Williamsburg Area Arts Commission

AGENDA City of Williamsburg Williamsburg Area Arts Commission Wednesday, September 17, 2025 A meeting of the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission will be held Wednesday, September 17, 2025 in the Stryker Center (Room 127), 412 N Boundary St, Williamsburg, VA 23185 commencing at 3:00 PM. Page I. CALL TO ORDER II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES a. July 23, 2025 2 III. CHAIR REPORT a. January 2026 Meeting Date b. Joint Meeting w/ York County Arts Commission c. Request for Photos IV. STAFF REPORT a. FY26 Grantees - Update b. Liaison Reports - Format 3 c. FY27 Application/Review Process V. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS a. Forum Subcommittee b. Application & Guidelines 4 - 11 VI. OTHER BUSINESS a. Liaison Reports VII. NEXT MEETING(S) a. October 15, 2025 - Joint Meeting w/ York County Arts Commission b. November 12, 2025 - Regular Meeting VIII. ADJOURN Page 1 of 11  Williamsburg Area Arts Commission Meeting Minutes - Wednesday, July 23, 2025 Call to Order: Chair Tom Phelps called the meeting to order at 3:00 pm. Attending: Tom Phelps, Susan Corbett, Brandon Gist, Robert Leek, Melody Matheny, Robin Phillips, Sherri Phillips, Barbara Vollmer, Nick Vrettos, and City of Williamsburg Tourism Division Manager Joanna Skrabala. Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the WAAC meeting of March 19, 2025, were approved as submitted. Chair Report: Tom Phelps • YCAC-WAAC Joint Meeting for 2025: requested that Brandon Gist follow up with YCAC about the scheduling of the next joint meeting. Staff Report: Joanna Skrabala • Provided the status of grantee groups’ letters requesting release of approved FY26 funding. • Announced that Virginia Commission for the Arts grant funding will proceed as usual for FY26. The WAAC grant application, if approved, will add $9,000 to the funds available for FY27 grant recipients of WAAC funds. • Discussed necessary rescheduling of upcoming meeting dates. Committee Reports: • FY26 Forum Committee members Robin Phillips, Brandon Gist, and Melody Matheny reported on progress in planning the Forum for February 5, 2026. Format, location, a pre-forum community survey, and potential discussion topics were discussed. • Grant Application and Guidelines Committee members Barbara Vollmer and Robert Leek reported on draft changes to the Grant Guidelines and the Grant Application Form. After discussion, the Grant Guidelines were approved as amended. Further edits to the Application Form were discussed. Other Business: • The Commission approved the Proposed Resolution #25-01, Re-Adopting the Remote Participation Policy found in Section 2-34 of the code of the City of Williamsburg for the WAAC. • Commissioners gave updates on their grantees. Next meeting: September 17, 2025. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 5:14 pm. Robin Phillips, Secretary, Williamsburg Area Arts Commission Page 2 of 11  LIAISON REPORTS: SEPTEMBER 2025 Robin Phillips • Music Society of Williamsburg: Outreach concert schedule for 2025-2026 is as follows: - 16 Sep Warhill HS, Isidore Quartet 11am - 21 Oct Jamestown HS WKS Trio 11am - 19 Nov Berkeley MS Ying Quartet 10am - 10 Feb Mathew Whaley ES Windsync 10:30 - 17 Mar Bruton ES Borremeo Quartet 2pm - 07 Apr Hennage Seraph Brass 3pm Page 3 of 11  GUIDELINES FOR GRANT RECIPIENTS & GRANT APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS WHO WE ARE Williamsburg Area Arts Commission (WAAC) serves the municipalities of the City of Williamsburg, James City County, and York County. Its mission is to support and stimulate excellence in the arts through an active grant fund program. The grants support activities to enhance the arts experience for all Historic Triangle citizens and visitors. Beginning in December, WAAC Commissioners review grant requests and recommend to the City of Williamsburg and James City County include funding these requests in their annual arts and culture budgets. Arts organizations that qualify as tax-exempt public charities by the IRS are eligible to apply for these funds. FY26 COMMISSION MEMBERS: City of Williamsburg James City County Susan Corbett Melody Matheny Robert Leek Thomas Phelps Barbara Vollmer Robin Phillips Sherri Phillips Nicholas Vrettos At Large (York County): Brandon Gist CRITERIA FOR FUNDING Applications for arts support are submitted to the Commission by December 1st for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1, 2026, - June 30, 2027). Application forms are posted on the WAAC website by October 1st. Notification of awards is made in late June at the conclusion of the annual budget cycles of both the City