Title
Approval of the Cultural Access Advisory Board’s Recommendation to Adjust the Inspire Olympia Funding Strategy
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Move to approve the recommendation of the Cultural Access Advisory Board to adjust the Inspire Olympia funding strategy.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the Cultural Access Advisory Board’s recommendation to adjust the Inspire Olympia Funding Strategy and forward to the City Council for consideration.
Report Issue:
Whether to approve the Cultural Access Advisory Board’s recommendation to adjust the Inspire Olympia Funding Strategy and forward to the City Council for consideration.
Staff Contact:
Marygrace Goddu, Cultural Access Program Manager, Community Planning & Economic Development, 360.480.0923
Presenter(s):
Marygrace Goddu, Cultural Access Program Manager
Background and Analysis:
Inspire Olympia offers competitive one-year “Impact” grants and two-year “Comprehensive” grants to local organizations whose primary purpose is to advance or preserve arts, heritage, culture and sciences, and who offer public programming. Grant application guidelines are updated and published in early November, in advance of each funding cycle.
The Olympia City Council approves the Inspire Olympia budget every year and has final approval on all Inspire Olympia grant award amounts each Spring. The Cultural Access Advisory Board (CAAB) advises the City Council on the processes, procedures, and criteria for carrying out the goals of the Cultural Access Program and makes grant award recommendations.
The CAAB met on July 10 to review the program’s current granting framework and consider funding adjustments in advance of the 2026 funding year, which will launch the second round of two-year Comprehensive Grants and the third round of one-year Impact Grants.
Based on a review of the program performance and community impacts to date, the Board recommends maintaining the current granting framework with the two funding pathways. However, they are recommending adjustments to the grant funding strategy and spending targets for future funding cycles through 2029 to better utilize available funds and increase community impact:
• Target total spending on grants in upcoming granting cycles to approximately equal the cultural access tax revenue income each year (~$3m).
• Over the next four to five years, gradually spend down the current funding reserve from 2023 and 2024 to 20% of Inspire Olympia’s contract obligations as recommended by the City’s Finance Department, or approximately $500-600k.
• Increase the maximum amount that organizations can request in both Comprehensive and Impact Grant categories, assuming revenue from the cultural access tax remains consistent.
Increased grant amounts will result in a broader array of funding awards than in the initial two cycles, and more impactful grant amounts. The total spending on grants each year will be managed to stay within the year’s program budget as grant amounts are considered each spring. This change may result in larger grants to fewer organizations, however that effect will be offset by the overall increase in the proportion of funding available for grants with the spend-down of the previous year’s reserve.
In addition to these changes to the funding strategy, the CAAB recommends adding a new requirement for Comprehensive Grant applicants to provide youth programming. This change raises the standard for these larger organizations and supports Inspire Olympia’s high priority goal to increase cultural access for youth. Only one existing program in this category does not currently provide youth programs, so the initial adjustment to meet this new requirement will be very modest.
Climate Analysis:
There is no climate impact of these recommendations.
Equity Analysis:
The increased funding levels directly support Inspire Olympia program goals for strengthening cultural organizations and promoting more equitable access to cultural experiences.
Because of the way that funding amounts are offered in each granting category, the opportunity for higher Inspire Olympia grants awards will be greatest for mid-sized organizations, who also stand to gain the most from the increase. Many of these organizations are all-volunteer and stretched thin, but popular and poised to grow. Increased financial stability can be a game-changer, allowing them to hire staff, pay artists, or contract for services, for example. These mid-sized organizations often provide targeted and direct services for minority and marginalized groups.
The amount of increased funding any given organization may receive under the new award levels is still entirely dependent on the quality of their application. Inspire Olympia’s two funding pathways group like-sized organizations together and tailor the evaluation criteria for each set of applicants, to level the competition and promote equity.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
High community interest in this program follows the overwhelming voter support for the Cultural Access Initiative in 2022. While final reports from the first Inspire Olympia funding cycle are not yet complete, there are numerous examples of strengthened and expanded services for the public that were not previously possible.
While many cultural services and activities are concentrated in Olympia’s downtown, the program encourages organizations to offer events and services in other parts of the community, utilizing city parks, public spaces, and venues outside the downtown core to reach more deeply into Olympia neighborhoods.
Financial Impact:
The Cultural Access Fund receives one-tenth of 1% of Olympia’s sales tax, projected at $3.1m in 2025. These funds are to be allocated for program administration (at 10%), transportation (not to exceed 10%), and for cultural organizations (at a minimum of 80%). The recommendations above ensure that Inspire Olympia’s spending on cultural organizations exceeds that 80% target allocation.
Options:
1. Move to approve the Cultural Access Advisory Board’s recommendation to adjust the Inspire Olympia Funding Strategy and forward to the City Council for consideration.
2. Move to approve adjustments to the Inspire Olympia Funding Strategy based on direction provided by the Committee and forward to the City Council for consideration.
3. Do not approve the recommendation.
Attachments:
Amended Granting Levels