Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Arts Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bravo warns of state funding pressure; says regional grants support West Des Moines programs
Summary
Sally Dix of Bravo told the council Bravo relies on hotel-motel tax revenue to fund regional arts grants that support West Des Moines programs and warned that state property-tax reform could reduce those funds and the availability of affordable arts programming.
Sally Dix, executive director of Bravo, briefed the council on the regional arts council’s funding model and local impact. She said Bravo leverages hotel-motel tax revenue collected from partner jurisdictions to fund grants and operate with low overhead; that model accounts for roughly 95% of Bravo’s annual revenue. Dix told the council that Bravo made direct investments in seven West Des Moines nonprofits last year ("more than a $100,000"), provided over $125,000 in public-art grants to the city, and that the West Des Moines Community School District received more than $17,000 for youth-access programming.
Dix warned that proposals to change property-tax rules at the state level could reduce hotel-motel tax receipts — revenue that Bravo depends on — and that it is unlikely Bravo could fully backfill lost hotel-motel revenue. "A reduction in investment through Bravo will likely reduce the availability of those accessible affordable programs and engagement opportunities," she told the council.
Council members praised Bravo’s efficiencies and noted the organization’s regional role; Councilman McKinney and Mayor Trimble thanked Dix for adjusting grant eligibility to help local organizations whose primary mission is not arts and for Bravo’s transparency about potential state-level impacts.
No funding decisions were made by the council at the meeting; councilmembers asked staff and board representatives to continue monitoring state discussions and consider the city’s priorities in future budgeting conversations.
