Item 08 - CAFP-Update_09-21-26.pdf — original pdf

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Cultural Arts Funding Update Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment | September 21, 2026 Agenda 1. Contracts & Payments 2. Grant Funded Activities 3. Review Panels 2 Contracts & Payments Contracts & Payments (as of 9/21/26) FY24 Elevate FY25 Nexus FY25-26 Thrive (Year 1) FY25-26 Thrive (Year 2) Total Contracts Signed & Processed Contracts Test payments issued & verified Payment 1 Issued Payment 2 Issued Payment 3 Issued 229 229 (100%) 229 (100%) 229 (100%) 228 (99%) 219 (96%) 102 102 (100%) 102 (100%) 102 (100%) 88 (86%) n/a 35 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 34 (97%) 32 (91%) See year 1 35 (100%) 35 (100%) 32 (77%) N/A N/A Total Dist. to date Total Allocation $9,209,250 (99%) $9,265,000 $503,500 (99 %) $510,000 $3,787,500 (98%) $3,118,500 (81%) $3,850,000 $3,850,000 4 FY24 Final Report Status (as of 9/21/26) 10 of 229 Elevate Final Reports Incomplete (4%) • Deadline: January 31, 2026 • 4 not submitted (non-compliance process implemented) • 4 need revisions • 1 returning unused funds • 1 deceased 5 FY25 Final Report Status (as of 7/17/26) 17 of 101 Nexus Final Reports Incomplete (17%) • Deadline: May 31, 2026 • 15 not submitted (non-compliance process implemented) • 2 need revisions 6 Grant Funded Activities Cultural Funding Grantee Activities (VisitAustin) Short Films, Long Journeys: Screening & Panel September 24 Austin Asian American Film Festival (District 10) – ArtsUs Co Still. Here. Now September 25 – 26 Andrea Ariel Dance Theatre (District 3) – Carver Museum Dress Rehearsal August 29 – September 26 Yuliya Lanina (District 10) – GrayDuck Gallery Zimbabwean Marimba Festival September 26 Rattletree School of Marimba (District 8) – Casa de Luz 8 Cultural Funding Grantee Activities (VisitAustin) Physical Theatre in the 20th Century September 28 La Fenice (District 2) – Dougherty Arts Center Typewriter Poetry October 8 Austin Typewriter Poets Collective (District 2) – Cherrywood Center Eastside Kings Festival October 18 Eastside Kings Foundation (District 8) – Various Welcome to Terror Terrace: A Halloween Variety Show October 11 – November 1 Early Era Collective (District 4) – Dougherty Arts Center 9 Review Panels Funding Programs: Guidelines  Clearer definitions  Clearer criteria  Simplified processes  More accessible resources across all programs  Learn More: austintexas.gov/acme/grants-funding English Guidelines Spanish Guidelines 11 Open Funding Programs: Overview Austin Live Music Fund • $5,000 - $70,000 • Music Industry (musicians, independent promoters, venues) Thrive • Up to $80,000 - $125,000 • Arts organizations, 5+ years operation, with and without creative spaces Elevate • Up to $15,000 - $80,000 • Arts organizations, individual artists, creative businesses Heritage Preservation Grant • $50,000 - $250,000 • Preservation projects and activities 12 Open Funding Programs: Evaluation Austin Live Music Fund • $5,000 - $70,000 • Music Industry (musicians, independent promoters, venues) Thrive • Up to $80,000 - $125,000 • Arts organizations, 5+ years operation, with and without creative spaces Panel Process Elevate • Up to $30,000 - $80,000 • Arts organizations, individual artists, creative businesses Heritage Preservation Grant • $50,000 - $250,000 • Preservation projects and activities 13 Why the Panel Process?  Industry standard for 50+ years (NEA/NEH since 1965)  All 56 state and territorial arts agencies use peer panels  Key Benefits: objectivity, transparency, accountability, equity, legitimacy, scalability  Removes appearance of favoritism or bias  Can thoroughly evaluate hundreds of applications 14 Panelist Qualifications & Compensation Who we Seek Required Qualifications Compensation: • Arts professionals (practicing artists, administrators, educators, curators, producers) • Heritage experts (architects, preservationists, museum educators, tourism professionals) • Community members • Variety of backgrounds! • At least 18 years old • NOT a full time COA employee • $500 honorarium upon completion of deliverables • NOT applying for the same • Competitive with other local arts agencies grant program track • Available for required trainings and panel dates • Able to commit to 30 hours • 20 hours review + 8-hour panel + 1.5 hour training 15 Panelist Recruitment Process • Open Nomination process (newsletters/social) • Publicly accessible Form on City website • Form lives in Submittable (built out by TLC) • Rolling acceptance Step 1: Initial Interest (ACME-wide) Step 2: Secondary Form (Program-Specific) • Sent to all via Submittable Aug 3 • Specific date availability • Pre-emptively identifies conflicts • Specific questions about other languages, special skillsets, discipline expertise • Applications scored based on • Subject matter expertise • Arts: Community knowledge and geographic representation • Absence of Conflicts of Interest Step 3: Staff Review & Assignments Best Practice Alignment: Following NEA and state arts agency models; open and transparent recruitment 16 Panelist: Selection & Composition  Minimum Panel Composition  Subject matter experts and community members  Arts: Representation specific to creative discipline being evaluated  Preservation: Representation specific to historic preservation and heritage tourism  Mix of local and regional panelists  Mix of arts administrators and practicing professionals  Experience in nonprofit and community-based practice  Tourism expertise  Panel Size  Minimum 4 panelists, ideally 5-7 per panel  Need ~360 panelists total to review  Best Practice Alignment: NEA requires at least one layperson and diverse expertise 17 Panelist Training & Expectations Panelist Responsibilities Required Training • Complete required training • Read and review ALL assigned applications thoroughly • Score based on program rubric (not personal preference) • Provide constructive written comments for each application • Participate in virtual panel discussion • Look beyond grantsmanship to evaluate merit • Do NOT contact applicants of other reviewers during process • Maintain confidentiality and professionalism • ACME Mission • Funding Source requirements (HOT regulations) • Program guidelines and scoring rubrics • Conflict of Interest Policy and Procedures • Submittable portal technical training • Best practices for constructive written and spoken feedback • Panel day logistics and expectations 18 Avoiding Conflicts of Interest W h a t i s a C o n f l i c t o f I n t e r e s t ? • Any financial association or relationship with an applicant • Any situation where panelists feels they cannot be unbiased Immediate family member or organization applying • • Own organization applying to the same program track  Required Actions by Panelists (built in at every step of process)  Disclose all potential/actual conflicts BEFORE receiving assignments (Secondary Form)  Complete Conflict of Interest attestation before reviewing EACH application (in Submittable)  Recuse themselves from reviewing/scoring any conflicted application  Avoid advocating for or against any applicant  Cannot serve as panelists if they or immediate family member is applying to the same grant track Permissible Service: Consequences: Applicants CAN serve as panelists if they are in a DIFFERENT track (e.g. an Elevate applicant in the Nonprofit track may serve as a Reviewer in the Individual Artist track or Arts Group track) Panelists who fail to disclose conflicts may be dismissed Disqualified from future review opportunities 19 Panelists: Review Process Elevate Thrive Heritage Preservation • 501(c)(3) Arts Non-Profit • Arts Groups • Individual Artists Applicant Type • Exhibition • Performance • Arts Service, Arts Education, Arts and Music Therapy Discipline • Large Budget • Mid-Size Budget • Small Budget Budget Size •501(c)(3) Arts Non-Profit •5+ years operating history •With Creative Space •Without Creative Space Applicant Type Creative Space •Exhibition •Performance •Arts Service, Arts Education, Arts and Music Therapy Discipline •Large Budget •Mid-Size Budget •Small Budget Budget Size • Interdepartmental staff review PRE-PANEL • Heritage Events (with designation) • Heritage Events (without designation) Project Type • Capital Improvement Projects • Preservation architects, museum educators, historians, tourism professionals Preservation expertise 20 Panelists: Application Assignments Assignment Process 1. Staff assigns applications based on panelist expertise 2. Panelists receive assignments via Submittable portal 3. Panelists review for conflicts and notify staff immediately 4. Staff reassign any conflicted application to other panelists Primary vs Secondary Reviewers  Primary Reviewer: 30-second intro PLUS 1-2 minutes detailed comments on panel day  Secondary Reviewer: 1-2 minutes comments on panel day  All Panelists: Pre-score applications, submit written comments before panel day, participate  All Panelists review ~20-30 applications; 30-60 minutes per application 21 Panel Meeting Day  Schedule  8 hours total: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (includes lunch break)  9:00 AM: Executive session (panelists only; closed to public)  10:00 AM: Panel begins!  