of Williamsburg and James City County. (FY27 grantees will be notified in late June 2026.) • Applicants may request funds for support for specific programs or projects. • The estimated cost for each request must be clearly itemized in the WAAC column of the proposed budget form. Projects completed prior to the start of the FY27 fiscal year are not eligible for funding. • Projects, performances, and/or programs must serve residents of the Historic Triangle (City of Williamsburg, James City County, and Upper York County). Cash awards or prizes and re-granting programs are not eligible for WAAC funding. • Special consideration is given to projects, performances, and/or programs that engage all population segments of the Historic Triangle’s diverse communities, including children, senior citizens, those with disabilities, and the financially challenged. 1 Page 4 of 11  • The Commission looks favorably on applications that show funding from other sources in addition to WAAC. (This information can be entered in Section C of the Grant Application.) • Sound management and appropriate fiscal oversight are major factors in WAAC’s evaluation of funding requests. CHECKLIST FOR GRANT APPLICANTS Prior to submitting a request for funds, applicants should thoroughly review the entire grant application package, be familiar with the Criteria for Funding, and compile all requested information and documents before beginning to fill out the electronic application. The following Checklist shows the items that must be included with an application. Forms submitted without the required items will incur penalties or disqualification. Late applications will not be considered. State the organization’s mission: (in no more than 2-3 sentences) Clearly define and describe your project, performance, or program. • Who will direct and guide the project? • Is there a clear plan of work? • Are the resources to execute the project in place? • What will it cost, and are costs clearly defined? • Is an evaluation plan included? Other information required: • Board of Directors list with contact information • Copies of required tax-exempt documentation • All required financial information. • Income and expense budget for the organization • A list of other grant funding pending and/or received relating to this application. • Appropriate signatures REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT FUND RECIPIENTS • Recipients must use funds for the purpose outlined in the application. Any changes must be approved by the WAAC. • Grantees must complete a Year-End Report by June 30th of the funded fiscal year. • Funds must be expended within the fiscal year stated on the application. • Grantees must acknowledge receipt of the grant award and thank WAAC for its support before the funds are released. • Grantees must acknowledge WAAC support by including the WAAC logo in promotion materials related to funded events, programs, and performances, including announcements at live events. The WAAC logo is required on all visuals. The logo may be found on the WAAC website (williamsburgva.gov/waac). • Grantees should include members of the Commission, Williamsburg City Council, and James City Supervisors in their mailings. (Go to the City and County websites for current lists) 2 Page 5 of 11  • Each grantee is assigned a Commission liaison who will assist grantees with direct communication to the Commission. Make sure you understand who that is. Liaisons may change from year to year. YEAR-END REPORTING All grant recipients are required to submit a Year-End report at the end of the grant year. • Year-End reports must reach the Commission no later than June 30th of the grant year. • Noncompliance will result in a penalty of up to 5% of a future grant award. • Requests for delayed reporting must be submitted in writing and in the hands of the Commission Administrator, Joanna Skrabala, on June 30th with a promised receipt date of no later than July 5th. City of Williamsburg Attn: Joanna Skrabala, Tourism Division Manager c/o Economic Development Department 401 Lafayette Street Williamsburg VA 23185 jskrabala@williamsburgva.gov Updated September 2025 3 Page 6 of 11 Application: FY27 Draft Joanna Skrabala - jskrabala@williamsburgva.gov Williamsburg Area Arts Commission Grant FY27 Williamsburg Area Arts Commission Grant Application General Information NAME OF ORGANIZATION: AMOUNT OF GRANT REQUEST: What specific project/s, program/s, or performance/s will the grant funds partly or fully support? If you have received support from WAAC in the past, list the three most recent grants. Type of support received Fiscal Year Amount Received (Special project or general