HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.council.worksession.20230502AGENDA
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
May 2, 2023
4:00 PM, City Council Chambers
427 Rio Grande Place, Aspen
I.Work Session
I.A Hunter Creek Historical Foundation Update
I.B Wheeler Retail Space Lease
I.C Tobacco Tax Update
I.D Tobacco Tax: Funding Request for Response Capital Campaign
I.E Tobacco Tax: Capital Campaign Request Lift-Up
I.F Grants Program Update
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Wheeler Opera House Tenant Space RFP Council Memo.pdf
Tobacco Tax Update to Council 5-2-23.docx
May 2 Capital Request Response.docx
Center for Hope and Healing summary 2.22.23.pdf
Project summary for City of Aspen_.docx
Resolution Council.094-19.pdf
May 2 Capital Request Lift Up.docx
LIFT-UP Capital Campaign City of Aspen 04.18.23.pptx
resolution.council.094-19.pdf
2023.5.2_Grants Program Update_Memo.docx
Attachment A_Aspen Artists Fellowship Grant Guidelines.docx
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Attachment B_HHS Capacity Building Grant & Guidelines.pdf
Attachment C_Asset and Aquisition Grant Program Guidelines.pdf
Attachment D_Grants Strategic Focus Areas and Program Philosophy.pdf
Attachment E_2022.7.5_Memo_Arts_and_Culture_RETT_Expansion.pdf
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MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and City Council
FROM:CJ Oliver, Director of Environmental Health and Sustainability,
Katherine Sand, Executive Director of Aspen Family Connections
MEMO DATE:April 24, 2023
MEETING DATE:May 2, 2023
RE:Update on Tobacco Tax Fund Use
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
The purpose of this memo and corresponding work session presentation is to provide City
Council with an update of the use of the tobacco tax funds collected by the City of Aspen
and provided to Aspen Family Connections to work on universal prevention services for
the upper Roaring Fork Valley.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Beginning in 2018, the City of Aspen has collected a 40% sales tax on non-cigarette
tobacco and nicotine products and a $3 (+.10/year) per pack tax on cigarettes. Ballot
language to initiate the tax in 2017 set parameters that the money could only be spent
on financing health and human services, tobacco related health issues, and addiction
and substance abuse education and mitigation. In February 2020, Aspen City Council
agreed to provide up to $250,000 per year to Aspen Family Connections, a subsidiary of
the Aspen School District, to enhance universal prevention and youth engagement
services for the upper valley. The programming implemented by AFC is focused on a
variety of known needs established through regular data collection and community
assessment which is conducted in coordination with numerous community stakeholders.
Prior to creating the spending/implementation plan, staff worked with interested parties
including the Aspen School District, Pitkin County, Aspen Youth Center, Buddy Program,
Kids First and others to better understand the needs in the community around tobacco and
substance use as well as mental health. During these planning sessions it was clear that
the two key themes that should be a priority in the Aspen community were:
A focus on youth programming in the schools and community
An emphasis on prevention
With that information in hand, Aspen Family Connections has coordinated and taken the
lead on establishing and enhancing programs to improve outcomes in those two areas.
Previous Council Action on this matter includes the following:
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September 5th, 2017-Aspen City Council adopted Resolution 122, Series of 2017
to place ballot language on the November 2017 ballot, proposing a tobacco tax for
the City of Aspen.
November 7th, 2017-Aspen voters approved ballot language, establishing a City
of Aspen Tobacco Tax. (75%- yes/ 25%-no)
August 13th, 2019- Aspen City Council directed staff to work with Aspen Family
Connections to develop a plan to use a portion of the tax revenue to address
identified substance use and prevention service needs.
February 14, 2020- Aspen City Council approved an MOU with the Aspen School
District to provide funding to Aspen Family Connections to use the Tobacco Tax
funds, up to $250,000/year to initiate/enhance programming focused on substance
use and prevention services.
DISCUSSION:
The initial rollout of services and programming related to this funding was delayed due
to COVID 19. Aspen Family Connections’ efforts during the pandemic were focused on
providing basic needs to the community including operating the upper valley food bank
and working directly with families in need to ensure that they were able to make ends
meet. Additionally, the Aspen School District was operating in a variety of at home and
in person arrangements, dependent on conditions. This made establishing in-school
services essentially impossible. With a return to in person learning, the rollout of new
and enhanced services officially began in the fall of 2021. A description of the work
which has been accomplished since, is provided below, courtesy of Aspen Family
Connections (AFC).
THE GOALS OF THE ASPEN FAMILY CONNECTIONS PREVENTION PROJECT
When the City of Aspen took the significant step of introducing a series of tobacco
control measures, beginning in 2017, it was with the primary objective of protecting the
health of young people in the community whose use of tobacco – and other substances
– was, and remains, higher than their peers in other parts of the State.
The AFC Prevention Program is an innovative, community-focused set of initiatives
designed to provide targeted action that in turn will create long-term impact from the
tobacco tax revenues:
1.A problem that is for us all to solve: Building a shared culture in our
community of prevention, and a collective understanding of the risks and
protective factors inherent in positive youth development;
2.We must maximize what we already have: Emphasizing community
collaboration, building links between schools, families, local programs and
services to increase access and impact;
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3.We can do even more: Identifying and working to fill gaps in provision;
4.Prevention is not a quick fix: The ultimate goal of the program is to prevent
and reduce the use of tobacco alcohol and other drugs by children and young
people, through building skills, competencies and community cohesion, reducing
risk factors and maximizing protections.
The case for prevention to address substance use and abuse:
Research shows that the most effective actions that can be taken to prevent substance
misuse take place in both the school and family environments, and are both universal
(everyone in population) and also targeted to at-risk and under-served individuals and
groups.
Risk and protective factors contribute to the initiation, maintenance, and escalation of
alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use. These risk factors - which include lack of parental
supervision, academic problems, undiagnosed mental health problems, peer substance
use, drug availability, poverty, peer rejection, and child abuse or neglect - are
associated with increased likelihood of youth substance use and abuse. Risk factors
that occur during early childhood further increase the risk of youth substance abuse.
On the other hand, multiple protective factors can reduce and even eliminate the impact
of the strongest risk factors. These protections include parental support and
involvement, parental resilience, social connections, and providing ongoing support,
education and training for parents.
Developing a culture of prevention and building engagement, resilience and
wellbeing in our children
There have been so many exciting and dynamic activities taking place because of the
Aspen City Council’s decision to fund a wide-ranging community prevention project
through AFC that the information included in this report represents only the main ways
that the funding has been applied in these first 18 months of the program, post-
Pandemic.
These activities and the collaborative culture of prevention that we are creating as a
community will actualize the City of Aspen’s intentions when it instituted some far-
reaching, and innovative measures to restrict nicotine and vape products, including the
Tobacco Tax.
What that funding has made possible constitutes a collection of the most directed
actions and initiatives that we could enact in a short space of time, to pass through the
benefit of the Tobacco Tax revenues to those most vulnerable to substance use – our
youth. Prevention is not a ‘quick fix’ but the team at AFC and our partners feel the
excitement and momentum of the project, and the new awareness that there is so much
more we can, and will do together to improve the wellbeing of our young people.
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A Four-Part Collaboration-based Initiative
Part 1: Soundcheck Prevention Network
In September 2021 we engaged Soundcheck Prevention Network, initially for three years,
to provide expert services to support the development of a Substance Use Prevention
plan in our schools and community. Their work since then has been multi-faceted, helping
guide our substance use prevention efforts.
Highlights of Soundcheck’s work during these eighteen months include:
Getting to know our community and school culture (by conducting over 50
meetings and focus group interviews with local stakeholders and partners,
including law enforcement, school counselors, mental health, youth service
providers and many others.
Working directly in classrooms on successive visits with Aspen middle and high
schools students (including Aspen Community School) to seek insight, feedback
on current prevention efforts and overall school climate. Site visits also included
education on the relationship between health, identity and choices as well as
teaching skills needed to navigate pressures and decisions.
Providing school faculty and staff with training to help adults recognize risky
behaviors, engage in prevention conversations, and support students’ social and
emotional health and development.
Engaging in public dialogue with parents and community members, including a
session on Vaping and Nicotine with local partners; sharing information and
equipping caregivers to engage teens in open and supportive conversations.
Developing data integration and analysis efforts, in partnership with Pitkin County
Public Health.
Creating a logic model for developing and evaluating prevention efforts in our
community and for strategic planning, created in partnership with a large number
of community agencies and organizations, as well as with nationally reputed
Evalworks.
Part 2: Engaging our youngest families: Early Childhood Resource Connector
Renee Giles started working with AFC in this proactive prevention position in early 2022,
and is energetic and indefatigable in working with many partners to connect families –
collectively and individually - of our youngest children with resources of all kinds to
strengthen their situations, build parenting skills and ensure that their children are as well
prepared as possible to begin their school lives.
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Renee’s work has included:
Supporting the School District and its families by introducing new resources and
expertise for many areas including after-school partnerships, behavioral
interventions, public parenting workshops, kindergarten readiness, early language
and literacy program.
Coordinating the District’s delivery of the Colorado Preschool Program in its final
year, finding slots for 30 3 and 4 year-olds.
Collaborating with Kids First on implementing a Mini Grant to focus on community
needs in early childhood and developing centralized resources.
