TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Anthony Halstead - Director of Library Services
REPORT BY: Anthony Halstead - Director of Library Services
SUBJECT: FY 2026-27 Arts & Culture Grant Agreements for Recipients
RECOMMENDATION
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Approve and authorize grant awards for 22 agreements with 16 different organizations as recommended by the Napa County Arts and Culture Advisory Committee; and Agreement No. 270057B between the Arts Council Napa Valley and the Library to act as the Napa County Local Arts Agency and implement the Napa County Cultural Plan for the term July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. (Fiscal Impact: $299,561, Expense; General Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary; and Fiscal Impact: $63,065, Expense; Library Fund; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
In November 2004, Napa County voters approved an increase in the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) rate charged to visitors renting hotel and motel rooms in the unincorporated area. The increase, from 10.5% to 12%, took effect on January 1, 2005, and was not dedicated to any specific purpose, thus requiring only a majority vote to pass. Although the revenue generated by the additional 1.5% TOT is fully discretionary, the Board determined that the receipt of additional discretionary revenue provided an opportunity to consider County investments in projects or programs that were a Board priority. To that end, as part of the fiscal year 2005-06 County budget process, the Board established the Special Projects Fund (SPF) to finance programs or projects in two areas: (1) visitor management and (2) parks and open space.
On January 23, 2018, the Board discussed the SPF, including reauthorizing a new SPF funding cycle through fiscal year 2022-23 and amending the SPF allocation formula:
• 60% - Parks and Open Space
• 20% - Affordable Housing Programs for hospitality workers
• 20% - Arts and Culture Programs or Services
In April 2023, with the SPF cycle expiring at the end of fiscal year 2022-23, the Board amended the SPF allocation procedures. The amendment renamed the fund to the “Community Investment Fund” (CIF) to better capture the purpose of the fund and redirected the 20% allocation for affordable housing and assigned it to parks and open space. Napa County voters approved an additional 1% TOT dedicated to workforce housing in 2018 and it generates more revenues than the previous SPF allocation. The amended CIF allocation formula is as follows:
• 80% - Parks and Open Space
• 20% - Arts and Culture Programs or Services
BOARD-APPROVED ARTS & CULTURE GRANT GUIDELINES
The purpose of the Arts & Culture Advisory Committee (Committee) is to conduct and oversee a grant program and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding grant awards made to non-profit arts and cultural organizations in Napa County. The goal is to grow and promote arts and cultural offerings in Napa County for residents and visitors, include more diversity of cultures and voices in the arts, and foster more collaboration among Napa’s arts groups.
The Committee met on October 24, 2022; to discuss amendments to the Arts & Culture Grant Guidelines for the fiscal year 2023-24 grant cycle and the guidelines were approved by the Board in November 2022. The guidelines, which remain unchanged for the fiscal year 2026-27 cycle, include two main funding categories and eligible organizations may submit grant requests for two subcategories:
Main Category 1 - Tourism Generating Arts and Culture Organization. This category is for organizations that earn at least 20 percent of their income or patronage from visitors and can submit data that demonstrates its impact/use by visitors from outside of Napa County. It includes the following sub-categories:
1. Capacity Building
2. Special Programs & Projects
3. Capital Improvement
Main Category 2 - General Arts and Culture Organization. This category is for organizations that do not receive 20 percent of their income or patronage from visitors outside of Napa County and primarily focus on arts and culture activities for residents of Napa County. It includes the following sub-categories:
1. Capacity Building
2. Special Programs & Projects
3. Capital Improvement
Leadership and Professional Development: This subcategory is intended to provide support for non-profit staff and boards in governance and management training, skills, development, and professional coaching. Both Tourism Generating and General Arts and Culture organizations may apply in addition to their two subcategories requests.
Maximum Grant Requests:
The maximum grant amounts are based on an organization’s annual operating budget:
• Small operating budget (up to $100,000): $7,500 maximum award amount
• Mid-sized operating budget (greater than $100,000 but less than $500,000): $17,500 maximum award amount The maximum grant award for Leadership & Professional Development grants is $2,500, regardless of budget size. The award is not counted toward the above caps on awards.