support) Name of Organization: (No response) Organization Email Address: Mailing Address (street or PO box): Contact/Grant Writer: No response) Contact Title: Email Address: Phone Number: Mailing Address 1 / 25 Page 7 of 11 Name of President/CEO/Executive Director: Title Email Address: Phone Number: Mailing Address: EXPENSES: Insert total expenses using the form below. We understand not all categories may apply, so please do your best. Additional notes may be added after the form. Actual FY25 runs from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 Actual FY26 runs from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 Actual FY27 runs from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 EXPENSES: Actual FY25 Estimated FY26 Proposed FY27 Proposed with WAAC Funding Please use same budget form Expense Notes: A. Schedule and Event Details: Please complete one form for each event or program that will be all or partly funded by this grant. (Events between July 2026 – June 2027. This schedule is required if only an estimate.) EVENT INFORMATION Event/Program Date(s) Venue Projected attendance Audience ages Other Information (Any other information you wish to share) What method(s) are used to track attendance? Personnel Management B. Who will oversee the artistic direction of the project or service? Provide title and principal qualifications or a brief biography of the creative director or director of the project. If you are uploading a biography, please do so here. C. Board of Directors/Trustees – Please provide a list of your officers and board 2 / 25 Page 8 of 11  members and their contact information. (Note: The IRS requires the President/CEO and Financial Officer be two different people) If you are uploading a list of your board, please do so here. D. What percentage of your board contributes either financially or with in-kind services? Marketing and Promotions E. What marketing and promotional strategies do you use to reach your target audience? F. List all media sources, including social media sites, and printed materials used to promote the WAAC funded or partially funded project. Financial and Tax Information G. Attache a copy of your tax exemption letter and upload a screenshot of your IRS profile showing proof of federal tax exemption and current tax payment using the web address listed below. Upload a screen shot of your IRS profile: https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ H. ORGANIZATION and PROJECT BUDGETS: REVENUES: Insert total revenues using the form below. We understand not all categories may apply, so please do your best. Additional notes may be added after the form. Actual FY25 runs from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 Actual FY26 runs from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 Actual FY27 runs from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 REVENUE: Actual FY25 Estimated FY26 Proposed FY27 Please use same budget form Revenue Notes: EXPENSES: Insert total expenses using the form below. We understand not all categories may apply, so please do your best. Additional notes may be added after the form. 3 / 25 Page 9 of 11  Actual FY25 runs from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025 Actual FY26 runs from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026 Actual FY27 runs from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 EXPENSES: Actual FY25 Estimated FY26 Proposed FY27 Proposed with WAAC Funding Please use same budget form Expense Notes: 4 / 25 Page 10 of 11 I. Statement of Financial Position Please complete the tables below with your recent position or balance sheet. If using your own statement, you must include all the same information listed in the tables. ASSETS If you are using your own statement, please check the “not used” boxes below Use same tables -no changes LIABILITES If you are using your own statement, please check the “not used” boxes below Use same tables – no changes TOTAL LIABILITIES AND ASSETS Use same tables – no changes If you did not use the table above, please upload your statement here. J. Signature of Agreement. The undersigned certifies to the best of his or her knowledge that the information in this application is true and correct. (Please use your mouse cursor or finger (touch screen devices only) to sign on the line below.) Name of Authorizing Individual Title of Authorizing Individual Date (MM/DD/YYYY) NOTE Grantees must complete a Year-End Report by June 30th of the funded fiscal year accounting for the expenditure of WAAC funds. Organizations with outstanding year-end reports will not be eligible for future funding until the report is received. 5 / 25 Page 11 of 11