A new childcare case management team with DHS (CCCAP) and Kids First to
ensure, along with the Colorado Preschool Program, and those other funding
sources, that at-risk families have financial means for childcare.
Creating a well-attended Summer Camp Fair at the School District to connect
younger families with many valley-wide summer options for their children.
Collaborating with a large number of local partners – all the preschool programs,
AVH therapists, pediatric nurses and prenatal and birthing unit, Community Health,
Great Expectations, Pitkin County, WIC, Pitkin County Library, Mountain Valley
Developmental Services, and Raising a Reader.
Representative on the Rocky Mountain Early Childhood Council Steering
Committee, supporting the local introduction of Universal PreK.
Providing an invaluable resource to many individual families who are clients of AFC
(and generating new referrals to AFC), connecting them to specialized providers,
waivers, camps, after-school care and creating inclusive summer opportunities
with partners such as Ascendigo, Challenge Aspen and more.
Part 3: Support for the challenging years of adolescence: Teen Resource
Connector
Emily Cackett began working for AFC in June 2022 and has, like Renee Giles, brought
together and developed an impressive range of resources, programs, partnerships and
positive connections, to help teens – both individually and collectively - in our community
be resilient, purposeful and well-positioned for productive, healthy life choices.
Emily’s work has included:
Bringing together the community’s recreation providers in a Community Programs
Meeting, establishing a new shared events calendar, creating opportunities for
program updates, hiring and other collective needs (including organizing
Mandatory Reporter training for youth programs with Pitkin DHS).
Generating the first formal lunchtime clubs program in Aspen Middle School,
bringing so many new opportunities for positive connections with adults and peers,
beginning with a highly popular Club Fair, and resulting in 17 club offerings; these
included partnering with Aspen High Schoolers and teachers (Journalism Club, Ski
and Bike tech club), City of Aspen (Climate in Action Club with Tim Karfs and Clare
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McLaughlin), Seniors Club – where middle schoolers visit the Senior Center for
stories and laughs (led by Officer Alyse Vollmer, APD) and many others.
Establishing the new Redirection Program at the Aspen School District, in
partnership with Aspen Middle and High Schools, APD and Pitkin Sheriff’s office
SROs, providing an opportunity for youth with low level or first-time infractions
(usually behavior or substance-related) to direct their own program of personal
goal-setting, community service, restorative justice and a ‘new start’ for young
people in the middle and high school. This is an extremely positive and successful
alternative to court appearances that has supported 30 young people this school
year: one tribute from a student, now re-engaged in school and with positive plans
for his future: “I just want to thank you for being such a useful resource and helping
me find my way.”
Working with the Aspen Youth Center and Aspen Learning Lift to provide individual
tutoring after school for students who cannot obtain this service otherwise.
Setting up peer tutoring with Aspen High school students working with 7th graders.
Establishing programs of support for at-risk students with substance use and
eating/nutrition specialists (for one on one and small group sessions).
Setting up the Workforce Center and Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to
work with Aspen highschoolers, including arranging an introduction for teachers
and other school staff.
Holding a Resource Panel -being replicated in other school districts - for families
of children with disabilities, presenting local and statewide resources to support
post-secondary transition, shared decision-making etc.
Part 4: Supporting Programs and Events
Consistent with the original goals of the Prevention Program, Tobacco Tax funds have
been applied to support existing or newly developed programs aimed to provide positive
prevention activity for larger groups of children and youth of all ages to spread the benefit
of the funds in a very directed and collaborative way:
These included:
Connect! A social, emotional and ethical learning after-school program at Aspen
Elementary School, offered twice a week, with a curriculum to build kindness,
resilience, self-awareness, social connections and more;
Aspen Youth Center/Aspen Learning Lift individual tutoring program, bringing
access to excellent tutoring by ASD staff to Aspen Middle School students, in a
safe, supported and connected environment;
Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer mental health prevention program in the Aspen High
School
Noches Latinas – a series of events organized by AFC to bring together the Latino
community in the School District, with local partners, including Alpine Legal, Mind
Springs, Mountain Family Health Centers, Community Health and many others
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FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
The City of Aspen currently provides up to $250,000 (minus a 2% admin fee) per year to
Aspen Family Connections to provide services in line with their proposal to council in
2020. Annual distributions to date have been:
2021 $81,670
2022 $245,000
2023 $245,000
Providing this level of funding to Aspen Family Connections has also allowed for a fund
balance to accumulate which allows for one time request to be considered in line with the
ballot language, at Aspen City Council’s discretion.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
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MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and City Council
FROM:Jenn Ooton, Senior Project Manager
THROUGH:Sara Ott, City Manager
Diane Foster, Assistant City Manager
MEMO DATE:April 24, 2023
MEETING DATE:May 2, 2023
RE:Funding Request for Response Capital Campaign for the Halle
Center for Hope and Healing
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
Response is a local nonprofit with a mission to end domestic and sexual abuse and to
support survivors in achieving safety and empowerment. Response has embarked upon
a $7.7 million capital campaign to build the first Domestic Abuse Center in the upper
Roaring Fork Valley because the needs of survivors in the community have outpaced the
organization’s ability to serve them through their current model. Response is asking for
$150,000 to fund a portion of the Halle Center for Hope and Healing.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Response Board Chair Betsy Crum will represent Response at the council work session
and present the attached information regarding the funding request. The 7,7743-square
foot shelter building will be located on Cody Lane in the Basalt Business Center East and
will have seven efficiency units with the capacity for 9 adults and 15 children. Response
anticipates housing 40-50 survivors and their children at the shelter each year. The
building will also include office space, a food and clothing pantry, a caretaker unit, and a
conference room.
Response has already received $30,000 in funding from the Town of Snowmass Village,
and will be seeking funding from other municipal and county partners. Response received
a lead gift of $2.25 million from the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, which allowed the
organization to purchase the property.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
The city has $524,850.09 in uncommitted fund balance of the city’s tobacco tax dollars.
Tobacco tax dollars are collected for financing health and human services, tobacco
related health issues and addiction and substance abuse education and mitigation.
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The city’s established grant funding programs, a portion of which is funded by tobacco
dollars, do not fund capital campaigns. Response received $49,000 in late 2022 through
the emergency inflation relief grant program, and $21,900 in the regular health and human
service grant cycle this year.
If Council provides direction related to a one-time request for tobacco tax dollars for this
program, a resolution would be brought back at a regular meeting for consideration.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
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Halle Center for Hope and Healing
Who we are: Response is the only organization in the upper Roaring Fork Valley serving survivors of domestic
and sexual abuse, stalking and human trafficking. Founded in 1983, the organization has been serving survivors
for 40 years. Our clients live, work and visit western Eagle and Pitkin counties. In 2022, Response served 171
survivors and responded to over 300 calls to our 24-hour crisis helpline. We provide crisis intervention, court and
medical accompaniment, support groups, individual therapy and community referrals. We have seen a 20%
increase in client numbers and a 23% increase in crisis calls since the start of the pandemic. The number of clients
served by our Housing Program is growing particularly fast. Last year, the program served 76 clients and 62
children with one or more forms of housing assistance. This assistance includes emergency shelter in local hotels,
transitional housing for up to three months, and rental assistance. Response also provides case management and
financial management training as well as emergency financial assistance for food, childcare, transportation,
moving expenses, and utilities.
The Opportunity: Response has just launched a $7.7 million capital campaign to build the first Domestic Abuse
Center in the upper Roaring Fork Valley because the needs of survivors in our community have outpaced our
ability to serve them through our current model. Response currently houses survivors for up to three months in
three apartments units around the valley. We have turned away 13 survivors just this year because these units were
full and we have had a waiting list for almost the entire year. Victims that we are unable to provide with housing
usually stay with their abuser until we have an opening.
The Center will meet an urgent need in our
community. It will provide a new home for
Response and a safe haven for our clients.
The Center will provide services and shelter in
a safe and welcoming location that will bring
our work to the forefront of community
awareness. We will be able to shelter survivors
for up to three months in the Center.
Response staff will provide intensive case
management to shelter residents with the goal
of finding them safe permanent housing and
financial independence. The shelter will have
seven efficiency units with the capacity for 9
adults and 15 children and we anticipate housing 40-50 survivors and their children each year. It will also include
common spaces to foster healing in community including a kitchen, living area, play yard and peace garden.
Response will move its primary office to the Center, which will enhance our ability to serve our clients who are in
residence and in the community. The service delivery side of the Center will contain staff offices, client and group
meeting rooms, a clothing and food pantry and a welcome area. Response staff will provide non-residential crisis,
advocacy and housing services to at least 175 clients out of the Center each year.
The Halle Center for Hope and Healing will have a dramatic impact on our ability to deliver high quality services
and to provide housing to survivors in need. Response received a lead gift of $2.25 million from the Diane and
Bruce Halle Foundation that allowed us to purchase a parcel in Basalt debt free and start the planning process.
Now we turn to our community to help us make this project a reality.
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Response has embarked upon a $7.7 million capital campaign to build the first Domestic Abuse Center in the
upper Roaring Fork Valley because the needs of survivors in our community have outpaced our ability to serve
them through our current model. Response currently houses survivors for up to three months in three
apartments units around the valley. We have turned away 13 survivors just this year because these units were full
and we have had a waiting list for almost the entire year. Victims that we are unable to provide with housing
usually stay with their abuser until we have an opening.
