31 Brevard organizations, programs share cultural grants that 'act as catalyst'

Thirty-one nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and programs will be splitting $129,999 in grants to help their organizations.

The Brevard County community cultural grants were approved 4-1 by the Brevard County Commission, confirming the recommendations of a five-member grant panel that rated the applicants.

County Commissioner John Tobia voted against the grants. He said he believes the county has higher spending priorities, and should not be funding this program.

The grant program was established by the Brevard County Commission in 1987, and has been in existence in various forms and funding levels since then.

More:Brevard County commissioners back ambulance transport fees increase of up to 36%

More:County Commission OKs $60,000 for Meals on Wheels program shut out of grant process

Its mission is "to cultivate excellence, accessibility and diversity in arts and culture" for county residents.

The highest-rated of the 31 organizations receiving grants was the Brevard Symphony Orchestra, with an average score of 93.4 out of 100.

"We feel that these grants are important to us, and not only for the operating support it provides," said Fran Delisle, executive director of the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. "It also shows the community that our programs merit receiving taxpayers' money."

Currently, the grants are funded from two tax sources:

• $100,000 comes from revenue from the county's 5 percent Tourist Development Tax on hotel rooms and other short-term rentals, through the Brevard County Tourist Development Council's cultural marketing program fund.

• $30,000 comes from the county's general fund, through the county's community cultural grant fund.

In her report to county commissioners, Brevard Cultural Alliance Deputy Director Kathy Engerran said the $150,000 in grants given out in the 2016-17 budget year through this program "acted as a catalyst" to help support recipients, which spent a total of $7.80 million in the county. This spending was on such things as materials and supplies used in productions, exhibits or events; marketing; printing; equipment purchases; insurance costs; and office supplies.

Thirty-three organizations applied for a total of $583,749 in funding for the current budget year.

Grants can be used by Brevard-based private nonprofit arts and cultural organizations for general program support or for specific projects.

Their proposals in November were rated on a scale of 0 to 100 by a five-member panel that included representatives who work at Brevard Public Schools, Cape Leisure Corp., Courtyard by Marriott in West Melbourne, Health First and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

The applicants' average scores from the five panel members had to be at least 80 points to receive a grant. The grant amounts were tied to a formula that took into account their average scores and how much they requested, with the organizations receiving higher scores receiving a higher percentage of what they requested.

One organization did not meet the 80-point threshold, and one organization withdrew its application after learning it would not be eligible for this grant.

The grant applications were rated on a number of factors, including the organization's proposed activities or major programs; its goals and objectives for those activities; its marketing plans to support funded activities; program excellence; the organization's management personnel, board and history; fiscal stability; its collaborations with other cultural organizations; its partnerships with local businesses and community-based organizations; and the overall quality of the application.

Maximum grant requests were based on the size of the organization:

• Organizations whose prior-year general operating budget was $400,000 or more could apply for a grant of up to $30,000.

• Organizations with a budget of $100,001 to $399,999 could apply for a grant of up to $20,000.

• Organizations with a budget $100,000 or less could apply for a grant of up to $7,500.

Organizations receiving grants have to provide quarterly reports throughout the grant period to show how much they have spent in the county, and have to submit proof of their spending to receive grant money to reimburse that spending.

Grant recipients

These are the 31 Brevard County community cultural grant recipients for the budget year that runs from Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2018, along with their average scores from a five-member committee, how much each organization requested and how much they received. 

American Police Hall of Fame & Museum (83.6 average score): $30,000 requested, $6,024 received

American Space Museum (86.2): $20,000 requested, $4,590 received

Brevard Achievement Center/VSA, (93.0): $7,500 requested, $1,936 received

Brevard Nature Alliance (87.4): $20,000 requested, $4,590 received

Brevard Symphony Orchestra (93.4): $30,000 requested, $7,745 received

Brevard Youth Chorus (81.8): $7,500 requested, $1,506 received

Central Brevard Art Association (83.2): $7,500 requested, $1,506 received

Cocoa Beach Main Street (80.8): $7,500 requested, $1,506 received

Dance Arts Centre (82.8): $20,000 requested, $4,016 received

Eau Gallie Arts District Main Street (82.6): $20,000 requested, $4,016 received

Florida Historical Society (85.4): $30,000 requested, $6,885 received

Greater Titusville Renaissance (85.8): $20,000 requested, $4,590 received

Henegar Center for the Arts (87.8): $30,000 requested, $6,885 received

Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse (91.8): $30,000 requested, $7,745 received

Hometown Hope (86.8): $7,500 requested, $1,721 received

Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts (87.4): $30,000 requested, $6,885 received

Melbourne Art Festival (86.8): $20,000 requested, $4,590 received

Melbourne Chamber Music Society (88.2): $7,500 requested, $1,721 received

Melbourne Community Orchestra (85.0): $7,500 requested, $1,721 received

Melbourne Main Street (88.6): $20,000 requested, $4,590 received

Melbourne Municipal Band (90.4): $20,000 requested, $5,164 received

Native Rhythms Festival (84.8): $7,500 requested, $1,506 received

Rossetter House Foundation (84.2): $20,000 requested, $4,016 received

Salvation Army (87.0): $7,500 requested, $1,721 received

Space Coast Art Festival (84.4): $7,500 requested, $1,506 received

Space Coast Cultural Arts & Business Organization (85.4): $7,500 requested, $1,721 received

Space Coast Symphony Orchestra (90.4): $20,000 requested, $5,164 received

Titusville Playhouse (91.4): $30,000 requested, $7,745 received

Valiant Air Command (86.6): $30,000 requested, $6,885 received

Walk on Water Ministries of Central Florida (82.4): $10,249 requested, $2,058 received

WFIT 89.5 FM (92.0): $30,000 requested, $7,745 received

Dave Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY. 

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649 or dberman@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @bydaveberman

Facebook: /dave.berman.54