Title
Approval of Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program Improvements and Updates
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Cultural Access Advisory Board (CAAB) recommends program improvements and updates to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve the recommended program improvements and updates to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program.
Report Issue:
Whether to approve the recommended program improvements and updates to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program.
Staff Contact:
Marygrace Goddu, Inspire Olympia Program Manager, Community Development Department, 360.480.0923
Presenter(s):
Marygrace Goddu, Inspire Olympia Program Manager
Amelia Layton, Inspire Olympia Senior Program Specialist
Molly Wilmoth, Cultural Access in Public Schools Coordinator
Background and Analysis:
Olympia Municipal Code 2.100.700 establishes the Cultural Access Advisory Board to “Advise the City Council concerning the formulation of processes, procedures, and criteria for carrying out the goals of the Cultural Access Program,” “To review and recommend funding guidelines for cultural access programming consistent with state law” and “To review and recommend funding levels for grant applicants.”
In accordance with the Code, the CAAB developed Inspire Olympia’s Mission, Funding Goals, and Evaluation Criteria, which together describes the values and desired public benefit outcomes for cultural access in Olympia. These constitute the “processes, procedures, and criteria” and “funding guidelines consistent with state law” that the Advisory Board was established to develop.
The City Council approved the CAAB’s recommended mission, funding goals, and criteria in 2023, and they have been published in the program guidelines for applicants each November since then. The program’s implementation timeline, as presented in 2023, called for the City Council to revisit the mission and funding goals at least every other year.
In August 2025, the City Council revisited the Inspire Olympia Mission and Funding Goals along with a recommendation from the CAAB to increase granting levels. The CAAB did not recommend any updates to the Mission or Funding Goals, and the City Council made no changes.
Across the three grant award cycles completed to date, the City has received a total of 181 Inspire Olympia applications and awarded 161 grant contracts, with 85 contracts active in the current funding year. The grant process takes just over five months. The application window opens in early January, CLPS Committee reviews the recommended awards in late May, and City Council approves the grant awards in early June.
During the May 27, 2026 Community Livability and Public Safety Committee meeting, questions were raised about aspects of the grant review process while discussing CAAB’s recommended funding levels for grant applicants. The City Council discussion that followed on June 16, 2026, provided additional feedback for CAAB consideration.
The CAAB has developed a set of program improvements and updates recommended for implementation in advance of the 2027-2028 application cycle. These recommendations are guided by City Council feedback and include additional planned program updates.
The CAAB recommendations are categorized as administrative changes and policy- level changes.
The administrative changes are intended to:
Improve clarity in the grant application, and refine the program in response to Council feedback by:
• Identifying organizations receiving both Lodging Tax and Inspire Olympia funding; and
• Increasing the time and information available in advance of the City Council’s annual review and approval of individual grant awards.
Policy recommendations from the CAAB include:
• A set of actions to formalize the process for recruiting and selecting community representatives to serve on application review panels each spring.
• A recommendation regarding the program’s location-based eligibility requirements.
• A significant program update for Cultural Access in Public Schools (CAPS). These recommendations would stand up a new competitive grant process with key program elements including:
o Annually updating CAPS-specific funding goals
o A separate CAPS application and scoring rubric,
o An additional review panel with reviewers who possess relevant professional experience, and
o Annual competitive awards ranging in size from $2,000 to $50,000.
Climate Analysis:
This discussion and its outcome have no climate impact.
Equity Analysis:
Equity is at the center of Inspire Olympia’s mission of increasing access to cultural experiences. Equity is advanced both through the work of organizations receiving Inspire Olympia grants and through the grant-making process itself. Equity has been a strong consideration in the CAAB’s continuous improvement discussions and the resulting recommendations, which further equity by improving program clarity, visibility, and public engagement.
The introduction of a competitive granting pathway for Cultural Access in Public Schools is a key strategy to increase equitable access to cultural experiences. By offering cultural programming through the public school system all students reap the considerable benefits of cultural programs regardless of socioeconomic class, race/ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, language, language styles, family educational experience, disability or other challenges.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
There is community wide interest in this topic.
Financial Impact:
Inspire Olympia is supported by the Cultural Access Fund, derived from one-tenth of one percent of the Olympia sales tax dedicated for this purpose. This discussion does not impact the current year program budget or distribution of funding within that budget.
Options:
1. Move to approve the recommended program improvements and updates to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program and advance them to City Council for consideration.
2. Move to recommend, with modifications, the recommended program improvements and updates to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program and advance them to City Council for consideration.
3. Do not approve the recommendation.
Attachments:
Summary of CAAB recommendations
CAPS Draft Application
CAPS Draft Evaluation Rubric