The Center will meet an urgent need in our community. It will provide a new home for Response and a safe
haven for our clients. The Center will provide services and shelter in a safe and welcoming location that will bring
our work to the forefront of community awareness. We will be able to shelter survivors for up to three months in
the Center. Response staff will provide intensive case management to shelter residents with the goal of finding
them safe permanent housing and financial independence. The shelter will have seven efficiency units with the
capacity for 9 adults and 15 children and we anticipate housing 40-50 survivors and their children each year. It
will also include common spaces to foster healing in community including a kitchen, living area, play yard and
peace garden.
Response will move its primary office to the Center, which will enhance our ability to serve our clients who are in
residence and in the community. The service delivery side of the Center will contain staff offices, client and group
meeting rooms, a clothing and food pantry and a welcome area. Response staff will provide non-residential crisis,
advocacy and housing services to at least 175 clients out of the Center each year.
56% of clients live in Pitkin County and the City of Aspen.
Response received a lead gift of $2.25 million from the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation that allowed us to
purchase a parcel in Basalt debt free and start the planning process. Now we turn to our community to help us
make this project a reality. We are asking every municipality in our service area to contribute to this project.
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RESOLUTION NO. 94
Series of 2019)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO,
SUBMITTING TO THE ELECTORATE OF THE CITY OF ASPEN AT THE NOVEMBER 5,
2019, A QUESTION SEEKING TO RETAIN SALES TAXES COLLECTED ON THE SALE OF
TOBACCO AND NICOTINE PRODUCTS IN EXCESS OF INITIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen, Colorado (the "City"), is a duly organized and existing
home-rule municipality of the State of Colorado, created and operating pursuant to Article XX of
the Constitution of the State of Colorado and its Home Rule Charter of the City of Aspen, Colorado
the "Charter");
WHEREAS, the members of the City Council of the City of Aspen (the "Council") have
been duly elected and qualified;
WHEREAS, the Council hereby finds that tobacco and nicotine addiction is a leading cause
of preventable death, that people should be deterred from starting the use of tobacco and nicotine
products and encouraged to quit the use of tobacco and nicotine products, and that taxes on the sale
of tobacco and nicotine products are effective at preventing and reducing tobacco and nicotine use;
WHEREAS, the Council hereby designates revenues collected through this tax would be
placed in the General Fund with the specific purpose of financing health and human services,
tobacco related health issues, and addiction and substance abuse education and mitigation.
WHERAS, Section 12.2 of the City Charter authorizes the City to levy and collect taxes for
municipal purposes including, provided,however, that no income tax, sales tax or excise tax may be
levied until such tax shall have been approved by majority of the electors voting at a regular or
special election;
WHEREAS, Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution ("TABOR") requires voter
approval for any increase in taxes;
WHEREAS, pursuant to TABOR, on November 7, 2017, the electorate of the City of Aspen
approved a tax increase on the sale of tobacco and nicotine products;
WHEREAS, sales tax collected pursuant to this increase exceeded this initial estimate of the
revenues generated in the ballot language submitted to the electorate in 2017;
WHEREAS, in the event that the amount collected in the initial year exceeds the original
estimate, TABOR requires the City to either refund the excess collected to the citizens or seek
permission to retain such amounts.
WHEREAS, the Council hereby determines that it is in the interests of the City and its
residents to call a special election to be held on November 5, 2019, and to submit to the electorate of
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the City, at the election, the question of authorizing the retention of the excess amounts collected
pursuant to the tax increase on the sale of tobacco and nicotine products;
WHEREAS, the Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder (the "County Clerk") is conducting a
coordinated election pursuant to the Uniform Election Code of 1992, being Articles 1 to 13 of Title
1, C.R.S. (the"Uniform Election Code")on November 5, 2019;
WHEREAS, pursuant to C.R.S. §1-1-102 and C.R.S. §31-10-102.7, the Council may elect
to utilize the provisions of the Uniform Election Code in order to participate in the coordinated
election on November 5, 2019;
WHEREAS, on August 12, 2019, the Council passed Resolution#93, Series of 2019 calling
for and establishing a municipal election on November 5, 2019 and authorizing the City Clerk to
execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder concerning the
November 5, 2019 election.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN,
COLORADO,THAT:
All action heretofore taken (not inconsistent with the provisions of this resolution) by the City and
the officers thereof, directed towards the election and the objects and purposes herein stated is
hereby ratified, approved and confirmed.
Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used herein shall have the meanings defined in the
Uniform Election Code.
The following ballot issue, certified in substantially the form set forth below, is hereby referred to
the electorate of the City and shall appear on the ballot of the City at the November 5, 2019 special
election with the following ballot title which is set pursuant to C.R.S. §31-11-111:
CITY OF ASPEN—RETENTION OF EXCESS OF INITIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE OF
TOBACCO SALES TAX.
WITHOUT IMPOSING ANY NEW TAX OR INCREASING ANY TAX RATE, MAY
THE CITY OF ASPEN KEEP ALL REVENUES (INCLUDING THOSE IN EXCESS OF
THE INITIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE) FROM THE NOVEMBER 2017 VOTER-
APPROVED TOBACCO RELATED PRODUCTS SALES TAX (BALLOT ISSUE 2B),
AND CONTINUE TO COLLECT THE TAX AT THE PREVIOUSLY DEFINED RATE,
AND SPEND ALL REVENUES COLLECTED FOR THE PURPOSES AS APPROVED
BY VOTERS, INCLUDING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, TOBACCO-
RELATED HEALTH ISSUES, AND ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
EDUCATION AND MITIGATION?
YES
NO
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INTRODUCED, READ AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Aspen on the
LU day of 2019.
l
Torre, Mayor
I, Linda Manning, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the foregoing is a
true and accurate copy of that resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Aspen,
Colorado, at a meeting held on the day hereinabove stated.
x C
inda Manning, City Clerk
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MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and City Council
FROM:Jenn Ooton, Senior Project Manager
THROUGH:Sara Ott, City Manager
Diane Foster, Assistant City Manager
MEMO DATE:April 24, 2023
MEETING DATE:May 2, 2023
RE:Funding Request for Response Capital Campaign for Lift Up
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
Lift Up, which provides equitable food security for individuals and families from Parachute
to Aspen, is seeking funding to support the purchase of an existing warehouse building
in Glenwood Springs. Lift-Up is seeking a contribution of $50,000 from the city of Aspen
to support the project.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Executive Director Ivan Jackson and Lift-Up Development Director Sheila Maurer will
present on this item.
In 2022, Lift Up served more than 60,611 guests dealing with food insecurity and saw an
increase of 30% of guests visiting fixed pantries and mobile distribution along the
Parachute to Aspen corridor. LIFT-UP is seeking to purchase a warehouse and office
facility in Glenwood Springsto better serve the region by improving the entity’s distribution
model and that will result in a total warehouse capacity of 180 days of shelf-stable food.
The new facility would also increase refrigerated and frozen storage capacity. Lift-Up has
recently launched a $2 million capital campaign to purchase and renovate the space, the
public phase of which will launch late this year.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Tobacco tax dollars are collected for financing health and human services, tobacco
related health issues and addiction and substance abuse education and mitigation.
In addition to the Aspen Family Connections funding from the tobacco tax fund, a portion
of the health and human services grant funding in 2022 and 2023 was provided by the
tobacco tax. That includes one-time funding for a pilot health and human service capacity
building grant program. Taking those programs into account, the city has $524,850.09 in
uncommitted fund balance of the city’s tobacco tax dollars.
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The city’s established grant funding programs do not fund capital campaigns. Lift-Up
received $93,000 in late 2022 through the emergency inflation relief grant program and a
$10,000 health and human services grant earlier this year.
Should Council provide direction related to a one-time request for tobacco tax dollars for
Lift-Up, a resolution would be brought back at a regular meeting for consideration.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
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LIFT-UP
Presentation of Capital Campaign
City of Aspen
May 2, 2023
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LIFT-UP
Our Mission
LIFT-UP is the leader in providing equitable food security for individuals and families: educating,
building understanding, and support to end hunger from Parachute to Aspen.
Our Purpose
We believe access to fresh, healthy and sustainable food provides hope and empowerment,
strengthening our community.
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Goals
•An inclusive, equitable and accessible food distribution experience.
•Healthy, nutritious and participant-centered food resources for anyone in need.
•Effective, efficient and sustainable operations.
•Safe, sustainable and regionally sourced food supply.
•Community awareness of regional food insecurity and the resources to respond.
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LIFT-UP Programs
Service delivery from Parachute to Aspen
•Pantries: 6 pantry locations: Parachute, Rifle, New Castle,
Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, Aspen
•Drive-Thru distributions: Parachute, Rifle, Silt, New
Castle, Glenwood Springs (2), Carbondale, El Jebel, and Snowmass
•Other Programs: Meal Monkey, Extended Table, Senior
Boxes, TEFAP, and 72-Hour Emergency Bags.
•LIFT-UP in Pitkin County:
•New Pantry in Aspen Human Services building
•Drive-thru distribution in Snowmass at Brush Creek started in June 2022
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Impacts
Lift up is experiencing a significant increase in demand through our
pantries and drive-thru services.
