Theatre Tallahassee recently received a $6,000 grant from the Community Foundation of North Florida.
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Local grants like this are becoming a lifeline for the arts in the Capital City following shifts in Florida’s cultural budget.
"We feel very thankful and blessed to have received the grant from the Community Foundation of North Florida," Theresa Davis said.
In the 2024 budget cycle, Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed all arts funding.
While about $21 million in funding was restored for the current cycle, only applicants who scored 95 and up on their grant applications were fully funded.
Theresa Davis, the Executive Director of Theatre Tallahassee, said a difference of just 1 to 2 points meant the organization only received a portion of its request.
"When you're a small nonprofit, tighten your belt when you lose between $150,000 is a big hit, and it's either staffing or it's programming, and you have to make critical choices when it happens," Davis said. We actually lost our one of builder, our set builder last year position.”
Katrina Rolle, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of North Florida, said the theater received its one-time grant.
“I think we received almost 40 applications, and we have a selection committee of volunteers,” Rolle said. “They base it on the application, and you know, you wish you could give funding to everybody, but you can't.”
The foundation awarded a total of $30,000 to five organizations in Leon, Gadsden, and Jefferson Counties from excess funding.
"Well, the arts, they ground a community. They give us a sense of place, a sense of belonging, and so they need help," Rolle said.
Theatre Tallahassee plans to use the money to expand its theater education program for students in grades 6 through 12.
The funds will also provide scholarships and transportation assistance for children attending Title I schools.
"We've been waiting a few years to actually launch," Davis said.
However, Davis noted that funding for the next cycle remains up in the air.
All eyes are on July, which marks the beginning of the next fiscal year for state funding.
Davis says she plans to apply for more community grants.
“I search for grants throughout the year, not just locally but nationally as well, to help support. About half of our income is from earned income from ticket sales, so we make up the rest of it from donations, community support, sponsors, and then community foundations' grants and support of that type,” she said.
"Imagine a community without music at Cascades Park or arts festivals or any of that. If you think about that and what that might look like, I hope this inspiration to support the arts with financial resources because they really need our help," Rolle said.
Rolle says the Community Foundation of North Florida has its applications open for its Share Your Story Challenge Grant, which awards organizations focused on serving low to moderate-income people in Leon County $1,500.
That application closes at the end of the month.
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