Olivia, a city staff member for the City of Urbana, told the Arts and Culture Commission on Jan. 13 that the city plans to move from award ranges to fixed grant amounts to reduce administrative work.

The change will set Tier 1 grants at $2,000 and cap Tier 2 at $4,999, Olivia said. The arts-in-schools funding line will remain distinct in practice; staff also said the longstanding 50/50 matching-funds policy remains in place and can include in-kind contributions such as donated space or sponsorships.

Why it matters: staff said the current system requires staff to manage dozens of unique budget spreadsheets and that moving to fixed award sizes should streamline review and disbursement. Olivia noted that, with historical application patterns, roughly 70% of applicants apply for the smaller tier while about 30% apply for the mid-range award, which affects how the overall pool is allocated.

Details: Olivia said Tier 1 is intended for individual artists and small initiatives. Tier 2 remains the midsize category for multi-day workshops and small festivals; tier 2 applications will require a letter of recommendation or support from partner organizations to document matching funds. Staff explained applicants will still complete a budget sheet, but the city’s ‘ask’ column will be capped at the fixed tier amounts.

On review and staffing: Olivia said the city will seek local grant reviewers to avoid conflicts of interest and noted model practices used by the Illinois Arts Council Agency, which hires reviewers as part of its grant process. Commissioners were told they may volunteer as reviewers but that no payment would be provided for commissioner time.

Commissioner questions focused on eligibility and verification: commissioners asked whether matching funds can be in-kind (Olivia: yes) and whether individuals may apply for Tier 2 (Olivia: yes). Staff said more application details and a sample budget form will be circulated before applications are due.

Next steps: staff will finalize application materials and deadlines; commissioners can suggest qualified local reviewers to staff. The commission did not take a formal vote to adopt the rule changes at this meeting; staff presented the proposed administrative approach for implementation and asked for commissioner input.