•Altogether in 2022, LIFT-UP saw guest visits increase to over 48,000. Already in 2023,
we have had over 25,500 visits to our six fixed pantries and nine drive-thru distribution
sites.
•8% of our total guests use Pitkin County pantry and drive-thru services
•Pitkin county served 727 guests visits representing 1503 individuals served in Q1 of
2023. This is a 91% increase in guest visits from Q1 of 2022.
•Bottom line: the need is increasing, and no one should go hungry in Pitkin County.
26
Map
27
LIFT-UP Capital Campaign Goals
Purchase a building with warehouse, pantry and office space in Glenwood Springs, to help us
better serve those dealing with food insecurity along the Parachute to Aspen corridor. (PAC)
The facility will allow us to:
•Operating two warehouse distribution models provides more consistent service delivery to all guests and
offers additional support due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather and road closures.
•Improve the efficiency of our distribution model. Reduce transportation costs. Reduce time on the roads,
decreasing our carbon footprint, Increase efficiency of staff resources.
•Increase our total warehouse capacity to hold a minimum of 180 days of shelf-stable food.
•Open an improved pantry to better serve guests residing from Glenwood to Aspen.
•Increase warehouse space to allow for increased storage of locally sourced fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, and
dairy.
•Increase refrigerated and frozen storage capacity.
28
LIFT-UP Capital Campaign Goals
Opportunity to provide creative solutions for community partners that will create additional
revenue streams increasing sustainability
Lease dry and cold storage spaces
•Offer a variety of storage sizes as well as cold storage to the partners in our Farm 2 Food Pantry program as well as
other food produces and restaurants.
•Partners then can more efficiently use their space potentially increase their production and feeding more people.
Open a production kitchen
•Offers space and resources to our partners so they can create prepare their current products for distribution as well
as create value-added products. For example: meats are made into jerky, fruits are made into pies or jams, tomatoes
and peppers are made into salsa and dried chili’s.
•Products would be made available to our guests but also provide an increased retail revenue to our partners which
would in turn allow them to increase local production, have year-round sales, and feed more people.
•Gleaning becomes an enhanced value while reducing waste and improving sustainability for farm partners, reducing
waste including landfill waste.
•Offer education workshops and or provide space for other organizations to offer food preparation and healthy cooking
classes to our guests and the public.
•Opportunity to open another thrift store
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Budget
Facility purchase:$1,700,000
Renovations:$ 100,000
Overhead:$ 100,000 (start-up costs)
Contingency:$ 100,000
TOTAL:$2,000,000
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Capital Campaign Timeline
April / May 2023 Capital Campaign Commences
•Garfield County Board of Commissioners presentation.
•Silent phase launch with presentations to high-net-worth donors / foundations.
June / July
•Initial funding projection $400,000 - $600,000
•Place Glenwood Springs facility under contract.
Aug / Sept
•Finalize contract for Glenwood Springs facility.
•Silent phase fundraising continues.
October
•Move into Glenwood Springs facilities.
•LIFT-UP warehouse partial operation.
•Thrift Store operational (75% productivity).
•A new pantry operational inside the facility.
•Vacate existing Glenwood Spring pantry.
Nov / Dec
•Capital Campaign public phase launched.
31
Capital Campaign Timeline - 2024
January 2024 - Expansion of operations at Glenwood Springs facilities
•LIFT-UP warehouse fully operational.
•Thrift Store operational 100%.
•New extended table program operational.
Spring
•Expansion of the F2FP program centered at the facility to include:
•Fully operational kitchen facility, providing educational and home economic classes.
•Purchase warehouse production kitchen to allow for root vegetable washer, flash freezer, dehydration unit.
Summer
•Production of Value-Added Goods being produced. Apple Juice, Salsa.
•Introduction of a Glenwood Springs senior meals on wheels program.
Fall / Winter
•Capital Campaign continues until the $2m goal is reached.
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Photos of the proposed warehouse
100 Midland Avenue – Suite 150, 170, and 270
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1st floor: Food Pantry and Admin 2074 sq ft
•Space for pantry in Glenwood Springs
•Lots of parking for guests
•Admin offices space – reduction in staff drive time
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1st floor: Food Pantry and Admin 2074 sq ft
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2nd floor: Warehouse – 9,000 sq ft
•Warehouse space to shelve 180 days of food for guests from Glenwood to Aspen
•Cold storage for fresh and nutritious food
•Dry and cold storage for Farm 2 Food Pantry partners
•Potential production kitchen for community partners and educational opportunities
•Enough space for additional extended table service
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2nd floor: Warehouse –9,000 sq ft
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The Ask $50,000
Having your support will increase LIFT-UP’s position when seeking funding from potential private
donors, other government entities, and grant prospects.
•73% of our unearned income comes from 10% of our donors.
•We have started to reach out to high-net-worth donors and project that approximately 50% of our
goal or $1m, will be secured from them.
We appreciate your partnership and consideration!
38
RESOLUTION NO. 94
Series of 2019)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO,
SUBMITTING TO THE ELECTORATE OF THE CITY OF ASPEN AT THE NOVEMBER 5,
2019, A QUESTION SEEKING TO RETAIN SALES TAXES COLLECTED ON THE SALE OF
TOBACCO AND NICOTINE PRODUCTS IN EXCESS OF INITIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Aspen, Colorado (the "City"), is a duly organized and existing
home-rule municipality of the State of Colorado, created and operating pursuant to Article XX of
the Constitution of the State of Colorado and its Home Rule Charter of the City of Aspen, Colorado
the "Charter");
WHEREAS, the members of the City Council of the City of Aspen (the "Council") have
been duly elected and qualified;
WHEREAS, the Council hereby finds that tobacco and nicotine addiction is a leading cause
of preventable death, that people should be deterred from starting the use of tobacco and nicotine
products and encouraged to quit the use of tobacco and nicotine products, and that taxes on the sale
of tobacco and nicotine products are effective at preventing and reducing tobacco and nicotine use;
WHEREAS, the Council hereby designates revenues collected through this tax would be
placed in the General Fund with the specific purpose of financing health and human services,
tobacco related health issues, and addiction and substance abuse education and mitigation.
WHERAS, Section 12.2 of the City Charter authorizes the City to levy and collect taxes for
municipal purposes including, provided,however, that no income tax, sales tax or excise tax may be
levied until such tax shall have been approved by majority of the electors voting at a regular or
special election;
WHEREAS, Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution ("TABOR") requires voter
approval for any increase in taxes;
WHEREAS, pursuant to TABOR, on November 7, 2017, the electorate of the City of Aspen
approved a tax increase on the sale of tobacco and nicotine products;
WHEREAS, sales tax collected pursuant to this increase exceeded this initial estimate of the
revenues generated in the ballot language submitted to the electorate in 2017;
WHEREAS, in the event that the amount collected in the initial year exceeds the original
estimate, TABOR requires the City to either refund the excess collected to the citizens or seek
permission to retain such amounts.
WHEREAS, the Council hereby determines that it is in the interests of the City and its
residents to call a special election to be held on November 5, 2019, and to submit to the electorate of
I 39
the City, at the election, the question of authorizing the retention of the excess amounts collected
pursuant to the tax increase on the sale of tobacco and nicotine products;
WHEREAS, the Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder (the "County Clerk") is conducting a
coordinated election pursuant to the Uniform Election Code of 1992, being Articles 1 to 13 of Title
1, C.R.S. (the"Uniform Election Code")on November 5, 2019;
WHEREAS, pursuant to C.R.S. §1-1-102 and C.R.S. §31-10-102.7, the Council may elect
to utilize the provisions of the Uniform Election Code in order to participate in the coordinated
election on November 5, 2019;
WHEREAS, on August 12, 2019, the Council passed Resolution#93, Series of 2019 calling
for and establishing a municipal election on November 5, 2019 and authorizing the City Clerk to
execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder concerning the
November 5, 2019 election.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASPEN,
COLORADO,THAT:
All action heretofore taken (not inconsistent with the provisions of this resolution) by the City and
the officers thereof, directed towards the election and the objects and purposes herein stated is
hereby ratified, approved and confirmed.
Unless otherwise defined herein, all terms used herein shall have the meanings defined in the
Uniform Election Code.
The following ballot issue, certified in substantially the form set forth below, is hereby referred to
the electorate of the City and shall appear on the ballot of the City at the November 5, 2019 special
election with the following ballot title which is set pursuant to C.R.S. §31-11-111:
CITY OF ASPEN—RETENTION OF EXCESS OF INITIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE OF
TOBACCO SALES TAX.
WITHOUT IMPOSING ANY NEW TAX OR INCREASING ANY TAX RATE, MAY
THE CITY OF ASPEN KEEP ALL REVENUES (INCLUDING THOSE IN EXCESS OF
THE INITIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE) FROM THE NOVEMBER 2017 VOTER-
APPROVED TOBACCO RELATED PRODUCTS SALES TAX (BALLOT ISSUE 2B),
AND CONTINUE TO COLLECT THE TAX AT THE PREVIOUSLY DEFINED RATE,
AND SPEND ALL REVENUES COLLECTED FOR THE PURPOSES AS APPROVED
BY VOTERS, INCLUDING HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, TOBACCO-
RELATED HEALTH ISSUES, AND ADDICTION AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
EDUCATION AND MITIGATION?
