It’s Time to Fully Fund All 52 Palm Beach County Division of Cultural Affairs Grants

Posted by: Cultural Council

The Florida Department of State (DOS) Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) recommends funding 730 vetted, matching grants across the state at a total investment of $67.8 million in the 2021/2022 budget.

Recommended grants go through a rigorous vetting process by DCA staff for eligibility and hundreds of volunteer arts professionals for excellence, impact, management and accessibility. Awardees must provide quarterly and final reports accounting for all grant funds and matching expenditures as well as program deliverables.

Among the total request, there are 52 grants recommended to nonprofit arts, science and history organizations in Palm Beach County for a total of $6.1 million, nearly 10% of the full funding request, in four areas: Cultural Endowment, Cultural Facilities, General Program Support and Specific Project Support.

The Cultural Council and its Cultural Advocacy Alliance recommends full funding of all projects. This funding cycle will be critical in the COVID-19 recovery effort. National studies indicate that the cultural sector was one of the hardest hit industries and that it will be among the slowest to recover.

Palm Beach County ranks 2nd highest (tied with Orange County) in the state for recommended DCA funding (Miami-Dade is 1st). There is $22.1 million in grant funding recommended for South Florida:

Miami-Dade: $13,788,620
Palm Beach: $6,193,444
Broward: $6,151,442

These grants support a vibrant sector in the state:

  • $9 to $1 return on investment to local and state government (when 100% funded)
  • Over $4.7 billion economic impact
  • Supports over 227,000 jobs ~ Americans for the Arts
  • Attract over 70 million residents and tourists annually (#1 tourism driver Among Millennials, Gen X & Boomers) ~ Destination Analysis
  • Arts and cultural offerings are a key indicator of livability ~ Florida Chamber of Commerce
  • Higher GPAs & Test Scores ~ Florida Center for Fine Arts Education

Funding partnerships are critical to a nonprofit’s sustainability and the community’s access to the arts. Click the image below to download our five-year comparison of DCA funding in Palm Beach County.

Last year (2020/2021 budget), the DCA grant program was funded at $13.6 million (full funding request was $59 million). Palm Beach County received $1.3 million in grants. Florida now ranks 29th in the country for arts funding.

*The DCA grant program has not been fully funded since 2014/2015