Two vital foundations that are pillars of community support have stepped up to provide United Arts Collier with grants to help offset the loss of state funding for the arts and to continue essential programs for children.
The Collier Community Foundation has awarded United Arts Collier $10,000 as part of a $250,000 grant it has given to 14 local arts and culture nonprofits.
In addition, the Naples Children and Education Foundation awarded a $75,000 grant to United Arts Collier, matched by $25,000 from Suncoast Credit Union. The grant is for existing programs for children with the possibility of expansion in the future.
The funding “shows that this is a community that truly values and cares about the arts,” said Elysia Dawn, executive director of United Arts Collier.
“This money is to help provide a buffer to offset the lack of state funding this year, giving the nonprofits a chance to fundraise and ramp up their revenue streams,” Laura Simmelink, vice president of grant-making at Collier Community Foundation, said in a written statement.
DAWN
In July, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed $32 million in state funding that had been approved by the legislature for arts organizations. The decision forced arts organizations to reevaluate their budgets, programming and employment.
In Collier County alone, arts and culture nonprofits were expected to receive $1.5 million from the state, a figure that was reduced to 47% by the legislature, and then to zero by the veto. This was the first time in the history of the state that the grants from the Division of Arts and Culture were vetoed.
United Arts Collier is a nonprofit organization recognized by the state as the Local Arts Agency for Collier County. Similar to a chamber of commerce for the arts, it serves as Collier’s arts umbrella and works to unite all arts disciplines within the community.
Initially, United Arts Collier was recommended to receive $45,000 from the state Division of Arts and Culture. When the legislature cut the amount of recommended funding for all arts organizations by 47%, that brought the amount for United Arts Collier down to $21,493. The governor’s veto meant zero was awarded.
For United Arts Collier, the state funding was going to support free art classes for children as well as art therapy for veterans and seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Having to cut them was “heartbreaking,” Dawn said.
“There are so many more stories like us,” she said. “The cuts hurt the organizations but really hurt people that we serve the most.”
In the meantime, receiving the NCEF grant “is very happy news,” Dawn said. “These programs are specifically for children that we wouldn’t be able to offer without the NCEF.” They are not impacted by the veto.
Because of the NCEF and Suncoast grants, programs will continue to be offered, including partnerships with Youth Haven, Valerie’s House, Gargiulo Education Center, RCMA, Grace Place for Children and Families, YMCA of South Collier, Fun Time Early Childhood Academy and STARabilty Foundation.
Rachel Lord, the organization’s education and grants manager, said this funding allows United Arts Collier to break financial and geographical barriers and bring high-quality arts programming to those who need it most.
The United Arts Council in January released the results of an economic survey conducted in partnership with Americans for the Arts that shows 86% of people in Collier say arts and culture is “important to their community’s quality of life and livability.”
The study, which included 20 nonprofit arts and cultural organizations from within Collier County, estimated the economic impact of the nonprofit arts and cultural sector in the county to be nearly $150 million. Spending by the organizations totaled more than $102 million and spending by audiences was calculated to be more than $45 million.
The study also said that the arts generate about $30 million in local, state and federal taxes.
The study shows that the arts greatly impact the county’s economy and quality of life, Dawn said. “The question is, what happens when we don’t fund the arts?”
She said private donors cannot be expected to shoulder the entire cost.
“We are beyond thankful for the generous grants we’ve received and hopeful that additional community donations may lead to a full reinstatement of our programs,” Dawn said. “We’re also hopeful that the governor will not veto arts grants again next year so we can continue to support our programs, which provide important human services in our community.” ¦