YES
NO
2 40
INTRODUCED, READ AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Aspen on the
LU day of 2019.
l
Torre, Mayor
I, Linda Manning, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the foregoing is a
true and accurate copy of that resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Aspen,
Colorado, at a meeting held on the day hereinabove stated.
x C
inda Manning, City Clerk
3 41
WORK SESSION MEMORANDUM
TO:Mayor and City Council
FROM:John Barker, Senior Management Analyst
THROUGH:Alissa Farrell, Administrative Services Director
CC:Lisa Rigsby Peterson, Wheeler Opera House Director
Sarah Roy, Red Brick Director
Ann Mullins, Grants Steering Committee Chairperson
MEMO DATE:April 21, 2023
MEETING DATE:May 2, 2023
RE:Grants Program Updates
REQUEST OF COUNCIL: Staff requests Council review and final direction on two new
grant pilot programs: Aspen Artist Fellowship and the Asset and Acquisition Assistance
program, both under the Arts & Culture division. Additionally, staff requests Council input
and direction on the establishment of an in-kind grant award cap.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND: The City of Aspen grants program has supported non-
profit organizations throughout the Roaring Fork Valley for over a decade, distributing
more than $17 million dollars to community serving non-profits during this time.
Consistent with best practices, the city has adopted an overarching grants program
philosophy along with a strategic focus area for each grant division, previously approved
by Council. The city’s grants program philosophy is to support non-profit organizations
that promote a mentally and physically healthy community; provide protection for our
natural environment; and create opportunities for connections for all community members
through partnerships, ease of access, stewardship, arts and cultural enrichment, and
innovation.
The philosophy and strategic focus area remain the pillars of the grants program and
serve as guideposts in the development of new programs. Further details on the
philosophy and strategic focus areas are included as Attachment D to this memo.
As the grants program has continued to grow, additional infrastructure, developed with
the guidance of an outside consultant has been necessary. In 2021 council approved
dedicated staff resources in line with the consultant’s recommendations to further align
the program with current grants management best practices. In addition to increased staff
support, the grants program has a significant volunteer footprint. The grants steering
committee oversees all of the grants programs and consists of five members to develop
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policy and funding recommendations for Council. This committee has completed the
majority of the consultant-recommended foundational grant enhancements and is
currently transitioning to be an all-volunteer committee. There are also three separate
grants review committees, totaling 15 volunteers, which are responsible for reading and
assessing grant applications when received for each division.
The city has three core grant divisions that are assessed by these volunteer review
committees: Arts & Culture, Health & Human Services (HHS), and Community Non-Profit.
In 2023, grant budget totals are $900,000, $365,000, and $554,000 respectively. The Arts
& Culture grant budget has expanded due to the passage of ballot measure 2A in
November of 2021. This measure allows the 0.5% Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT),
historically limited to primarily assist the Wheeler Opera House, to be made eligible to
support “the cultural, visual and performing arts” in addition to the Red Brick Center for
the Arts. The measure passed with 71% of the vote in favor.
With more resources available to support Arts & Cultural programming and organizations,
Council provided direction during a work session on July 5, 2022 to pilot two grants in
2023: the Asset & Acquisition Assistance grant program and the Aspen Artist Fellowship.
In addition to these two pilot grants funded via the Arts & Culture RETT, Council approved
a third pilot grant supporting HHS organizations via a capacity building program. All three
of these pilot grants are scheduled to begin accepting applications in May or June of
2023. A copy of the original memo discussing these pilot programs with Council is
included as Attachment E to this memo. Applications for the city’s core grants will continue
to open in the fall. More information on each of these grants can be found below in the
discussion section, with full details available on the city’s grants page.
DISCUSSION:
Pilot Grants:
1. Aspen Artist Fellowship
2023 Budget: $60,000
Anticipated Grant Opening: June 2023
The Aspen Artist Fellowship is the first grant provided by the City of Aspen intended to
support individuals. Created out of a desire by Council to explore new ways to stimulate
cultural vibrancy in Aspen, this grant program seeks to offer direct support to local artists.
Open to adults living or working in Aspen Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), or youths within
the Aspen School District, this grant will provide $4,000 each in funding for up to 11 adult
artists and up to $500 each in funding to up to eight youth artists to support artistic pursuits
such as, but not limited to: developing a new project, buying relevant art supplies,
education, rehearsal space, marketing or growing their creative business, and other such
efforts to support their creative pursuits.
43
In return for this support, grantees are required to participate in regular convenings
moderated by an artist-facilitator and complete a final fellowship statement outlining how
funds were spent and how this grant impacted grantees artistic pursuits.
More details on this grant are included as Attachment A to this memo.
Question #1: Are there any revisions to the Aspen Artist Fellowship pilot program
before it is launched?
2. Asset & Acquisition Assistance
2023 Budget: $250,000
Anticipated Grant Opening: May 2023
The Asset & Acquisition grant is intended to help eligible arts & cultural non-profit
organizations make the most of their facilities, and provide the assets and equipment
necessary, to help these organizations offer the best community experience possible.
Specific to organizations with a physical presence within the Aspen UGB, this grant
provides two paths for support, though each organization is limited to applying for a single
option.
Facility improvement grants are intended to assist with needed capital maintenance or
permanent upgrades within existing facilities, while equipment acquisition grants are
intended to assist with the purchase of ancillary equipment or assets to increase the
effectiveness of organizational programming or operations.
Two important components of this grant are:
1). The matching component of the grant as applicant organizations must contribute at
least 33% of project cost to be eligible.
2)The condition that these grants will not receive partial funding. To ensure that funded
projects will move to implementation and completion, grants will either be fully funded or
not funded at all.
Grants are set to be limited to a maximum of $50,000 each.
Upon completion of a first-year implementation and pilot program, staff will provide
Council with a review of the Aspen Art Fellowship program and of the Asset and
Acquisition program to determine next steps and recommendations. Additionally,
outcome and impact reports will be required for each grantee.
More details on this grant are included as Attachment C to this memo.
44
Question #2: Are there any revisions to the Asset and Acquisition Assistance pilot
program before it is launched?
3. Health & Human Services (HHS) Capacity Building
2023 Budget: $75,000
Anticipated Grant Opening: May 2023
During the 2023 budget process, Council approved funding for this capacity building
assistance program.
The City of Aspen has long supported the Aspen area’s Health and Human Services
(HHS) nonprofits through its discretionary grants program. This grant program is of vital
importance to the daytoday operations of local nonprofits but does not support the
longterm needs of these organizations such as capacitybuilding, strategic alignment,
coalition building, and operational improvements.
The shortterm challenges faced by area HHS organizations including staffing shortages,
limited budgets, and other resource scarcities preclude many from doing the necessary
work on the organizations to have the greatest longterm community impact possible.
Furthermore, the reality of fundraising requires many organizations with similar missions
to operate independently instead of collaboratively—when working together could mean
a greater impact at reduced overall cost. Aspen’s HHS organizations need dedicated
support to help them be the best community partners they can be. The creation of a
capacitybuilding grant will allow for up to four eligible non-profit organizations with an
intensive six-month collaborative cohort focused on organizational improvement, led by
John Dougherty with Human Services Innovations (HSI), LLC. This grant is intended to
help participants address their long-term organizational needs in areas such as
operational improvements, governance improvements, strategic planning, fund
development and coalition building.
This type of organizational work can dramatically improve an organization’s ability to
increase their community impact but is challenging to fundraise or dedicate meaningful
time to without a program such as this. By helping organizations improve themselves, this
grant aims to help our community in new and significant ways.
Information provided here about the capacity building grant is intended as an information-
only update for Council. Staff will return to Council for a program update and discussion
on whether this program should continue in future years in the fall of 2023.
More details on this grant are included as Attachment B to this memo.
Core Grants
45
The demand on the city’s core grants continues to grow, both in number of organizations
participating and total request amounts. As such, staff requests Council feedback on the
below in-kind grants program.
1. In-Kind Grants
In addition to its cash grants, the city makes the use of its services and facilities available
to eligible organizations through in-kind grants via a standalone application during the fall
grant window. This includes requests such as use of ice and pool time at the Aspen
Recreation Center, use of the Wheeler Opera House to host events, use of the Aspen
golf course for events, among other requests. While this grant does not involve the direct
transfer of cash to applicants, it has concrete financial, operational, and administrative
impacts on the city departments who allocate resources to the program.
The in-kind program has never had a set budget, but was instead allocated based on
application quality, historic use, and an informal assessment of each affected city
department’s ability to accommodate the requests. Between 2020 and 2023, in-kind
requests have more than doubled, rising to nearly $200,000 in requests in 2023, straining
the city’s ability to consider and accommodate these uses while balancing constant
community demand.
A set budget will help govern in-kind grant requests more similarly to our cash requests
where a budget cap allows a formal assessment of each application on its merits and
alignment with grants program philosophy, strategic focus areas, and review criteria as
assessed by members of the relevant volunteer review committees.
Staff recommends enacting an in-kind grants budget at the level of giving in 2023 for
2024. In 2023, the city received over $190,000 in in-kind requests and awarded $153,000.
For 2024 and onward, staff proposes a set budget of $153,000 for in-kind services
allocated through this grant to ensure awards are manageable for the departments
impacted. The grants steering committee will review the appropriateness of this budget
yearly and inform Council if a change is warranted in future years.
