Mei Li presented recommendations from the Jefferson County Cultural Council and said the council reviewed 96 applications to the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) and approved a funding plan for the county’s allocation.

The council recommended awarding approximately $2,130,000 in available funds and prioritized roughly 75% to general operating support (GOS) and 25% to project support while funding all requestors to some level. Mei Li named several recipient organizations active in Jefferson County, including 40 West, Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, the Colorado Environmental Film Festival and the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.

Why it matters: The total requests this year exceeded $4 million, an increase over the prior year while available county funds were nearly $70,000 lower than the previous cycle. The council said it prioritized scoring and tried to protect organizations that had recently used reserves after federal-level funding reductions.

Board action: Commissioners asked whether the rubric should account for organizations that tapped reserves in response to recent National Endowment for the Arts cuts; council representatives said the rubric can be adjusted in August when the council sets criteria for the 2026 cycle. Commissioners voiced support for moving the funding plan forward for consideration in a formal agenda item.

Ending: Staff confirmed the council will finalize rubric changes in August and the board will receive the formal funding recommendation for approval in an upcoming hearing.