REQUIREMENTS FOR COUNTIES TO RECEIVE REVENUE

For each Florida county to be eligible to receive revenue from Arts License Plate sales, the following documentation must be submitted to the Division. License plate revenue shall be held in the Florida Fine Arts Trust Fund until this documentation has been received and approved.

(1) A letter of designation from the highest ranking county administrative official stating the specific organization within the county to which the license plate revenue shall be transferred and which has the authority to disburse the revenue to arts organizations, programs, and activities within the county.

(2) Prior to the distribution of funds, the organization designated by the county must submit a plan annually to the Division, no later than the first business day of May. The plan shall specify how the revenue will be distributed within the county and include a brief statement describing how the previous year's plan was followed.

CRITERIA USED IN DETERMINING RECIPIENT OF REVENUE

The following criteria will be used by counties in designating the specific organization to collect revenue:

(1) In counties where an arts council exists, that council shall serve as the recipient of license plate revenue from the Division to support arts organizations, programs, and activities within that county.

(2) In counties where an arts council exists within the county but is separate from county government (such as a city-based agency or not-for-profit corporation), that entity must be officially designated by the county as the single arts council for that county. Once designated by the county, the arts council shall serve as the recipient of license plate revenue from the Division to support arts organizations, programs, and activities within that county.

(3) Where no designated arts council exists within a county:

•   a.  A division of county or city government designated by the county commission may act on behalf of the recipient county. Once a division is designated, it shall serve as the recipient of license plate revenue, unless an arts council is formed within that county. The division of local government shall distribute 100 percent of the funds received to support arts organizations, programs, and activities within that county.
  
•   b.  The county may wish to form an arts council or designate an established organization as the single local arts agency for that county. The arts council or local arts agency must meet the criteria established by the Division, described below. Once formed, the arts council or local arts agency shall serve as the recipient of license plate revenue from the Division to support arts organizations, programs, and activities within that county.

CRITERIA FOR ARTS COUNCILS AND LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES

In all cases, except for a division of county or city government, the designated recipient must provide and have the following services in place:

•   1.  Community Planning - describes the strategic planning process used by the organization to assess the community's current and future cultural needs.
•   2.  Collaborations with Community Organizations - includes services for community organizations (arts, civic, social service, or business groups).
•   3.  Services to Artists and Cultural Organizations - includes services designed to benefit individual artists or cultural organizations. These services include items such as general information dissemination, workshops, public awareness opportunities, organizational and management aid, and promotional or informational publications/services.
•   4.  Arts in Education - includes programs which the organization offers that specifically address arts in education, including educational activities which will help encourage partnerships among community constituents, build future audiences, and help to make the arts basic in public or private education.
•   5.  Program Management - includes a high level of commitment to professional development opportunities for staff, attendance at skills workshops, internal planning processes and implementation strategies, and responsible budget management.

TRANSFER OF FUNDS

The Division will distribute funds to each recipient designated by the respective county on a quarterly basis based on amounts provided by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

ALLOWABLE AND NON-ALLOWABLE EXPENDITURES

Revenues from license plate sales support organizations, programs, or activities within the county where the license plates were sold.

Revenues will not be used for activities outside the county, nor will they be used for any purpose other than the support of arts organizations, programs, or activities.

The following are non-allowable expenditures:

• expenses incurred or obligated prior to becoming a recipient of funds
• lobbying or attempting to influence federal, state, or local legislation
• building, renovation, or remodeling of facilities
• capital expenditures (includes acquisitions, building projects, renovations, etc.)
• bad debts, contingencies, fines and penalties, interest, and other financial costs
• private entertainment, food, beverages
• projects which are restricted to private or exclusive participation, which shall include restricting access to programs on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, religion, handicap, age, or marital status
• contributions and donations
  

DEFINITIONS

"County Fine Arts Council" means an organization which serves all art disciplines through service to cultural groups and individual artists and qualifies as a not-for-profit corporation or political subdivision that is officially recognized by the county commission as the local arts agency, commission, alliance or division of a county or city government, established pursuant to Section 265.32, Florida Statutes.

"Arts Organization" means a non-profit organization whose primary mission, or more than half of its operating budget, is dedicated to activity in the arts.