Question #3: Should an in-kind grants budget of $153,000 be enacted with an
annual review by staff and the grants steering committee to ensure the budget level
remains appropriate?
ALTERNATIVES:
Council may decide to not allocate additional RETT funding to the Arts & Culture grants
program, not support the proposed new divisions, suggest alternative priorities, or revise
suggested funding levels.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:All the grants discussed here have funding allocated for 2023.
46
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: None.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
ATTACHMENT A – Aspen Artist Fellowship Grant Guidelines
ATTACHMENT B – HHS Capacity Building Grant Guidelines
ATTACHMENT C – Asset & Acquisition Assistance Grant Guidelines
ATTACHMENT D – City of Aspen Grant Program Philosophy & Strategic Focus Areas
ATTACHMENT E – July 5, 2022 Council Memo regarding grants program expansion
47
City of Aspen Grants: Aspen Artist Fellowship
Overview
The Aspen Artist Fellowship stimulates cultural vibrancy in Aspen through the direct support of local
artists. This grant provides funding to local artists for their creative pursuits and fosters relationship
building within the artistic community.
Local artists are important,and their work positively contributes to the arts and culture of Aspen. This
grant furthers that belief through monetary support to artists who need it to further their career,
creative practice,or pursue new ideas.There is a parallel youth grant to provide monetary support to
further their skill and exploration of art.Along with the funding, recipients will participate in convenings
intended to foster sharing,learning, and relationship building.This fellowship aims to give opportunity
for artistic growth, enable community connection,and further enrich Aspen’s cultural environment.
Through this grant, the City of Aspen upholds the notion that when we invest in local artists, we are
investing in the enriching of our community and lives.
This fellowship is an important part of fostering a network of support, growth, and celebration of
Aspen’s local artists. The required grantee convenings will be facilitated by a seasoned artist that will:
guide conversations along agreed topics such as sharing and critiquing of each other’s artistic work,
items important to career or business development, issues facing working artists today, or pertinent
discussions in art. Youth recipients will meet separately with an appointed artist facilitator and discuss
topics relevant to their group. The convenings are intended to be a safe, welcoming, and enjoyable
space for the recipients to get to know each other, share, learn, and be together.
This grant will provide $4,000 in funding to up to 11 adult artists and up to $500 in funding to up to eight
youth artists to support artistic pursuits such as, but not limited to:developing a project, buying relevant
supplies, education, rehearsal space, marketing or growing their creative business, and other such
efforts to support their creative pursuits.
Eligibility
Genres: The Aspen Artist Fellowship is open to individual artists working in performing, visual, film,
literary, and new media.
Eligibility: The Aspen Artist Fellowship grant is split into two categories: Adult and Youth.
For both grants:
o Applicants must demonstrate that grant funding is needed and will meaningfully
further the applicant’s career, creative practice, or pursue new ideas.
48
o Funds must be used toward artistic pursuits such as, but not limited to:developing a
project, buying relevant supplies, education, rehearsal space, marketing or growing
their creative business, and other such efforts to support their creative pursuits.
For the Adult grant:
o Applicants must be artists living or working within the Aspen Urban Growth
Boundary a minimum of nine months a year and for at least three months preceding
the application date.
o Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
For the Youth Grant:
o Applicants must be aspiring artists between 14 and 18 years of age.
o Applicants must live within the Aspen Urban Growth Boundary or attend school
within the Aspen School District boundary.
Awards:
o Up to eleven adult grantees will each receive $4,000.
o Up to five youth grantees will each receive $500.
Guidelines
Convenings:
o Recipients are required to participate in scheduled convenings that will take place
over the 12 months following the award of the grant.
o Up to three convenings will occur with each lasting two to three hours.
o Attendance at a final convening to celebrate and share at the end of the grant
period is also required.
Fellowship Statement:
o Within one month following the end of the Fellowship, recipients are required to
submit a written narrative along with images describing how the grant monies were
spent and how they impacted their artistic pursuits.
Review Criteria
49
Criteria 1: Demonstrated Commitment to Artistic Pursuit
Weighting: 30%
Definition: Does the applicant demonstrate through narrative, resume and work samples a meaningful
commitment to artistic development and pursuit? Does the applicant articulate how a grant award
would allow them to develop their artistic skills and work?
Criteria 2: Artistic Merit
Weighting: 30%
Definition:
For Adults:
Do the work samples provided show artistic promise and/or demonstrate high artistic quality and
fluency in the applicant’s medium?
For Youth:
Do the work samples provided demonstrate high artistic quality and promise of continued artistic
development in the applicant’s medium?
Criteria 3: Impact of Funding
Weighting: 30%
Definition: Does the applicant demonstrate that funding through and participation in the Fellowship
program will have a meaningful impact on their artistic work and development as an artist? Does the
applicant articulate the impact of joining a cohort of artists? Will a grant award enable the applicant to
do work that is difficult or currently impossible due to financial constraints?
Criteria 4: Clarity of Request
Weighting: 10%
Definition: Does the application as a whole create a clear and compelling case for funding?
50
1
City of Aspen Grants:
Health & Human Services Capacity Building
Overview
The City of Aspen seeks to provide capacity building support to Health and Human Service
(HHS) nonprofits, for addressing their long-term organizational needs in areas such as;
operational improvements, governance improvements, strategic planning, fund development
and coalition building. This one-year pilot program, approved by City Council, is intended to
assist eligible HHS nonprofits with identifying and addressing organizational needs and capacity
building opportunities for achieving the greatest long-term community impact.
Capacity building is the process through which an organization develops the internal capacity to
be the most effective it can be and sustain itself over the long term. Capacity building
strengthens organizational resiliency in the face of internal and external changes, improves the
quality of the organization’s work, raise resources, creates an environment where people feel
valued and more.
The City of Aspen’s HHS grants program strategic focus is to advance a healthy and resilient
community by supporting a comprehensive system of accessible physical and mental health
care, human services, and community resources. HHS outcomes and priorities are further
focused on addressing mental health and substance abuse, reduction of suicide and programs
that support community and family connections.
Eligibility
This grant is open to applicants that meet all the following criteria:
• Nonprofit organizations that have been operating for three or more years.
• Nonprofit organizations that have an annual operating budget of $500,000 or more.
• Nonprofit organizations that have received a City of Aspen HHS grant within the past
three years.
• The willingness of both the executive director and Board chair to sign a statement
indicating that they have the time and willingness to dedicate meaningful and consistent
time to capacity building throughout the grant cycle.
Timeline
The Health and Human Services Capacity Building Program is being delivered in a six month
intensive cohort model intended to leverage an interactive professional development experience
51
2
to maximize learning among participants. The program will be delivered on the following
timeline:
• May - Capacity Building Program Application Submission and Awardee Selection
• June - Cohort Kick-Off
• July & August - Organizational Assessment (People, Process, Infrastructure,
Financial)
• September - Assessment Summary and Recommendations
• October - Capacity Building Planning & Design
• November - Capacity Building Project Implementation Strategy & Funding Request
• December - Cohort Completion Celebration and Project Presentation
Participants are expected to participate in monthly virtual/in-person coaching* and in-person
workshops as outlined below:
• June 21st - Kick-Off (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• July 19th - Governance as Leadership (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• August 16th - The Co-Pilot Relationship (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• September 20th - Your Big, Bold and Believable Goal (Board Chair & Chief Executive)
• October 18th - Developing your Capacity Building Strategy & Plan (Executive)
• November 15th - Defining your Case for Support (Executive)
• December 13th – Program Completion and Capacity Building Project Presentation
(Board Chair & Chief Executive)
*Coaching sessions will be scheduled individually to best accommodate schedules.
Selection Criteria
Up to four organizations will be selected to participate. Applications will be assessed for
selection based on the following criteria:
25% - Organizational Alignment with City of Aspen Grant Program Philosophy & HHS
Strategic Focus Area
25% - Organizational Need for Capacity Building
25% - Potential for Positive Organizational Change as a Result of Capacity Building
25% - Potential for Positive Community Impact as a Result of Capacity Building
Introduction to Capacity Building
52
3
Grantees will receive professional consultation to help them become high performing, high
impact organizations. This grant will help improve capacity through development in one or
more of the following areas:
Clear, Purpose, Values & Mission
• The purpose is an expression of why it matters that the organization exists.
• The values are the beliefs that shape the strategy and guide day-to-day actions of
the organization, its board and staff.
• The mission is the statement of who the organization is, who it serves and what it
does in creating a better future state.
Effective Governance
• A defined, consistent process for how the organization makes decisions.
• Responsible governance by the board and effective day-to-day management by the
staff.
Strategic Thinking & Planning
• A strategic plan that is a living document and informs annual work plans and forms
the basis for periodic evaluations of staff, board and programs.
• A strategic plan that is flexible enough to respond to new realities and can allow the
organization to effectively adapt to change.
Program Development & Implementation • Intentional program design and implementation. • A process that pays careful attention to identifying desired outcomes, developing
appropriate activities and giving staff the appropriate skills to do the work. • A consistent process for monitoring results and adapting programs to new
information and lessons learned.
