The Wisconsin Arts Board assigned panel chairs and firmed up dates for multiple grant review panels and program initiatives while adding a simple America250 checkbox to Creative Communities applications to route a portion of awards to anniversary‑themed projects.

Why it matters: Panel chairs and schedules determine who reviews grant applications and when awards will be recommended. The America250 option creates a designated funding stream for projects tied to the nation’s 250th anniversary and integrates that priority into existing Creative Communities applications rather than creating a separate award process.

Panel chair assignments and schedules: Staff asked for volunteers to chair the CMP (creation & presentation) music panel set for Nov. 18–19 (virtual). Susan (board member) volunteered to chair both days; staff and board members arranged backups for one of the days in case a single chair could not cover both. Staff asked panelists who sign up as alternates to hold the date as if they were primary chairs to avoid last‑minute substitutions.

Other panels and assignments discussed:
- Woodlands Indian Arts program: staff noted panel dates in March (options included March 9–11) and said Karen Ann will chair; staff sought backups.
- Creative Communities: John and staff reported that the program will include an America250 checkbox so applicants can identify projects tied to the America250 commemoration; the board set aside $50,000 to support America250 projects within the Creative Communities application rather than via a separate award form.

Program updates and timing: Karen (staff member) said music is the on‑year discipline for Creation & Presentation (largest single discipline pool) with an Oct. 9 application deadline and an Oct. 10 panel meeting to confirm panel membership and workload. Staff also reported that all 22 counties have been reached through the board’s 50th‑anniversary presenting program; some projects have already started and others will wrap up later in the year.

Next steps: Staff will publish panelist lists and confirm calendar invites; panel chairs and alternates were asked to block the dates. Staff will circulate updated guidelines for Creative Communities that include the America250 option and a short guidance note for applicants describing how to indicate an America250 project.

Speakers

[{"name":"Karen","role_title":"Staff member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Caitlin","role_title":"Staff member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"Susan","role_title":"Board member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"John","role_title":"Board member","affiliation_type":"government"},{"name":"George","role_title":"Staff member","affiliation_type":"government"}]

Authorities

[{"type":"other","name":"America250 (America 250) project designation","referenced_by":["Karen","George"]},{"type":"policy","name":"Board panel chairing and panelist selection guidance","referenced_by":["Karen","Caitlin"]}]

Actions

[{"kind":"other","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"panel-assignments-2025"},"motion":"No formal motion recorded; staff requested volunteers and recorded chair/backup assignments for panels","mover":"not applicable","second":"not applicable","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"legal_threshold":{"met":false,"notes":"Assignments made by volunteer sign‑ups; no formal board vote recorded."},"outcome":"recorded","notes":"Susan agreed to chair CMP music panel Nov. 18–19; backups assigned; Woodlands Indian Arts chair and backups recorded; Creative Communities guidelines updated to include America250 option."}]

Discussion vs decision

{"discussion_points":["Need for primary and backup panel chairs for CMP music panel (Nov. 18–19 virtual)","Creative Communities to incorporate America250 checkbox and a $50,000 set‑aside","50th anniversary presenting program has reached 22 counties"],"directions":["Staff to publish panelist rosters and confirm calendar invites; alternates to hold dates as though primary","Staff to add America250 checkbox and guidance into Creative Communities Smart Simple application form"],"decisions":["Panel chairs and backups assigned; Creative Communities will accept America250‑flagged projects for a $50,000 set‑aside"]}

Clarifying details

[{"category":"CMP music panel","detail":"Panel scheduled Nov. 18 (half day) and Nov. 19 (full day), virtual; Susan volunteered to chair both days; backups assigned","value":"Nov 18-19, 2025","units":"dates","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Karen"},{"category":"Creative Communities funding","detail":"$50,000 infusion set aside for projects that check the America250 box on the Creative Communities application; applicants will mark the project in phase 1","value":"50000","units":"USD","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Karen"},{"category":"50th anniversary program","detail":"All 22 counties covered by the 50th‑anniversary presenting program; some projects have started, others will wrap later in the year","value":"22","units":"counties","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Karen"}]

Proper names

[{"name":"Creative Communities","type":"program"},{"name":"CMP (Creation & Presentation)","type":"program"},{"name":"America250","type":"other"}]

Community relevance

{"geographies":["statewide"],"funding_sources":["state grants","federal grants","America250 set‑aside"],"impact_groups":["music organizations","presenters","local arts presenters","apprenticeship applicants"]}

Meeting context

{"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":5,"duration_minutes":60,"items_count":1},"implementation_risk":"low","history":[{"date":"not specified","note":"Panel chair assignments and Creative Communities America250 option discussed at meeting; staff will finalize dates and publish guidelines."}]}

Searchable_tags

["grants","panels","creative_communities","america250","creation_and_presentation","music"]

Provenance

{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"276.47","local_start":0,"local_end":260,"evidence_excerpt":"So the full year grants for CMP this year are music and new applicants. So music will be taking place on November 18, and we always look for, a first chair and a second...Is there someone who is open on November 18?","global_start":276,"global_end":360,"tc_start":"00:04:36","tc_end":"00:06:00","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"3067.255","local_start":0,"local_end":220,"evidence_excerpt":"As we have an infusion of $50,000 for organizations to, to apply to for, for recognizing the the 2 200 and fiftieth anniversary of this, USA. They're gonna have a checkbox on creative communities, and they're going to identify whether the project that they're proposing is an America 2 50 application.","global_start":3067,"global_end":3088,"tc_start":"00:51:07","tc_end":"00:51:28","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

Salience

{"overall":0.57,"overall_justification":"Assignments and schedule decisions set up grant review capacity and integrate a targeted America250 funding stream into existing application workflows.","impact_scope":"state","impact_scope_justification":"Affects panelists, applicants and project schedules across Wisconsin.","attention_level":"medium","attention_level_justification":"Operational decisions important to applicants and panelists; not a policy change requiring board vote.","novelty":0.30,"novelty_justification":"Panel scheduling is routine; America250 integration is a modest programmatic addition.","timeliness_urgency":0.55,"timeliness_urgency_justification":"Panelists and applicants need calendar confirmations in advance of deadlines.","legal_significance":0.05,"legal_significance_justification":"No statutory change; administrative scheduling and guidance updates only.","budgetary_significance":0.25,"budgetary_significance_justification":"$50,000 set‑aside for America250 projects is a modest programmatic allocation.","public_safety_risk":0.00,"environmental_impact":0.00,"affected_population_estimate":0,"affected_population_estimate_justification":"Affects organizations rather than a defined population number.","decision_deadline":"2025-10-09","decision_deadline_justification":"Creation & Presentation (music) application deadline (staff reported Oct. 9) and panel organization should be complete by Oct. 10 orientation.","policy_stage":"implementation","policy_stage_justification":"Operational guidance and dates to be implemented by staff and panel chairs.","follow_up_priority":6,"follow_up_priority_justification":"Staff to publish panelist rosters and confirm invites; moderate follow up required.","fact_check_risk":0.05,"fact_check_risk_justification":"Dates and dollar amounts taken from staff remarks; confirm published guidelines for exact deadlines.","uncertainty":0.15,"uncertainty_justification":"Specific panelist names and final application counts will be known after deadlines close.","source_diversity":0.40,"source_diversity_justification":"Program staff and multiple board members participated in assignments.","stakeholder_balance":0.60,"stakeholder_balance_justification":"Board, staff and prospective applicants benefit from timely panel assignments.","alert_flags":[],"alert_flags_justification":"None"}