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ArtsWA ratifies America250 and rural health-related grants totaling $48,000
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Summary
Commissioners ratified $27,000 in America250 grants and $21,000 for the Cultivating Healthy Communities pilot, prioritizing rural and underserved counties. Commissioners noted conflict-of-interest protocols for panel members and an abstention recorded for one grant vote.
The Washington State Arts Commission voted to ratify two rounds of small project grants on Feb. 20: $27,000 for America250 commemorative projects and $21,000 for the Cultivating Healthy Communities pilot focused on arts-based health and well-being in rural communities.
Grants-to-Organizations program manager Miguel Guillen said the America250 funds included a $25,000 NEA award plus $2,000 from ArtsWA; awards ranged from $1,000–$2,000 per project and prioritized rural and under-resourced counties outside King and Pierce. "We were able to fund 6 organizations at $2,000 each," he said, and staff recommended ratification of the executive director’s approvals.
On Cultivating Healthy Communities — an NEA-supported exploratory program connecting arts organizations and health/well-being service providers — staff recommended awards of $3,000–$5,000 across prioritized rural communities, with total funding of $21,000. Commissioners discussed fiduciary recusal procedures; one commissioner abstained from the America250 ratification due to an affiliation noted in the grant packet.
Both ratifications were approved on voice vote after staff requested disclosures of conflicts and commissioners reviewed funded and not-funded lists. Staff said full details and county-by-county breakdowns are available in the meeting packet and will be shared with commissioners.
