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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGrant Request - Sisters Quilt ShowDeschutes County Board of County Commissioners Discretionary Grant Program Board Meeting Date: June 24, 2013 Organization: Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Organization Description: Established in 1954, the District provides assistance to private landowners in Deschutes County to help conserve and enhance natural resources. Project Name: Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Project Description: In coordination with the Deschutes County Weed Program, educate landowners on the impact of noxious weeds and the threats caused by their spread, including conducting outreach, presentations, weed pull events, and involvement on the County Weed Board. Project Period: 6/2013 — 7/2013 Amount of Request: $1,250 Previous Grants: Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SSJ, Inc.) 5/1/2007 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show (SSJ, Inc.) 3/12/2008 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 9/21/2009 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 1/30/2012 Approved: Declined: 2,000.00 1,500.00 500.00 1,000.00 Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Quilt for Two Rivers Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show Deschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org DESCHUTES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION Direct Application to: Commissioner Tammy Baney Commissioner Anthony DeBone Date: 15/31/2013 Project Name: Project Beginning Date: Amount of Request: Commissioner Alan Unger All Three Commissioners Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 6/2013 $1,250.00 Applicant/Organization: Address: Project End Date: Date Funds Needed: Tax ID #: City & Zip: Telephone: Email: 220 S. Ash St., Ste #4 Contact Name(s): Fax: Ann Richardson, Exec Dir. Alternate Phone: 7/2013 7/1/2013 14-1941732 Sisters 97759 541-549-0989 Ann@sods.org On a separate sheet, please briefly answer the following questions: 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure, and activities. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures*. Describe how grant funds will be used and include the source and amounts of matching funds or in-kind contributions, if any. If the grant will support an ongoing activity, explain how it will be funded in the future. Attach: Proof of the applicant organization's non-profit status. * Applicant may be contacted during the review process and asked to provide a complete line item budget. Tammy Baney: Amount: Signature: Anthony DeBone: Amount: Signature: Alan Unger: Amount: Signature: 1. Describe the applicant organization, including its purpose, leadership structure and activities. a. The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show ("SOQS") now in its 38th year in Sisters, Oregon, is well known as the largest outdoor quilt show in the world. Sisters is a cultural tourism destination for visitors from all over the world who come to celebrate this traditional art. The Quilt Show is the largest event in Sisters providing substantial economic support to Sisters retail and other businesses and community groups, and has expanded to include events year-round, attracting even more tourism dollars to the area. b. The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is a 501c3 non-profit, volunteer based organization with a seven member, volunteer board of directors. Four part time staff members coordinate the organization's events. Three of those are seasonal, part-time, the Executive Director works year-round. c. The purpose of the organization is to educate and inspire the public about the art of quilting and to enhance the cultural and economic vitality of the schools and community of Sisters and Central Oregon. SOQS hosts multiple quilting and fiber arts events and exhibits during the year. The largest and best known is the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, held throughout the town of Sisters, Oregon on the second Saturday of every July since 1975. The event features over 1,400 quilts hanging on businesses, balconies, fences and frames. People from all over the world create the quilted works of art on display. This event requires over 500 volunteers and thousands of hours of planning and preparation to coordinate activities that span a full weekend and encompass the entire downtown area. Additional events include a month-long exhibit of quilts in businesses throughout Central Oregon (the annual "Quilt Walk"); a fiber arts stroll featuring over 30 artists displaying and demonstrating their craft; a month-long exhibit of art & contemporary quilts ("Fabrications — the Art of Quilting") at Franklin Crossing in Bend, an annual fundraising event, and "Save it for Sunday" — a continuation of quilt related activities including guest speakers, walking tours and special quilt exhibits on the Sunday following the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. 