Evaluation and Refinement
• Public Outreach for 2025 Funding Cycle
Climate Analysis:
At this point in the planning process, it is difficult to determine potential climate impacts because the grants program is not yet defined. Transportation of students to grant-funded programs will produce some greenhouse gas emissions. Further analysis will be conducted when program elements are defined.
Equity Analysis:
Equity is a prominent goal for program development and implementation. The committee reviewed local data and demographic information to inform strategies to embrace a commitment to equity in and through the program. Resources included Thurston Regional Planning Council’s 2022 demographic profile for Olympia, US Census data, and Olympia School district data.
Additionally, the committee reviewed the results of recent surveys and city outreach work including: 2021 Arts, Sciences, Culture and Heritage Community Survey, 2022 Creative District Survey, community input from Olympia Strong and the ArCH Study.
The Committee’s Recommendations Report includes a section dedicated to “Strategies for Promoting Equity” which discusses ways the program can work to set and achieve equity goals.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
The Committee developed and conducted their own survey to focus in on the activities and interests of local cultural organizations in January-February this year. The results are summarized in the Recommendations Report. The survey questions and data trends are available in the report appendix, found on the city’s Cultural Access webpage.
Financial Impact:
There is no financial impact associated with this briefing.
Options:
1. Receive the briefing.
2. Do not receive the briefing.
3. Receive the briefing at another time.
Attachments:
Recommendations Report