HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmail - Read Before Packet - 2/15/2022 - Memorandum From Jim Mcdonald Re: Agenda Item 16 - Fort Fund Grant Program Funding And UseMEMORANDUM
Date: February 14, 2022
To: Mayor and Councilmembers
Thru: Kelly DiMartino, Interim City Manager
Kyle Stannert, Deputy City Manager
Seve Ghose, Community Services Director
From: Jim McDonald, Cultural Services Director
Re: Agenda Item 16 - Fort Fund Grant Program Funding and Use
______________________________________________________________________
Following the publication of the agenda, Councilmember Peel raised questions for clarification
about the Fort Fund Grant Program (Item 16 on tomorrow night’s agenda). Following are the
Councilmember’s questions with answers.
Question 1.
Is the intent to provide just cultural events for citizens of Fort Collins or provide a draw for
tourists? If just cultural events for local citizens, why the tax on the lodging industry and not
another source of revenue?
Answer 1
The intention is to provide both cultural events and programming for residents of Fort Collins
and to support and promote tourism. The intent is also to provide support to the local arts and
culture sector as an important component of the community’s identity and vitality.
Fort Fund was established in 1989 with the Lodging Tax being designated by the City Council to
support the program. Currently, Visit Fort Collins receives 70% of the tax, 25% is allocated for
the Fort Fund Cultural Development and Programming Account, and 5% for the Tourism
Programming Account.
Question 2
If both objectives are desired, what is the criteria to ensure the grants are distributed in an even
manner for tourist and cultural events? Is this determined by the percentage collected for each
category?
Answer 2
The grant program is open to nonprofit organizations that provide events and programming in
the Fort Collins community and within the Growth Management Area. The Cultural Resources
Cultural Services Department
215 N. Mason St.
Fort Collins, CO 80522
fcgov.com/culturalservices
Board reviews the applications that apply and that meet guideline criteria. There is not a set
criteria on how many events of any particular kind are funded. Historically, there have been
fewer tourism-related applications submitted.
Question 3
If tourism is the objective, are there metrics to determine success?
Answer 3
The Cultural Tourism Board and staff work closely with Visit Fort Collins staff on supporting and
promoting the Fort Fund Grant Program. Fort Fund Grantees are required to list their events on
the Visit Fort Collins on-line calendar. Grantees are also asked in the application the following
questions: How does the event(s) provide a measurable economic contribution throughout the
community, including expansion of tourism, employment of local artists, and leveraging of
dollars?” and “How will your marketing plan promote your event(s) to a broad constituency
(include residents, visitors, and tourists)? Last, the grantees provide a “Tourism Impact Form”
as part of their final grant reports, though some of the data requested is often difficult for the
organizations to collect such as where people traveled from and how long they stayed or what
else they did while here.