Dear Colleagues,

On Tuesday, March 15, the County Executive  proposed a FY17 operating budget for AHCMC of $4,873,615.  This restores the $200,000 Matching Fund and provides an additional $200,000.

AHCMC has proposed an advocacy strategy during our community-wide Advocacy call:

Ask County Council to SUPPORT the CE’s proposed FY17 budget proposed for AHCMC.

AHCMC supports MCAA’s platform which asks for $500,000 for grants and AHCMC is asking for $100,000 for administrative oversight. We encourage you to advocate accordingly when meeting one-on-one with Council members.

This is how it will break out with Matching Funds restored but without yet allocating the $200k:

• Operating Support Grants – $3,004,852
• Small/Midsize Orgs & Individual Artists and Scholars – $698,883
• Advancement Grants – $250,050
• Arts and Humanities Matching Fund – $200,000
• Wheaton A&E District – $90,000
• Administration – $429,830
• Yet To be appropriated – $200,000

Total AHCMC FY17 PROPOSED NDA – $4,873,615

Additionally,  the County Executive has proposed a $140,000 budget for FY17 for the Public Arts Trust; the budget for Capital Improvement Projects has been approved at $1M/yr for 2017-2022.

Thanks again to ALL of you for your diligence and support! Don’t forget to register for the Advocacy Potluck on Wednesday April 6 at 11:30pm followed by my testimony for AHCMC’s budget at 1:30pm that afternoon.

Best,