Evaluation, Learning & Accountability
• A plan for actively evaluating their work and learning from success and failure.
• A regular process for improving effectiveness and remaining accountable to the
people they serve.
Human Resource Management
• People development and management that optimizes their productivity and the
organization’s success.
• A process for ensuring people managers are trained in basic human resource
management.
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• Active support for the principle that people must be paid well, have good benefits,
take care of themselves and not be exhausted by the work.
Healthy Organizational Culture
• A clear understanding of the written and unwritten rules that shape and reflect the
way an organization operates.
• Expressions of the organizational culture are in alignment with the organization’s
core values and held by the board and staff of the organization.
Sound Management Systems and Structures
• Formal and visible ways for how the organization does its work.
• Well defined systems and structures for governance, human resources, information
management and technology, communications, finance, training and development,
planning and evaluation and much more.
• Systems and structures clearly align with the organization’s vision, values and
mission.
Compliance, Fiscal Management and Public Accountability
• A consistent and documented demonstration of meeting 501(c)3 fiscal and legal
requirements.
• Boards of directors who own their responsible for legal compliance; understanding
federal, state and local requirements and exercising appropriate oversight of staff to
ensure compliance.
• Boards that understand and take seriously their legal and fiscal responsibilities.
• Demonstrable accountability to ethical standards that are consistent with the
organization’s values.
Effective Resource Development
• Clear plans for resource development and the human capacity to implement those
plans.
• Resource development driven by clear program and financial objectives, a long-
range plan and an annual plan for fundraising, active and trained board members,
skilled staff and effective systems for record- keeping, communications, evaluation
and reporting.
Quality Constituent Relationships
• A serious commitment to their accountability to their constituents.
• Strong relationships with constituents are woven into the fabric of the organization,
providing day- to-day and long-term accountability.
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Strategic Communications
• Strategic communications plans that tell the organization’s story and engage
constituents, funders, the general public and others.
Collaboration/Coalition Building
• Acknowledgement that no single organization can effect lasting change in a
community.
• A conscious commitment to avoid working at the margins and limiting their impact.
• Leverages a collaborative network/coalition to affect public policy, influence public
opinion and make lasting change.
• Demonstrable commitment to building understanding and mutual respect for broad-
based and sustainable change.
*Extracted from a report by Gladys Washington, Retired Deputy Director, Mary Reynolds
Babcock Foundation
APPLICATION
Deadline: 5PM on Friday, May 19th.
ORGANIZATION NAME:
MISSION:
# OF YEARS IN OPERATION:
ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET 2023:
WEBSITE:
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
NAME:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP
BOARD CHAIR NAME:
PHONE:
EMAIL:
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The Health and Human Services Capacity Building Program is designed to be a collaborative learning and
development experience among qualified organization’s board and staff leadership. Selected applicants
are expected to attend all required workshops and coaching sessions for the duration of the program
Please co-create responses to the questions below:
1. In three sentences or less, why is building the capacity of your organization important for our
community?
2. What are the top three areas of capacity building do you believe your organization would most
benefit from? Please select three from the list below.
o Governance
o Strategic Planning
o Program Development
o Program Evaluation
o Diversity Equity and Inclusion
o Resource Development
o Leadership and Management
o Constituent Relationships
o Strategic Communications
o Collaboration/Coalition Building
o Other: ________________________________________
3. Why do believe there is a need to develop capacity in the areas selected above (500 words or
less)?
4. How will your organization be different as a result of building capacity in the areas selected
above (500 words or less)?
5. How will developing the capacity of your organization impact those you serve and the
community (500 words or less)?
6. How will developing the capacity of your organization advance the City of Aspen Grants
Program, Health and Human Services strategic focus areas (500 words or less)?
By signing below I am indicating my active participation in responding to the application questions, and
my commitment to participating in monthly coaching and workshops through the duration of the
program. Further, I am open to thinking differently and doing differently, to achieve greater impact on
behalf of the community we serve.
____________________________ __________________________
STAFF NAME BOARD CHAIR NAME
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____________________________ __________________________
SIGNATURE SIGNATURE
____________________________ __________________________
DATE DATE
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City of Aspen Grants: Asset and Acquisition Assistance
Overview
The Asset & Acquisition grant is intended to help eligible arts & cultural non-profit
organizations make the most of their facilities and provide the assets and equipment necessary
to be as impactful as possible.
Applicants can request support in two categories: Facility Improvements or Equipment
Acquisitions. Facility Improvement grants are intended to assist with needed capital
maintenance or permanent upgrades within existing facilities, while Equipment Acquisition
grants are intended to assist with the purchase of ancillary equipment or assets to increase the
effectiveness of organizational programming or operations.
This grant requires matching funds and will cover up to 2/3 of the total cost of any project, up
to the $50,000 grant award limit. For example, if requesting the maximum amount of $50,000,
applicants must demonstrate that they have at least $25,000 already budgeted to put towards
the project cost.
Eligibility
The Asset & Acquisition grant is open to arts & cultural non-profit organizations who meet the
following criteria:
For Facility Improvements Grants:
• The improvement must be proposed for a property within the Aspen Urban Growth
Boundary that is owned or leased by the applicant organization, with a lease expiring at
least five years from the date of grant application, or an option to renew for a period at
least five years from the date of grant application.
For Equipment Acquisition Grants:
• The acquisition application must be submitted by an organization with a physical
location within the Aspen Urban Growth Boundary and be intended for use primarily at
this location.
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Guidelines
• Individual grants are capped at $50,000 each during this pilot year.
• Grants will either be issued for the entire requested grant amount or not be
recommended for an award.
• Applicants must submit a quote, estimate, invoice, or other document that provides a
basis of costs for the requested grant support.
• Capital campaigns, fundraisers, etc are not eligible for support via this grant.
• Applicants must demonstrate that sufficient funds exist to enact this project if selected
for a grant award.
• The grant request is limited to a maximum of 10% of an applicant organization’s
operating budget.
• Assets purchased or improved by grant funding may not be sold or disposed of within
two years from the date of purchase.
Review Criteria
Applicants will be assessed for selection based on the following criteria:
25% -- Alignment
• How well does the application and organization align with City of Aspen Grant Program
Philosophy & Arts & Culture Strategic Focus Area
25% -- Community Impact
• To what extent will the proposal make a meaningful and durable positive impact in the
lives of those it serves? To what extent will the proposal benefit the broader community
beyond those directly served?
25% -- Feasibility
• How well does the application demonstrate that the proposal is viable, accurately
budgeted, and that the organizational capacity exists to ensure funds are used as
proposed?
25% -- Utility
• To what extent will the proposal positively affect organizational operations,
programming, or environmental sustainability?
1.
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City of Aspen Grant Program Philosophy:
The City of Aspen’s Grant Program supports non-profit organizations that promote a
mentally and physically healthy community; provide protection for our natural
environment; and create opportunities for connections for all community members,
through partnerships, ease of access, stewardship, arts and cultural enrichment, and
innovation.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Strategic Focus:
The City of Aspen strives to be a healthy and resilient community by supporting a
comprehensive system of accessible mental and physical health care, human services,
and community resources.
Arts & Culture Strategic Focus:
The City of Aspen supports artistically excellent non-profit organizations which
contribute to the cultural vibrancy of our community.
Community Programs Strategic Focus:
The City of Aspen supports and enhances non-profit organizations which create and
deliver high impact community programming.
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: John Barker, Senior Management Analyst
THROUGH: Alissa Farrell, Administrative Services Director
CC: Lisa Rigsby Peterson, Wheeler Opera House Director
Patrick Quick, Strategy & Innovation Director
MEMO DATE: June 27, 2022
MEETING DATE: July 5, 2022
RE: Application of additional Real Estate Transfer Tax funding to the
City’s Arts & Culture grants program
REQUEST OF COUNCIL: Staff is requesting Council feedback and direction on the
proposed expansion of the Arts & Culture grants program.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND: In November of 2021, Aspen voters approved ballot
measure 2A. This measure allows the 0.5% Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT), historically
limited to primarily assist the Wheeler Opera House, to be made eligible to support “the
cultural, visual and performing arts,” in addition to capital and operational support of the
Red Brick Center for the Arts. The measure passed with 71% of the vote in favor. Sixty
percent (60%) approval of the voters was required to make the proposed changes.
The passage of 2A coincided with a significant increase in RETT collections related to the
rise in Aspen’s housing market. Historical RETT collections have totaled around
$4,000,000 annually. In 2021, RETT collections totaled $10,848,886. $4,909,547 has
been collected through May of 2022, a 37% increase over the same period in 2021.
Historically, the RETT allocation to the Wheeler Opera House is between $4,000,000 and
$6,000,000 annually, depending on capital projects. In accordance with the language of
the approved ballot measure, The Red Brick Center for the Arts, which previously
received $30,000 annually from the grants program, will now receive support from RETT
collections with an estimated annual contribution of $250,000 for operating expenses in
addition to capital project support in future years.
To best utilize the additional RETT funding available, Staff and the Grants Steering
Committee propose an expansion of the existing Arts & Culture grants as well as two new
Arts & Culture grant divisions, the Aspen Artist Fellowship division, and the Asset &
Acquisition Assistance Support division. Staff is scheduled to meet with the Wheeler
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Advisory Board at their next meeting to share Council’s direction and gather
recommendations on future RETT allocations for the Wheeler Opera House.
