TO: CRA Board of Commissioners
FROM: Alexina Jeannite, Grant Manager
THROUGH: Renée A. Jadusingh, CRA Executive Director
DATE: September 14, 2020
Title
FY 2020-2021 CRA A-GUIDE FUNDING REQUEST - OLD SCHOOL SQUARE
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Discussion and feedback regarding the A-G.U.I.D.E. FY 2020-2021 Funding Requests for Old School Square (OSS).
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Background:
At the August 25, 2020 Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Regular Board Meeting, the OSS’s funding request was presented for funding consideration. The board raised several questions and was not able to make a recommendation for funding at the time. Since then, OSS has modified their A-GUIDE funding request which is now up for discussion by the CRA Board.
Old School Square (OSS) amended their original request of $900,000 to $750,000 and reduced their overall budget from $4,279,195 to $3,371,619. This reduction is more in line with OSS’s budget from fiscal year 2019-2020, which was $3,168,500, with an A-GUIDE request of $750,000.
OSS intends to provide cultural arts activities for the Delray Beach community through Crest Theater, Cornell Art Museum, and the Pavilion. For FY2020-2021, OSS will continue its programming virtually, and has plans to transition to a mix of live/in-person and virtual performances, education, and museum experiences. Full details regarding FY2020-2021 programming are outlined in the supplemental attachment.
Due to COVID, Old School Square had to furlough all employees except for the CEO, COO, Finance Director, and Marketing Director. The remaining staff did significant planning for future virtual programming and operations. It should also be noted that we have been informed that when live performances resume, Old School Square intends to re-hire its staff.
Clarification of OSS funding history: At the last board meeting information was presented about OSS funding history with the City and the CRA. Typically, the CRA funding amount in the A-GUIDE Program was $285,000. Over the last, approximately, fifteen years, the City had funding agreements with OSS ranging in funding amounts from $187,500 to $250,000. In fiscal year 2016-2017, the CRA began funding the City’s portion under the A-G.U.I.D.E. Program and additional amounts were awarded to OSS in various years based on special requests made each year. (See Exhibit C for funding history).
While the CRA’s funding to OSS in the A-G.U.I.D.E. Program was $285,000, since the CRA has been providing additional funding, we have been informed that OSS is likely in need of the higher funding level going forward in order to sustain operations and programming at the facility.
Click here to view the A-GUIDE Program Guidelines <https://delraycra.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/1.0-Delray-CRA-A-GUIDE-GUIDELINES-FY-2020-2021-FINAL.pdf>.
Board feedback:
• CRA staff respectfully request feedback regarding the funding request from Old School Square.
Note: Staff also respectfully request the board consider funding a percentage of programming until OSS is fully operational and staff are rehired, thereby gradually increasing funding as programming increases.
Attachments: Exhibit A - Logic Model FY2020-2021; Exhibit B - Combined Budget and Narrative FY2020-2021; Exhibit C - OSS Funding History.
CRA Attorney Review:
N/A
Finance Review:
Reviewed by Lori Hayward, CRA Finance & Operation Director.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
$750,000 allocated from General Ledger #7376 - A-GUIDE Funding.