Home » Community » Eye on Sedona Non-Profit Grants

Eye on Sedona Non-Profit Grants

Sedona AZ (June 22, 2011)-In Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 the City of Sedona awarded grants to non-profit organizations totaling $1.575 million including $106,500 for Arts and Culture. Because of the downturn in the economy, both the former and current Sedona City Councils reduced the size of those awards by approximately ten percent (10%) for Fiscal Year 2011.

Not-for-profit community service organizations have received City of Sedona funding since the 1990’s. These organizations provide a range of community services that enrich and benefit our entire community. Some of these organizations provide Sedona with state mandated city public services, like animal shelters. Others of these organizations provide needed services and benefits to the members of our community. As a city animated by the arts, in 2006, the City of Sedona expanded funding to non-profit arts organizations. These art grants were administered and awarded by the City Council’s Arts and Culture Commission.

Recognizing the need for greater oversight and accountability for these City expenditures, the Sedona City Council empanelled a Not-For-Profit Task Force NPTF (NPTF) in October 2010. The NPTF was comprised of Vice Mayor Hamilton, Councilor Litrell, and Councilor DiNunzio. Stephanie Giesbrecht having extensive grant expertise was asked to serve as a citizen representative.

In January 2011, the Sedona City Council accepted the NPTF recommendations for the service contract category.  A review panel comprised of two Sedona Council members, two Sedona Budget Oversight Commission members and a City staff member met to evaluate the service organization grant requests and made their recommendations in March 2011.

In early May 2011, funds totaling $1.4 million were tentatively awarded to service organizations. Among the organizations receiving service contracts were the: Sedona Chamber of Commerce,  Sedona Main Street Program, Sedona Public Library, Sedona Recycles, Sedona Community Center, Trauma Intervention Program, Prevent Child Abuse Arizona, Boys & Girls Club of Northern Arizona, and the Sedona Humane Society.

On May 25, 2011 the Sedona City Council approved additional NPTF procedures for grant funding of activities, programs, or events developed by 501(c) organizations in the areas of arts and culture, economic stimulation and community building which serve a public purpose. The City Council consolidated and increased the previous year’s budgeted funding by $16,500 making $120,000 available for these grants.

A 501(c) grant review panel will be comprised of one Sedona Budget Oversight Commission member, two community representatives with experience in grant funding evaluations, one representative from the Sedona Arts and Culture community, one community member at-large, and a non-voting Sedona City Council liaison. Grant applications in the arts and culture category will be reviewed by the Sedona Arts and Culture Commission prior to evaluation by the grant review panel. Any not-for-profit organization may apply under one or multiple categories, and applications are due to the City by June 30, 2011.

The Sedona City Council believes that this new process will ensure a high level of accountability regarding granting of public funds to non-public organizations. It will also provide a potentially greater funding opportunity for all non-profit groups than would otherwise be available.

The new City grants process conforms to that used by major granting organizations like the Sedona Community Foundation. This new grant application approach is more complete than in the past, and is designed to ensure that all applicants will have a fair and equal opportunity to receive City of Sedona grant funding.

This Eye on Sedona column was written and submitted by Sedona City Councilor, Mike Ward, and are his opinions and not necessarily those of the City Council. For information on how to meet the referenced City of Sedona Arts and Culture and Non-Profit organizations June 30, 2011 application deadline, read https://sedonaeye.com/sedona-accepting-art-organization-grants-applications published earlier on this news site.

Eye on Sedona with SedonaEye.com

3 Comments

  1. Imagine Sedona 2020 & Beyond says:

    Imagine Sedona – 2020 & Beyond-Sedona Community Plan Update
    THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2011 6:30 PM WEST SEDONA SCHOOL
    MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM (Bldg. 100)
    570 POSSE GROUND ROAD, SEDONA

    The City of Sedona Citizens Steering Committee for the Sedona Community Plan update is hosting a public meeting on the new Sedona Community Plan. The public meeting will take place on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. at the West Sedona School, Multi-Purpose Room (Bldg. 100), 570 Posse Ground Road, Sedona, AZ 86336.

    The purpose of this meeting is provide the public an opportunity to identify ideas of what Sedona should be in 2020 and beyond, introduce the “Idea Form” for organizing the ideas, discuss the importance of community involvement, and the general planning process. The meeting is open to the public and everyone is invited to attend and participate.

    While this is not an official City meeting, because of the potential that four or more council members, commissioners, committee members or board members may be present at one time, public notice is given for this event.

  2. Grant Committee Meeting Date says:

    City Grant Evaluation Committee will meet 7/7/2011 at 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Location: City Manager’s Conference Room, 106 Roadrunner Drive, Sedona, Arizona 86336. If you want a copy of the Agenda/Minutes, visit SedonaEye.com Calendar of Events July 7 listing and use the link provided.

  3. Neil, Sedona says:

    This is the role of private philanthropy and not public. Lots of very rich people in Sedona play at being real artists on the public dole. The good ones in Sedona will survive without public subsidies. We should not hand out a penny of tax money to support arts and culture except in the schools, elder centers, public arts entertainment that benefits all, parks programs, subsidies of children or senior center art functions, and maybe with discussion of its value, scholarships to higher education. Children and Elders yes. Sedona Doodlers never.

Leave a Reply

Copyright © 2008-2017 · Sedona Eye · All Rights Reserved · Posts · Comments · Facebook · Twitter ·