This proposal is intended to allocate the additional resources available via RETT
collections in accordance with the grants overall program philosophy and strategic focus
area with fiscal responsibility and sustainability through varying economic conditions.
Despite increased collections in recent years, it is important to implement programming
that can be maintained in times of less robust RETT collections and preserve capacity to
support the specific, primary uses of RETT funding, the Red Brick Center for the Arts and
the Wheeler Opera House in addition to expanded grants funding.
The primary Arts & Culture grants division is an established community program with a
record of success. The two new grant divisions are pilot programs. The impact and
benefits of these programs will be carefully assessed, if approved by Council, and will be
re-evaluated prior to the 2024 grant cycle. These new proposed grant divisions are a
result of a recommitment to a historically successful program, response to discussions
with arts & cultural organizational leaders, and a desire to support Aspen’s arts & culture
non-profits through innovative programming.
The proposed divisions are:
Arts & Culture Grants
2022 Funding: $600,000
Proposed 2023 Funding: $800,000-$1,200,000
Summary: This is a continuation of the successful Arts & Culture grant division that has
been running for over a decade. An increase in funding will encourage new organizations
to apply for funding and existing grantees to enhance their applications to maximize
community impact. Funding in this range will continue to require the volunteer review
committee to ensure that applications receiving funding are high-quality and have desired
community impact.
Aspen Artist Fellowship
2022 Funding: N/A (New Grant Division)
Proposed 2023 Funding: $40,000-$60,000
Summary: This division stimulates community vibrancy directly through Aspen’s artists
themselves. In this pilot year, an Aspen Artist Fellowship would award 10 -15 monetary
grants to directly support individual artists and creatives working across a range of
genres. The grant is intended to invest in the creative efforts of artists so they can continue
to make a positive impact in the community. Preliminary design of the program includes
an opportunity for collaboration in the artist cohort as well as youth involvement.
Asset & Acquisition Support
2022 Funding: N/A (New Grant Division)
Proposed 2023 Funding: $500,000 to $1,000,000
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Summary: Promoting cultural vibrancy and artistic excellence through material
improvements at grantee organizations, this program provides support through the
acquisition of physical resources or improvements to grantee facilities that will have a
positive community benefit. Staff intend to use the pilot year to establish and respond to
the needs of Aspen’s arts & cultural non-profits—with program revisions such as grant
cycle length, budget, and other improvements to be considered for future years.
DISCUSSION:
Arts & Culture Grants:
Overview:
The Arts & Culture grants program has had an annual budget of $400,000 since 2018
This funding came from two sources: $100,000 in RETT proceeds (capped in the statute
language), and the remaining funds from Wheeler Opera House operations and tenant
rentals. Requests have consistently and significantly outpaced the program budget. For
the 2022 grant cycle, Council allocated an additional $200,000 of available RETT funding
collected in December of 2021, creating a grant funding pool of $600,000.
Given the projected robust RETT collections in 2022, and the community expectation that
more funds will be made available to this program, staff and the grants steering committee
suggest a funding pool increase between 33% and 100% of 2022 levels. Total requests
during recent years have exceeded the minimum suggested increase and requests are
expected to further increase in response to funding availability and increased
organizational costs exacerbated by rising inflation, housing scarcity, and increased
employee expense. 2021 requests totaled $827,450 and 2022 requests totaled $970,706.
A strong Arts & Culture grant program is a vital tool to achieve Council's stated goal of
contributing to the cultural vibrancy of the Aspen community. It is essential to continue to
support arts & cultural organizations via this historically successful program that allows
grantees to apply for organizational or program support in the areas most important to the
organization applying. More information will be provided to Council regarding updates to
the existing grant programs during a work session scheduled for July 18, 2022.
Pros of Implementation:
An increase in the Arts & Culture grants funding pool will encourage eligible organizations
to submit more impactful applications and is the most efficient way to support the arts &
cultural community—through their own ideas with their own expertise.
Cons of Implementation:
An increase in grant funding pool, if not accompanied by the expected increase in
organizational participation and funding requests, may result in the volunteer review
committee recommending that not all available funding be awarded during a year of lower
scoring applications as the committee will prioritize the highest -caliber applications for
funding support.
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Aspen Artist Fellowship:
Overview: During the discussion and approval of the 2022 grants on April 12, 2022,
Council provided staff with direction for a grant division that directly supports individual
artists as a priority for 2023. In consultation with Staff subject matter experts, Lisa Rigsby
Peterson, Director of the Wheeler Opera House and Sarah Roy, Director of the Red Brick,
the Aspen Artist Fellowship pilot program is the result of efforts to design an appropriate
and impactful program to support local artists. The fellowship would award direct cash
grants to ten to fifteen local artists. Examples of how the funding may be used include :
developing a project, buying supplies, furthering artistic education, renting studio or
rehearsal space, and other means to support and market a creative and vibrant economy.
In return for this support, Fellowship grantees would be expected to form “artist cohorts”
to explore methods to expand the role of artists in the creative economy and enhance
their contribution to the vitality of the community. Possible cohort projects include mental
health support for those in the creative arts , sharing of artistic work and expertise,
exploration of how to create school or youth partnerships , creation of shared resources
to bolster purchasing power of the individual artist and identification of community issues
and how individual artists could respond.
Pros of Implementation:
By creating a fellowship program to support those who live in the Aspen community, to
create for the Aspen community, the grant program supports individual creative vitality in
addition to organizational artistic vitality—both are critical components of a thriving
culture. By investing in local artists and creating opportunities for them to engage together
in community conversation, the program strengthens the work of the individual and
stimulates creative community dialogue around pressing issues.
Cons of Implementation:
The development of an individual artist fellowship program will require appropriate criteria
and funding levels to assure the community that the program is not simply an individual
subsidy, but an investment in the creative sector of the economy. There may be other
sectors who request similar support, with no dedicated funding (such as RETT) to provide
such funds.
This program is proposed as a one-year pilot program to assess the value of individ ual
artist fellowships as part of the expanded mandate of the new RETT language. This grant
division will also require a new volunteer expert review committee to be formed as current
grants administration staff and volunteer reviewers do not all have the necessary
expertise to administer this program.
Asset & Acquisition Assistance:
Overview: Aspen’s arts and cultural non-profits can only be as effective as their resources
and facilities allow them to be. This proposed grant division is designed to help non-profit
organizations make the most of their facilities and provide the tools and equipment
necessary to enhance their buildings and infrastructure. This could range from remodeling
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an instructional room to meet modern standards to the purchase of essential equipment
for operations. After a one-year pilot with a limited budget in 2023, staff will assess
community demand and application traits to recommend future changes. For example,
this division could eventually operate on a three-year cycle to allow funding to accumulate
at a useful level for capital support and give enough time for the needs of potential
grantees to become clear between cycles.
Pros of Implementation:
This division will help local arts and cultural non-profit organizations keep their facilities
operating effectively while also encouraging innovation by supporting the purchase of new
and important equipment and materials. A large enough budget is proposed to have
tangible community benefits, but small enough to ensure that funding will be limited to the
most impactful applications.
Cons of Implementation:
This program represents a significant, new, financial commitment. Additionally, this
proposal provides important organizational support but is less directly tied to quantifiable
and meaningful public outcomes than the other grant divisions.
Questions for Council:
1. Do the proposed Arts & Culture grant divisions meet Council’s vision for use
of RETT funding to support Aspen’s Arts & Cultural vibrancy?
a. Should the existing Arts & Culture grants be expanded with an
increased budget?
b. Should staff implement the proposed Aspen Artist Fellowship pilot
program in 2023?
c. Should staff implement the Asset & Acquisition Assistance pilot
program in 2023?
2. What is an appropriate annual budget for each grant division?
a. Arts & Culture Grants: Proposed $800,000 to $1,200,000
b. Aspen Artist Fellowship: Proposed $40,000 to $60,000
c. Asset & Acquisition Assistance: Proposed $500,000 to $1,000,000
3. Would Council like to see a different type of arts & cultural support not
mentioned here?
ALTERNATIVES:
Council can choose to not allocate additional funding to the Arts & Culture grants program,
not support new divisions, suggest alternative priorities, or revise suggested funding
levels. Examples of alternative priorities could be:
• Community Initiative Grants
• Housing Stipends / Support
• Facility Rent Assistance
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Additionally, upon completion of a first-year implementation and review of the Aspen Art
Fellowship program and expansion of funds, Staff may then provide recommendations
associated with further refinements and/or incremental enhancements similar to the
above.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS: $400,000 of funding, supporting the Arts & Culture Grants, is
already appropriated for the 2023 grant cycle. The remainder of the expenses discussed
are new costs. Taking the mean of the ranges suggested by staff, these programs
represent an increase of $1,400,000 annually, for a total of $1,800,000. By grant division,
the annual costs are as follows:
• Arts & Culture Grants: $600,000 in new appropriations ($1,000,000 total)
• Aspen Artist Fellowships: $50,000
• Asset & Acquisition Support: $750,000
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: None.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
ATTACHMENT A – 2023 RETT Grants Expansion Presentation
ATTACHMENT B – Grant Program Philosophy & Strategic Focus Areas
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