Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: Tourist Development Council FY 2022-2023 Cultural Support Grant Program recommendations.
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Fiscal Impact:
FY 2022-2023: $375,000 , Cultural Fund 1446/293020.
Dept/Office:
Tourism Development Office
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested the Board of County Commissioners approve the Tourist Development Council’s recommendation to approve funding for the following FY 2022-2023 Cultural Support Grant Program applications listed:
• Florida Surf Museum - $22,500
• Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. - $30,000
• Greater Cocoa Community Partnership Inc. DBA Historic Cocoa Village Main Street - $30,000
• Brevard Symphony Orchestra - $15,000
• The Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse - $30,000
• Melbourne Municipal Band Association - $15,000
• Melbourne Art Festival, Inc. -$15,000
• U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation - $22,500
• Museum of Dinosaurs & Ancient Cultures - $30,000
• American Police Hall of Fame & Museum - $30,000
• Brevard Regional Arts Group - $30,000
• Melbourne Civic Theatre - $15,000
• Space Coast Art Festival - $15,000
• Brevard Renaissance Fair - $30,000
• Valiant Air Command, Inc - $30,000
• Native Heritage Gathering, Inc. - $15,000
Further, based on the facts specified for each grant, by approving this agenda item, the Board will make the legislative finding that Tourist Development Tax funds are authorized for cultural grants pursuant to section 125.0104(5)(a)3, Florida Statutes, and Section 102-119(3)d, of the Brevard County Code of Ordinances. Each of the tourist oriented cultural and special events have as one of its main purposes the attraction of tourists, and the entity and the Space Coast Office of Tourism both intend to ensure marketing and promotion of these events to Tourists.
Additionally, request authority for the Director, Tourism Development Office, to negotiate and sign all necessary grant agreements, budget change requests, and related documents to support the grants upon County Attorney and Risk Management Approval. It is also requested to authorized the County Manager to execute necessary budget change requests.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
The Cultural Support Grant Program is designed to promote cultural tourism in Brevard County by funding tourist-oriented cultural and special events such as visual and performing arts including theater, concerts, recitals, opera, dance, art exhibitions and other tourist-related activities. The grants are administered by the Cultural Committee of the Tourist Development Council in coordination with Brevard Cultural Alliance. The grant program assists applicants in attracting tourists to attend high quality cultural events in order to generate significant economic impact through participant spending.
The Cultural Committee at their August 11, 2022 meeting and the Tourist Development Council at their August 24, 2022 meeting unanimously recommended the Board approve funding the following FY 2022-2023 Cultural Support Grant Program applications as well as make the necessary legislative findings for each grant listed above.
During a previous grant cycle, the Board asked for more detailed information on Return on Investment (ROI), or a calculation of the visitor spending that reflects the season/event impact of out-of-county visitor’s on Brevard County tourism. This request has resulted in significant changes to the Cultural Support Grant Program Guidelines. These include:
• Events/Activities must be held in-person with in-person attendees
• Main purpose to attract out-of-county visitors to Brevard County
• Virtual or Media events will not qualify
• Out-of-county visitors must account for 1,000 of total visitation
The Cultural Support Grant Program Guidelines also require applicants to establish and track ROI by measuring visitor attendance and spending.
This updated information is found in the attached scoresheet. This document includes Total Score, Average Score (Total Score divided by the number of Committee who scored that application), Trimmed Mean, Cultural Committee Funding Awards (8-11-2022), Adjusted Award Funding (8-11-2022), and reported attendance outside Brevard County (out-of-county attendees to the event or program) for each application. Additionally, listed is the Total Funding and ROI per application.
Sixteen (16) applications have been approved by both the Cultural Committee and TDC, and funding will be on a reimbursement basis. The awards were based on the approved funding tiers listed in the Guidelines. The tiers are determined by the number of out-of-county visitors that attend the event/season. As per the tier system, an applicant’s event/season that draws 1,000-2,500 out-of-county attendees will be eligible for $10,000, an applicant’s event/season that draws 2,501-5,000 out-of-county attendees will be eligible for $15,000, an applicant’s event/season that draws +5,001 out-of-county attendees will be eligible for $20,000. After allocating the appropriate funds per their out-of-county attendees to each application the Total Funding request of all approved applications totaled $250,000. The budget amount for the FY 2022-2023 Cultural Support Grant Program is $500,000. The Cultural Committee, at their August 11, 2022 meeting, voted to an equal, proportionate adjustment to all approved (16) applicants resulting in spending of $375,000 of the budget. Revised award funding is listed on the attached Cultural Grant Scores and Funding document, in the column labeled “Revised Total Funding”.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please return a memo of the Board’s action to the Director, Tourism Development Office and County Attorney’s Office.