2. Describe the proposed project or activity. We are requesting matching funds to increase and enhance signage and promotion for our "Save it for Sunday" (SIFS) activities and to replace two worn banners promoting the Quilt Show. SIFS is in its third year and is billed as a `logical extension of the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show'. SIFS, launched in 2011 with the help dedicated board, expanded our offerings on Sunday to include a guest speaker, a special exhibit of quilts on the east end of town at the FivePine Campus, and re -hanging a select group of "Special Exhibit" quilts downtown. "Special Exhibits" are groups of quilts, submitted by individuals or quilting groups from across the country and around the world. They often have a specific theme or are made by a well- known quilter. We typically have twenty to thirty Special Exhibits in the show each year. SIFS has multiple benefits for SOQS and for Sisters and has the potential to grow significantly, giving Sisters a second day of an influx of tourism dollars to our lodging, restaurant and retail businesses. The annual Quilt Show is free, but offering a guest speaker on Sunday as well as guided walking tours of their quilts on display provides the opportunity to sell tickets. We have sold approximately $3,000 in tickets in each of the past two years for that event and expect to do so again this year. The lecture hall venue allows the potential for increasing the number of speakers and the audience (number of ticketed buyers) by as much as three times our present capacity on Sunday. The lecture and guided walking tours are held at FivePine Conference Center on the east end of town. The businesses in that section of town do not see a substantial number of visitors on Quilt Show day as most of the action is downtown. Hosting SIFS activities in that area showcases their businesses and brings increased visitors to the dining, lodging, and spa facilities in that part of town. Downtown Sisters also benefits from SIFS programs. Re -hanging some of our best Special Exhibit quilts outside and publicizing those that are still hanging inside businesses brings visitors back to Sisters for a second day. The growth and layout of the show encourages visitors to stay a second day to be able to see everything. Our exceptional indoor locations such as Sisters Public Library, Sisters Coffee Co., Beacham's Clock Shop, Clearwater Gallery and Sisters City Hall display least 10 quilts at each location. In addition to publicizing those exhibits, we promote events that other businesses are having in partnership with Quilt Show that are continuing on Sunday. Sisters of the Heart, a sale of quilts made by African women as a fundraiser for a micro -loan program in Uganda is one example of such a partnership. Finally, we re -hang seven to ten groups of Special Exhibit quilts outside at downtown locations. These SIFS programs give visitors an opportunity to expand their weekend stay to include Sunday in order to see everything SOQS has to offer. Although we don't have a visitor count for the past two years for Sunday, we have had at least 150 attend the ticketed events and estimate up to 1,000 people are in town that day viewing the quilts. The project includes increasing the number of banners promoting SOQS and SIFS, which are placed at either end of the highway entrances to Sisters. Two SOQS banners with damage and outdated logos and fonts will be replaced. New signage at FivePine Lodge will increase awareness among drive-by visitors that there are events happening in that location as well as directing visitors to the Conference Center. Fliers with exhibits and locations need to be created to handout on Quilt Show day and to distribute to the local businesses and Chambers of Commerce so visitors are aware that the show extends for a full weekend. Funding will also help cover our cost to advertise SIFS in the Bulletin, the Nugget Newspaper, and Cascade A&E. 3. Provide a timeline for completing the proposed project or activity. This year's SIFS events are on July 14. All of the promotion, banners and advertising will be produced or take place between mid- June and that date. 4. Explain how the proposed project or activity will impact the community's economic health. Save it for Sunday is a logical extension of the show AND a vital extension of the weekend for the economic health of SOQS and the Sisters businesses. SOQS currently leaves an estimated $2.4 million in the local economy. SOQS will benefit through ticket sales and a second day of quilt sales, providing much needed funding to support an organization that puts on the largest free event during the year in Sisters. The financial stability of SOQS is critical to our ability to continue our core event and any additional opportunity to raise funds should be taken advantage of and grown. The Sunday after Quilt Show is a huge opportunity to attract the thousands and thousands of people who are already in Central Oregon and can't get enough quilting inspiration. We are now giving them a reason to come back for a second day. Our local restaurants and retail businesses will benefit from having them return for another day of shopping and eating in Sisters. Quilt Show day is so crowded that many people cannot even get into the shops or restaurants on that Saturday. Sunday is THE growth opportunity for SOQS and we intend to capitalize on it to the extent we have funding along with staff, board and volunteer support. 