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DCLA funding process and challenges for indigenous organizations

0:18:51

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Commissioner Laurie Cumbo explains the DCLA funding process and challenges faced in supporting indigenous arts organizations. She outlines the current funding structure and suggests ways to increase support for indigenous communities.

DCLA funds about 80% of organizations that apply, with a maximum grant of $100,000.
Cumbo emphasizes the need for more indigenous organizations to apply for funding and participate in the panel review process.
She suggests collaboration with the city council to award larger grants through discretionary funding.

Laurie Cumbo

0:18:51

Thank you so much for that question.

0:18:53

We as a agency, we fund approximately about 80 percent of the organizations that apply to our agency.

0:19:01

So it's very important for our indigenous community.

0:19:05

We need more organizations coming forward in order to fund more organizations.

0:19:11

At this time, the Department of Cultural Affairs, our largest grant award amount is $100,000.

0:19:18

That is our ceiling at this time.

0:19:20

And so for awards, they are based off of the budget, the annual operating budget of each organization.

0:19:29

So we have to award grants in proportion to the actual annual budget size.

0:19:36

So for those organizations, we are able to do that through a panel review process.

0:19:41

2 things that could happen here, if we had more individuals from the Native American community participating in the panel review process, if we had more Native American organizations participating and submitting grants and applications, which our agency is more than willing to help and support in that application process, then we could increase the amount of funding, that go to our indigenous communities.

0:20:06

And that's certainly something that we all want to see, moving forward.

0:20:11

I also wanna say that with the number of organizations that we do support, it doesn't reflect the amount of organizations that do provide exhibition space, artists in residency programs, teaching artist programs.

0:20:26

And, also, for the agency, we can award funding through the panel review process, but we can also increase that funding in partnership with the city council where you have more flexibility for discretionary grants that would allow us to collaborate on awarding larger grants, for these really important organizations.

Carlina Rivera

0:20:46

So given given the importance of supporting indigenous art, does DCLA give indigenous arts and cultural organizations any kind of priority in funding?

0:20:56

You've mentioned some of the barriers.

0:20:58

Right?

0:20:58

We need more participation, we need more groups applying, but how how does DCLA prioritize their groups that have come forward, have have approached the city for support, and how can the city council, better support indigenous arts and cultural organizations?

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Council Member Rivera introduces the discussion on indigenous arts funding

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Suggestions for creating dedicated funding for indigenous arts