Average 5-8 minutes per application, 10 minutes maximum; reviewed in order provided by staff  Ground Rules  Stay neutral and respectful in tone; Avoid judgmental or dismissive language  Reference the rubric criteria explicitly; Share differing perspectives constructively  Focus on content, not comparison; Be specific about strengths and areas for improvement  Transparency & Public Access  Recorded and viewable by applicants  Anonymized written panelists comments shared with applicants  Panelist names and brief bios available to public 22 Review and Scoring Timeline Panel Training August 24-29, 2026 Application Review and Scoring Reading, assigning numeric scores and writing comments - completed independently Elevate: Thrive: August 31 – September 29, 2026 August 31 – October 6, 2026 Heritage Preservation Grant: September 21, 2026 – October 20, 2026 Panel Discussion – Tuesdays through Saturdays throughout October on ZOOM Webinar Full day panel discussion with fellow reviewers Elevate: Thrive: September 29, 2026 – October 30, 2026 (~approx. 35 panels over 19 days) October 14, 2026 – October 30, 2026 (~approx. 11 panels over 10 days) Heritage Preservation Grant: October 27, 2026 – October 30, 2026 (~approx. 4 panels over 4 days) 23 Spanish Language Evaluation  Eligibility Review  Automatic Tentative Eligibility; The Long Center native-Spanish Speaker verifies eligibility  Application Content  All Spanish Applications are translated to English for Panel Reviewers  Panel Review and Scoring  Panel Reviewers may use both English translation and original Spanish Application during their evaluation/Scoring period  NOTE: ACME tries to have at least one Panel Reviewer who indicated they can read/review applications in Spanish on each Panel with Spanish applications.  Panel Day  An Interpreter is hired  Discussion time is doubled for the review (to allow for consecutive interpretation)  Scores, Comments, and Reviewer Feedback  English written comments are translated into Spanish after review  Applicants are provided with recording and translated comments after award determinations 24 Recent Panel Enhancements – FY26 Cycle  Streamlined Panelist Recruitment  Two-stage application process (initial + program specific)  Enhanced Training Content  Comprehensive training with specific guidance on providing constructive feedback in both writing and verbal assessments (samples of good vs less helpful feedback)  Olympic-style scoring  Highest and lowest scores for each application are removed before averaging the remaining scores. This approach helps reduce impact of outliers and ensure fairness.  Applicant Introduction Statement (not scored)  Narrative or video to provide additional context about proposed project or creative work.  This is an opportunity to share additional context they think may be helpful to Reviewers.  Required Comments  Required written comments for each application (within Submittable)  Required verbal comments for each application by all panelists (not just primary and secondary) 25 Recent Panel Enhancements – FY27 Cycle  Longer Review Time  Panelists are instructed to spend no more than 1 hour reviewing and scoring applications rather than 30 minutes  Panels will have at least 4 weeks to review all assigned applications  Examples of the Panel Day Process  A clip of one of the application reviews from the February 2026 panels to better illustrate the primary and secondary reviewer roles  Provides additional examples of how to provide feedback that aligns with the scoring rubric 26 Review Panelist Statistics  Panelist Recruitment & Composition  814 Total Review Panelist applications  357 Review Panelists needed (estimate based on applications expected)  365 Potential Review Panelists on this Short List (due to availability and conflicts of interest, we always aim for a buffer)  Location  324 from the Austin-MSA (89%)  41 are from outside the MSA (11%)  ACME Funding Applicants?  234 are NOT applying for funding (64%)  75 are applying for funding (21%)  56 not sure if they will apply for funding (15%) 27 Review Panelist Statistics  Gender Identity:  Age:  252 women (69%)  89 men (24%)  19 non-binary (5%)  5 Prefer Not to Answer (1%)  56 in their 20s (15%)  110 in their 30s (30%)  109 in their 40s (30%)  50 in their 50s (14%)  36 are 60+ (10%)  4 Prefer Not to Answer (1%) 28 Review Panelist Statistics  Race/ Ethnicity:  Non-English Languages Spoken:  67 Spanish  12 French  5 Hindi  17 other languages with 3 or fewer speakers  137 White (38%)  79 Hispanic/Latine (22%)  76 Black/African American (21%)  27 Asian (7%)  25 Multi-race/ethnicity (7%)  8 Prefer Not to Answer (2%)  6 Native American (2%)  4 Race/Ethnicity Not Listed (1%)  2 Middle Eastern/Arab/North African (0.5%)  1 Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.2%) 29 Questions? 30