Public funding for cultural activities is often either diffuse (spread among many departments) or fairly passive (responding to standard grant requests around conference tables). But the Allegheny Regional Asset District is neither, offering a concentrated chunk of annual cash to regional nonprofits (including cultural organizations), and using the opportunity of that big carrot to demand financial stability and responsibility among its grantees.
Funded by a portion of a 1 percent county sales tax, the District claims to work closely ”with citizen boards and government officials monitoring the assets for effective operation and development.”
The result is an annual application process that includes a dose of public grilling by the district’s board, along with a close review of your financial status. This week, arts organizations were facing the inquisition. Which sounds like it made for an interesting show.
