Arts Advocacy – 

State of Florida Arts Funding 2020-21:

Updated 6/30/20:

Governor DeSantis did sign the budget for the July 1 new year, and funded the arts, statewide, with $13.6M. While this is approximately half of last year’s funding ($21.25M), we are thankful for this level of funding in a year that has been catastrophic around the world.

The legislature chose to recommend only one grant line item (of four) for Cultural & Museum Grants, so that held funding for the majority of our local nonprofits, at about 31% of their recommended grant amounts. Unfunded line items were: Cultural Facilities, Endowment, and Culture Builds Florida grants.

•  We attribute the success in holding funding at even this level to:
  – Increased awareness and understanding about the arts
  – To the additional representation of our 3 Florida Cultural Alliance lobbyists who worked throughout this cycle, and met with the two top executive staff who make recommendations to the Governor.
  – The message that these grants mean (1) jobs to (2) small businesses that are (3) ineligible for some of the COVID relief aid seems to have really resonated with them.
• Thank you’s are encouraged! We don’t want our legislators to hear from us only when we are asking for money, but please continue the relationships and let them know what this funding does for your organizations and community.

 Just the facts:

• Platform for REQUEST – the ONE-SHEET for 2021 state arts funding – Tallahassee Arts & Culture Advocacy Day, January 2020
• DCA Ranking and Recommendations:
  – 659 well-vetted, ranked & recommended Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs’ matching grants qualify for $59,849,052 in total state investments under the four DCA-funding categories for 2020-21 state funding. 
  – 41 counties – 61% of Florida’s 67 counties — comprise the recommended 659 total matching grant requests – (County by county listing);
  – 4-county Central Florida — 60 requests for $5,019,441 (platforms by county & request detail)

Engaging our legislators: 

1. Thank them for holding a place for arts support in this challenging year (2020-21) funding of $13.6M, statewide. Let them know what it means to your organization, your community, and overall to the County.
2. Invite legislators to your events – for either a tour, a performance, or a brief speaking opportunity or a meet&greet with your chair and/or key donors. Or, as a walk-on role in your production!

CONTACTS AT Florida Cultural Alliance and Florida legislature:

1. Florida Cultural Alliance: Jennifer Jones, executive director; at info@flca.net.
   – The Florida Cultural Alliance statewide call is on the 4th Monday at 10am. Next on Mon, Aug, 24 at 10a.
   –  Florida Cultural Alliance – Advocacy Resource Guide 
2. Contacts for State of FL Government – House-Senate-Local leadership
3. Need more info about Central Florida’s arts advocacy, Arts & Culture Advocacy Day in Tallahassee, or Orange County’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Advocacy Committee, contact Trudy@UnitedArts.cc.

Updated 8/18/20 – tdw
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