Arts groups are scrambling to line up matching funds to take advantage of $30 million in grants to support local performing-arts facilities. Still to be determined, though, are rules governing what money they may use to qualify for a piece of those funds approved by voters. Much of the available funding is already spoken for by nine arts organizations. They have identified much-needed projects to renovate theaters, replace roofs and boilers, improve parking and build new facilities. The projects already identified are expected to create 568 permanent jobs in the state.
Many of the groups want to use money raised for the projects prior to Election Day to help them reach matching requirements.
Fundraising challenges they and other groups face even in the best of times are significant. The R.I. State Council on the Arts – which will write the regulations the groups must follow - should give them as much leeway as possible in meeting the award requirements.
Otherwise, forcing them to apply only new money raised toward the match would effectively pit them against each other and a host of other groups for limited charitable dollars. •
A condition of receiving a grant from the state is that there is a 1:1 match. The bond issue was approved on November 4th. No funds raised prior to that time should count against the match. If they don’t like the conditions, don’t take the money.
Less than a month after the referendum passed, the State and some of these grantees are already coming up with schemes to shirk their obligations. This is just wrong.
Rhode Island is about to do for the arts what Studio 38 did for entrepreneurs.