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Title:
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Consideration of Grant Opportunities for the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation and Authorizing the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation to Submit Applications for Such Grants.
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City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the Culver City Cultural Affairs
Foundation (“Foundation”) to apply for selected private foundation and government
grant opportunities to enhance current Cultural Affairs work programs as
recommended by the Cultural Affairs Foundation Board (“Board’) and the Cultural
Affairs Commission (“Commission”).
BACKGROUND:
On June 26, 2006, the Foundation’s By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation were
approved by the City Council (Attachments 1 and 2.) The Foundation is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit organization whose sole activity is to raise funds, primarily through grants,
to support approved Culver City Cultural Affairs work programs. The City Manager
acts as the Chief Executive Officer for the Foundation and serves on the Board as a
non-voting member. Each Cultural Affairs Commissioner appoints one
representative to the seven-member voting Board. Additionally, the current Chair
and Vice-Chair of the Commission serve on the Board.
Current board members include:
Christine Hardin Interior Designer, Pickett Design
(Culver City Business Owner)
Sofia Klatzker Policy and Planning Manager,
Los Angeles County Arts Commission
(Culver City Resident)
Meeting Date: 05/11/09 Item Number: A-3
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of Grant Opportunities for the Culver City Cultural
Affairs Foundation and Authorizing the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation to
Submit Applications for Such Grants.
Contact Person/Dept.:
Susan Obrow / CDD
Phone Number:
(310) 253-5762
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Master Notification List (); Cultural Affairs Commission (04/27/09);
Cultural Affairs Foundation Board (04/27/09)
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (05/06/09)_
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (05/06/09)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by N. Kimball) (05/06/09)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (05/06/09) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Renae Williams Niles Director of Dance Presentations, The Music Center
(Culver City Resident)
Rick Noguchi Program Officer, James Irvine Foundation
(Culver City Resident)
Mercedes Paz-Slimp Member, President’s Committee on the Arts and
the Humanities
(Culver City Resident)
The Foundation is administrated by Cultural Affairs staff members Christine Byers,
Jeremy Green and Susan Obrow. The start-up costs for the Foundation are currently
provided through an allocation by the Redevelopment Agency as part of the Agency
budget. This budget is utilized for financial organization, legal fees and grant
administration.
The Foundation has its own Tax Identification Number and received its 501(c)(3)
designation in 2008 from both the Internal Revenue Service and the State of
California (Attachments 3 and 4.) Legal guidance has been provided through the
City Attorney’s Office as well as through its contracted firm of Aleshire & Wynder,
LLP. The City’s Chief Financial Officer and his staff have guided the financial
organization of the Foundation since it is a component unit of the City (which means
the Foundation’s financial transactions must be included in the City’s audited
financial reports).
DISCUSSION:
Grant Opportunities
In 2006, the Council approved the Foundation’s effort to seek private foundation
grants to support the approved Cultural Affairs work programs of the City of Culver
City and the Culver City Redevelopment Agency. The proposed first funding
prospects are found in Attachment 5. The majority of the private foundations would
require that a Letter of Intent be submitted for review. Based on research and
advice, the proposed requests would range between $5,000 and $25,000 which
would make an impact on the specific work programs identified. Should any of the
potential funders respond favorably to the Letters of Intent, then professional grant
writers would be engaged to complete the various applications. Staff has already
made preliminary contact with three qualified grant writers. If a favorable response
is provided from a potential grantor, then staff would engage the grant writer with the
appropriate area of expertise and execute an administrative contract with them with
funding already appropriated by the Agency as part of the Board’s start-up costs. City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
The Foundation is a component unit of the City, and the City Council and
Commission have an intrinsic interest in the Cultural Affairs work programs. The
Board reviewed and approved a recommendation to the Commission to pursue the
suggested grants on January 27, 2009. Subsequently, on February 10, 2009, the
Commission reviewed and approved a recommendation for final approval from the
City Council. Additional grant recommendations may be reviewed at the next
Foundation Board meeting in July 2009.
Other Support
The Finance Department is also investigating whether bequests or individual
donations might be another source of funding. An update will be provided when
there is more information regarding the potential process for either.
Staff does not recommend pursuing corporate sponsorships through the Foundation.
The Foundation was primarily developed to access grants from private foundations
that require applicants to have non-profit 501(c)(3) status.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The start-up costs for the Foundation are currently provided through an allocation by
the Agency. The allocation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-09 is $6,500
(59190100.514190). Proposed Allocations for FY 2009-10 and FY 2010-2011 will be
presented to the Agency and City Council during the upcoming budget review. For
tracking purposes, the Finance Department will most likely set up a new business
unit specifically dedicated to Cultural Affairs Foundation expenditures. This budget
is utilized for financial organization, legal fees and grant administration.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Cultural Affairs Foundation By Laws
2. Cultural Affairs Foundation Articles of Incorporation
3. Designation letter from IRS
4. Designation letter from Franchise Tax Board, State of California
5. Proposed First Funding Prospects for Cultural Affairs Foundation
MOTION:
That the City Council: City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
Authorize the Culver City Cultural Affairs Foundation to apply for the selected
private foundation and government grants to enhance current Cultural Affairs
work programs.
MEETING DATE: May 11, 2009
AGENDA ITEM: Consideration of Grant Opportunities for Culver
City Cultural Affairs Foundation.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. By Laws 1-9
2. Articles of Incorporation 10-14
3. Designation letter from IRS 15-18
4. Designation letter from Franchise Tax Board, 19-20
State of California
5. Proposed First Funding Prospects for 21
Cultural Affairs Foundation
ATTACHMENT 1
123456789ATTACHMENT 2
1011121314ATTACHMENT 3
15161718ATTACHMENT 4
1920CULVER CITY CULTURAL AFFAIRS FOUNDATION/
PROPOSED FIRST FUNDING PROSPECTS
CULTURAL AFFAIRS POTENTIAL GRANT APPROACH/
WORK PROGRAMS OPPORTUNITIES REQUEST
Music in the Chambers Roth Family Foundation Letter of Intent
$5,000
Flora L. Thornton Foundation Letter of Intent
$5,000
Rainbow Day Dwight Stuart Youth Foundation Letter of Intent
(Children’s Event) $5,000
The Kenneth T. and Application
Eileen L. Norris Foundation $10,000
ARTWALK Culver City National Endowment for the Arts / Application
Fast Track Grant $10,000
Historic Preservation Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Letter of Intent
TBD based on
Project Budget
Kresge Foundation Letter of Inquiry
TBD based on
Project Budget
Temporary Art Exhibits Andy Warhol Foundation Application
for the Visual Arts $25,000
ATTACHMENT 5
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