5. Identify the specific communities or groups that will benefit. SOQS benefits by having a ticket to sell, a second day of quilt sales and by enhancing our credibility and reputation for putting on large scale, quality events. As crowds grow for Sunday and local businesses benefit, we in turn, expect an increase in sponsorship revenues for the event. The businesses in our FivePine Campus area will benefit from exposure to new visitors exploring that part of town during SIFS. All of the businesses in that area sponsor the Quilt Show and we are working hard to ensure they see the maximum benefit from our event. Special Exhibit groups benefit by having their work displayed for more than one day. Local businesses benefit from having a second day of huge crowds of visitors in Sisters. Visitors to Sisters for Quilt Show are able to have a more relaxed time here, enjoying the show over two days rather than just one. 6. Itemize anticipated expenditures This is the full budget for Save it for Sunday events. Sponsorships are committed, ticket sales are estimated for this year. The event has been profitable its first two years. The budget for this year is breakeven based on the investment in signage, advertising and promotion. In future years, increased ticket sales are expected to cover the cost of the advertising and printing. There are larger sponsorships available for SIFS and as the event grows (and the economy improves), those sponsorships are expected to become more appealing to local businesses. In Kind/Donated Services and Activities $1,000 Donated use of space at FivePine Conference Center; staffing and set up for speaker $ 300 Donated portion of travel expenses for SIFS speakers (paid by the Stitchin' Post) $ 150 Donated portion of cost of banners (M.C. Smith Signs) 204 hours of volunteer time will be donated by 51 people to put on the SIFS events. INCOME ITEMS Event Sponsorship — US Bank & FivePine Lodge $1,100 Ticket Sales $3,000 Deschutes Co. Commissioners Discretionary Fund - Requested $1,250 TOTAL INCOME $5,350 EXPENSE ITEMS Grant Related Expenses ($2,200): Banners (four 4' x 8') _ $460 Directional & Informational Signage $150 Advertising — Nugget, Bend Bulletin , Cascade A&E $850 Graphic Design for signs, banners, advertising_ $325 SIFS fliers printing $415 Other Event Expenses ($3,150): Event Expenses (tickets, postage, quilt hanging supplies) $300 Major Donor Lunch with Speakers $200 Speaker Fee $600 Speaker Travel Expenses $550 Staff Salary Allocation $1,500 TOTAL EXPENSES $5,350 In Kind/Donated Services and Activities $1,000 Donated use of space at FivePine Conference Center; staffing and set up for speaker $ 300 Donated portion of travel expenses for SIFS speakers (paid by the Stitchin' Post) $ 150 Donated portion of cost of banners (M.C. Smith Signs) 204 hours of volunteer time will be donated by 51 people to put on the SIFS events. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE P. 0. BOX 2508 CINCINNATI, OH 45201 Date: SSJ INC C/O STEPHEN P GREER 499 SW UPPER TERRACE DR STE A BEND, OR 97702-0000 Dear Applicant: DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Employer Identification Number: 14-1941732 DLN: 17053107015016 Contact Person: DONNA ELLIOT-MOORE Contact Telephone Number: (877) 829-5500 Accounting Period Ending: SEPTEMBER 30 Public Charity Status: 509(a) (2) Fortn 990 Required: YES Effective Date of Exemption: AUGUST 12, 2005 Contribution Deductibility: YES Advance Ruling Ending Date: SEPTEMBER 30, 2009 ID# 50304 We are pleased to inform you that upon review of your application for tax exempt status we have determined that you are exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to you are deductible under section 170 of the Code. You are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, transfers or gifts under section 2055, 2106 or 2522 of the Code. Because this letter could help resolve any questions regarding your exempt status, you should keep it in your permanent records. Organizations exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Code are further classified as either public charities or private foundations. During your advance ruling period, you will be treated as a public charity. Your advance ruling period begins with the effective date of your exemption and ends with advance ruling ending date shown in the heading of the letter. Snortly before the end of your advance ruling period, we will send you Form 8734, Support Schedule for Advance Ruling Period. You will have 90 days after the end of your advance ruling period to return the completed form. We will then notify you, in writing, about your public charity status. Please see enclosed Information for Exempt Organizations Under Section 501(c)(3) for some helpful information about your responsibilities as an exempt organization. If you distribute funds to other organizations, your records must show whether they are exempt under section 501(c)(3). In cases where the recipient organization is not exempt under section 501(c)(3), you must have evidence the funds will be used for section 501(c)(3) purposes. Letter 1045 (DO/CG) SSJ INC -z- We have sent a copy of this letter to your representative as indicated in your power of attorney. Lois G. Lerner Director, Exempt Organizations Rulings and Agreements Enclosures: Information for Organizations Exempt Under Section 501(c)(3) Statute Extension Letter 1045 (DO/CG)