Collaborative Grant Requests: Two or more organizations may partner on a Special Programs & Projects request in addition to their individual grant requests and Leadership & Professional Development request. The maximum award amount is $20,000, regardless of budget size and no more than $10,000 per participating organization.
General Fund TOT appropriations for fiscal year 2026-2027 are $304,073 of which, $299,561 was awarded.
Requested Actions:
A. Approval of the following Napa County Arts and Culture Advisory Committee grant award recommendations and authorization for the Chair to sign the corresponding grant agreements for the term July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, which total $299,561. All Tourism applications were fully funded. The Committee recommended using remaining funds to go towards General Arts and Culture Organizations grant applicants:
Award a total of $112,467 to Tourism Generating Arts and Culture Organizations:
1. Music in the Vineyards, $1,000, Special Programs & Projects - Capital Improvement
2. Music in the Vineyards, $20,000, Collaborative
3. Napa Valley Festival Association (dba Festival Napa Valley), $27,500, Special Programs & Projects
4. Music in the Vineyards, $26,500, Special Programs & Projects - Capital Improvement
5. Napa Valley Museum, $27,500, Capacity Building
6. Napa County Historical Society $9,967, Special Programs & Projects
Award a total of $187,094 to General Arts and Culture Organizations:
1. Napa Valley Youth Symphony, $2,500, Leadership
2. E & M Presents, Inc., $7,500, Special Programs & Projects
3. Lunchtime Productions Inc. dba Cafeteria Kids Theater, $15,094, Special Programs & Projects
4. Friends of the Cameo dba Cameo Cinema Foundation, $22,500, Special Programs & Projects
5. Napa Valley Education Foundation, $27,500, Special Programs & Projects
6. Lunchtime Productions Inc. d.b.a Cafeteria Kids Theater, $2,500, Leadership
7. Brannan Center, $27,000, Capital Improvement/Technology Upgrades
8. American Canyon Arts Foundation, $7,500, Special Programs & Projects
9. Valley Players, $7,500, Capital Improvement /Essential Durable Upgrades or Enhancements
10. Shakespeare Napa Valley, $7,500, Capacity Building
11. Calistoga Theater Company DBA UpStage Napa Valley, $17,500, Special Programs & Projects
12. Valley Players, $2,500, Leadership
13. NCOE Foundation, $7,500, Special Programs & Projects
14. di Rosa Preserve, $20,000, Collaborative
15. di Rosa Preserve, $10,000, Special Programs & Projects
16. American Canyon Arts Foundation, $2,500, Leadership
B. Approval of a Grant Agreement No. 270057B with Arts Council Napa Valley to serve as the Napa County Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and to act as the Napa County Local Arts Agency and implement the Napa County Cultural Plan. By allowing the Library to fund the agreement with Arts Council Napa Valley, this allows 100% of the Community Investment Funds go directly towards grantees. The amount of funding is calculated at 20% of Annual TOT allocation, and half the annual cost of grant management software subscription, for maximum of $63,065.00, with the term July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027. The Library has identified cost savings within the division to fund this agreement, therefore there is no fiscal impact.
FISCAL IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The Community Investment Fund and the funding of arts and culture grants are not required by law but have been identified as a priority by the Board. The award of these grants is in accordance with the Board’s direction to staff relating to the allocation of the Community Investment Fund. The Library General Operations will provide funding for the Arts Council Napa Valley agreement; this approach provides stability and transparency in the administration of arts services while reinforcing the County’s commitment to equitable community investment. By separating administrative support from grant allocations, the County can both sustain coordinated arts leadership and maximize direct funding to nonprofit organizations that deliver cultural benefits to residents and visitors. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
Yes |
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Future fiscal impact: |
Annual grant award consideration has no commitments for future years. The Agreement No. 270057B with Arts Council Napa Valley will be funded by the Library’s General Operations subdivision 2020000, no future fiscal impact. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The Board will need to determine alternative grant recipients or arts grant funding from the Community Investment Fund will not be distributed for fiscal year 2026-2027. If the agreement with the Arts Council Napa Valley agreement 270057B is not approved, funding will not be provided by the Library and the amount awarded to grant recipients would be reduced by 20%. |
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Additional Information |
County Strategic Initiative: Build Healthy, Connected Communities |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.