Title
Approval of the 2026 - 2027 Inspire Olympia Funding Recommendation
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a Committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to recommend approval of the Cultural Access Advisory Board (CAAB) funding recommendations and advance them to City Council for consideration.
Report Issue:
Whether to recommend approval of the CAAB funding recommendations and advance them to City Council for consideration.
Staff Contact:
Marygrace Goddu, Inspire Olympia Program Manager, Community Planning & Economic Development, 360.480.0923
Presenter(s):
Marygrace Goddu, Inspire Olympia Program Manager
Anne Larsen, Co-Chair, Cultural Access Advisory Board
Background and Analysis:
The Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program is funded through a one-tenth of one percent sales tax approved for the period of January 2023 through December 2029. Revenue generated through the program supports local nonprofit organizations whose missions focus on arts, heritage, science, and culture, and that provide public programming within Olympia. The program is intended to strengthen these organizations, expand community programming, and increase equitable access to cultural experiences throughout Olympia.
The Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Advisory Board (CAAB) advises the City Council on implementation of the program, reviews grant applications, and annually recommends funding allocations for individual organizations as well as Cultural Access programming in Olympia public schools.
To better align the application process with the varying size and capacity of applicant organizations, Inspire Olympia offers two grant pathways:
* Impact Grants provide one-year contracts ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 for small, emerging, and fiscally sponsored organizations.
* Comprehensive Grants provide up to $85,000 per year through two-year contracts for larger organizations with greater organizational capacity and additional application requirements.
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