PAY ATTENTION: Your DCA Cultural Facility grant is in JEOPARDY.

Friday, February 9, 2018

Your 2018-19 DCA Cultural Facility Grant
i s in JEOPARDY!

WHY? The SENATE currently recommends ZERO that would fund none of these 18 recommended matching grants. The HOUSE currently recommends $6,147,838 that would fully fund all

18 Cultural Facilities' Matching Grants in 2018- 2019.

These appropriation recommendations are

NOT FINAL and CAN BE CHANGED if you take action now.

The Florida Legislature will begin budget conference meetings over the next couple of weeks. Our goal is to secure what the Florida HOUSE recommends now in its proposed FY 2018-19 state budget: $6,147,838 (budget line item 3126A) that would fund your Cultural Facility matching grant and the other 17 under this category.

We do not want the budget conference to accept the SENATE's position of ZERO.

You and other advocates need to communicate now and throughout this year's legislative session with Florida Legislative Leadership and your representative and senator to secure this $6,147,838 appropriation in the final FY 2018-19 state budget.

It's important to share
with your Florida representative and senator and legislative leadership WHY this state Cultural Facility grant investment matters and is used and matched in the most ACCOUNTABLE of ways.

Take the two action steps below:

Florida Legislative Leadership
Must Hear From

You,

Your board members,

Other arts & culture advocates, and

Other Legislators in the Senate & House.

We all must ask Florida Legislative Leadership and our senators and representatives to please ACCEPT the HOUSE'S appropriation RECOMMENDATION of $6,147,838 for the Cultural Facilities Matching Grants (budget line item 3126A in the House budget) that support renovation, construction, or acquisition of cultural facilities.

This appropriation recommended now by the HOUSE would fund all 18 vetted and recommended 2018-19 Cultural Facilities' matching grants.

STEP 1:
Send two different emails now -- one to
6 Senate Leaders AND one to 6 House Leaders.

Below are TWO DIFFERENT SUGGESTED EMAILS

for you to personalize and send:

1. Below is a suggested SENATE email to personalize and send to

6 SENATE Leaders listed on page 1 -- send each Senate Leader

his or her own email -- do not send as a group of 6:

Please accept the House's appropriation recommendation of $6,147,838 for the Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs' Cultural Facilities Matching grants (budget line item 3126A in House budget). This state grant will help our nonprofit organization secure the required matching dollars we need to implement our cultural facility project. Here is a list of all 18 of the well-vetted and recommended Cultural Facilities' matching grants and links to their websites. My organization ( list the name of your organization) is included in that list.

Thank you for your time and consideration. If I may provide you with greater details about this cultural facility project, please let me know.

Your name, organization, and contact information

2. Below is a suggested HOUSE email to p ersonalize, and send to

6 HOUSE Leaders listed on page 2 -- send each House Leader

his or her own email -- do not send as a group of 6.

Thank you so much for the House's appropriation recommendation of $6,147,838 for the Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs' Cultural Facilities Matching grants (budget line item 3126A in House budget).

PLEASE, during conference, fight to keep this appropriation at the House's recommendation. This state matching grant will help our nonprofit organization secure the required matching dollars we need to implement our specific cultural facility project. Here is a list of all 18 of the well-vetted and recommended Cultural Facilities' matching grants and links to their websites. My organization ( list the name of your organization) is included in that list.

Thank you for your time and consideration. If I may provide you with greater details about this cultural facility project, please let me know.

Your name, organization, and contact information

STEP 2:
Please COPY the emails you send to

1. SENATE Leaders' legislative assistants -- their names and emails are
included in above linked PDF.

2. HOUSE Leaders' legislative assistants -- their names and emails are
included in above linked PDF.

3. Your state senator on the the emails you send to Senate leaders AND
to your state representative on the emails you send to House leaders.

If you do not know who your state senator and representative are in the
Florida Legislature, please go here and enter your address.

4. The Florida Cultural Alliance at info@FLCA.net so we know who is being
communicated with and how many emails are being sent.

This is a PROCESS to develop the state's annual budget. We all must stay involved and engaged in this process until this year's legislative session is completely over. It's not over until it's over.