Title
Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program Improvements and Updates Discussion
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Community Livability and Public Safety Committee recommended forwarding the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program improvements and updates to the full City Council for discussion at a Study Session
City Manager Recommendation:
Discuss the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program improvements and updates.
Report Issue:
Whether to discuss the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program improvements and updates.
Staff Contact:
Jennica Machado, Economic Development Director, Community Development Department, 360.753.8591
Presenter(s):
Jennica Machado, Economic Development Director, Community Development Department
Molly Wilmoth, Cultural Access in Public Schools Coordinator
Background and Analysis:
The Cultural Access Advisory Board (CAAB) is established in Municipal Code (OMC 2.100.700) 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.”
On June 16, 2026, City Council approved CAAB funding recommendations for the Inspire Olympia grant cycle beginning July 2026. During that discussion, the City Council requested additional information regarding the program's funding process and referred the topic to the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee (CLPS) for further consideration.
In July and August 2026, the CAAB held board retreats to consider Council feedback and identify potential improvements to the program's grant process. CAAB presented its initial recommendations to the CLPS Committee on August 26, 2026.
The CLPS Committee supported several of the CAAB recommendations and requested additional research and options on other elements of the program. Staff are bringing those recommendations and additional options to Council for discussion at the September 22, 2026, Study Session.
CAAB has also recommended establishing a competitive grant process for Cultural Access in Public Schools (CAPS). Options for implementing this recommendation are included in this briefing.
Part 1: Inspire Olympia Process Improvements
The proposed process improvements respond to feedback from City Council and the CLPS Committee and are organized into two areas.
Administrative Improvements
Proposed administrative improvements include:
• Adding information about Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) funding to the application process;
• Adding a question regarding applicants' plans if they receive less than their requested funding amount;
• Clarifying the program budget form; and
• Revising the annual grant timeline to provide additional time for City Council consideration of funding recommendations.
1. The timeline recommended by CAAB;
2. An adjusted timeline providing approximately eight weeks for Council consideration; and
3. An adjusted timeline providing two consecutive opportunities for Council consideration.
Policy Updates
Proposed policy updates include:
1. Grant review panel selection
• CAAB recommends revisions to the process for selecting community members to serve on grant review panels.
• Option for an improved panel selection process includes City Council approval of community volunteer panelists who would support CAAB in evaluating applications.
2. Eligibility for organizations located outside Olympia
CAAB and CLPS discussed potential changes to eligibility and funding priorities for organizations whose primary address is outside Olympia. Options include:
• Establishing a 10 percent cap on total grant funding awarded to organizations located outside Olympia;
• Limiting funding for organizations outside Olympia to those providing at least 75 percent of their services within Olympia city limits; or
• Prioritizing Olympia-based organizations for funding before considering organizations located outside the city.
Part 2: Cultural Access in Public Schools
State law requires a cultural access program to develop and provide a public-school cultural access program to increase access to cultural activities and programming for public school students (RCW 36.160.100 and .110).
As part of Inspire Olympia, City Council has annually approved funding for Cultural Access in Public Schools (CAPS). For the 2026-2027 program year, Council approved $155,000 for school-day and field-trip programs and $60,000 for transportation reimbursement for field-trip busing.
Under the current funding model, program funds are allocated among organizations providing field trips and in-school experiences. For the 2026-2027 cycle:
• Eleven organizations received $10,000 allocations for free field trips for Olympia School District (OSD) students; and
• Fifteen organizations received $450 allocations to support in-school experiences.
Organizations may invoice Inspire Olympia for their allocated amount following delivery of services.
CAAB recommends transitioning CAPS from the current allocation model to a competitive grant process. The goal is to strengthen the impact of available funding and support cultural access for public school students throughout the Olympia School District.
The following decision points are presented for Council discussion. Staff will provide information on the CAAB recommendations as well as options developed in response to CLPS Committee feedback.
1. CAPS Funding Approach
a. Competitive grant process with panel review (CAAB recommended)
b. Competitive grant process with OSD educator review (based on Council feedback)
2. CAPS Funding Amounts
a. Equal amounts for organizations offering programming for OSD
b. Set a funding range (CAAB recommends $2,000 to $50,000)
3. CAPS Location Eligibility
a. Use same location requirements as Impact and Comprehensive
b. Maintain current eligibility for organizations working with OSD
4. CAPS funding Priorities
a. CAAB recommends:
• Elementary Visual Arts
• In-School Programming
• STEM Teacher Professional Development
b. CLPS discussed:
• Elementary Visual Arts
• In-School Programming
Additional information regarding the considerations associated with these options is included in the attachments.
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, focus, and public engagement.
The CAPS program directly supports two Inspire Olympia funding priorities:
• Expand access to youth education programs in arts, culture, heritage, and science.
• Increase access to these programs and reduce barriers to participation, especially for historically underserved populations.
OSD teachers engaged through focus groups shared concerns about the inconsistency of experiences students receive across the district. Teachers rely on funding from Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) to pay for field trips or experiential opportunities. Some schools have less PTO support than others, which often means some students miss out on cultural experiences because of the school they attend. Organizations receiving funding through the CAPS program can better serve students in every school in OSD, regardless of the amounts raised by PTOs.
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
Inspire Olympia is intended to serve the entire Olympia community, so there is community wide interest in this topic.
The CAPS program is intended to reach all Olympia public school students with increased access to arts, culture, science, and heritage programs, with equitable access across the district’s schools. While providing financial assistance to support cultural programming for public schools, the CAPS program also works to build trust between funded cultural organizations and educators. With stronger relationships, organizations will be better able to provide cultural access to all students regardless of which neighborhood school they attend.
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. Discuss the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program improvements and updates.
2. Do not discuss the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program improvements and updates.
3. Hold the discussion at a later date.
Attachments:
CAPS Application Questions - DRAFT
CAPS Application Review Rubric - DRAFT
Inspire Olympia 2026 Teacher Focus Group Summary
Cultural Access in Public Schools Program Update Proposal