Title
Approval of a Resolution Authorizing Policy Changes to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Community Livability and Public Safety (CLPS) Committee discussed changes to the Olympia Cultural Access Program and referred the changes to a City Council Study Session for further discussion.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to approve a resolution authorizing policy changes to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program.
Report Issue:
Whether to approve a resolution authorizing policy changes to the Inspire Olympia Cultural Access Program.
Staff Contact:
Marygrace Goddu, Program Manager, Community Development Department, 360.480.0923
Presenter(s):
None - Consent Calendar item.
Background and Analysis:
The Inspire Olympia program serves to promote cultural access for Olympia community members and youth through free and discounted access to arts, science, cultural, and heritage programs and to expand services to Olympia’s underserved and low-income populations. This is achieved by providing funding to strengthen and support local cultural nonprofit organizations that provide public programming. Funding is distributed annually through a competitive grant process.
The Cultural Access Advisory Board (CAAB) was established by City Council to act in an advisory capacity to guide, recommend, oversee, and implement the program, to deliver an annual progress report, and to review and recommend funding levels for grant applicants.
In June 2026, the City Council reviewed and approved its third annual round of grants, funding 75 organizations in the 2026-2027 and 2026-2028 grant cycles. At that time, Council also offered input regarding program eligibility requirements and the annual grant approval process, for consideration by the CAAB.
In August 2026, the CAAB brought a responding set of recommended program improvements to the Community Livability and Public Safety Committee (CLPS) and also proposed a new ...
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