FCA Action Alert

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

     House cuts its original recommendations for Cultural Affairs (DCA) Grants' Programs.

     I really wish I had more promising news to share with you; however, I don't.  The Florida House just made this evening its first offer in budget conference for funding for the Florida Department of State Division of Cultural Affairs (DCA) grants' programs.  Its recommendations are as follows:

Cultural and Museum Grants:  from $10 million to $5.4 million.
Culture Builds Florida Grants:  zero
Cultural Facilities Grants:  zero
Cultural Endowment:  zero

     We are shocked and extremely disappointed that the House has cut two DCA grants' programs it recommended for full funding just a couple of weeks ago:  Culture Builds Florida and Cultural Facilities and cut its original recommendation for Cultural and Museum Grants from $10 million to $5.4 million. We wish we could give you an explanation of why, but we simply do not know why the House is making these recommendations.

     All we can do is to continue to ask you and your family, friends, and colleagues to continue to communicate with legislative  leadership and members of the Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations Budget Conference Committee to RESTORE the appropriations needed to invest in these DCA matching grants' programs that generate a 9 to 1 return to local and state government treasuries.

     The Senate will come back with its counter offer probably tomorrow.  

     I leave you with a quote from Winston Churchill: 

     " Success is not final.  Failure is not fatal.  It is the courage to continue that counts."  

     We must continue to fight for these state-appropriation investments in these vitally important matching-grants' programs.  The value that Florida's arts and culture organizations add to our lives is substantial and worth fighting for now and into the future.

     Thank you for your continued advocacy efforts.  Please do not give up.

Thank you graphic