(Frankfort, Ky.) - The Kentucky Arts Council approved panel recommendations for operational support funding for 25 arts organizations whose primary purpose is provide arts programs and services to benefit the public. The Arts Council's grant match is based on an organization's ability to leverage unrestricted contributed revenues for general operating purposes from individuals, businesses, united arts funds, foundations and local governments. For this fiscal year, Challenge Grant recipients matched every $1 of state funding with $16.5 in private fundraising.

Additional expectations of the Challenge Grant program are that grantees will increase arts participation, promote diverse arts and culture and help build an efficient arts delivery system across the state. Many of the grantees use these funds exclusively to advance educational programming. One arts institution reported that a donor wanted to know the meaning of "partial funding provided by the Kentucky Arts Council, a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet," which was on the letterhead thanking her for her contribution. When it was explained to her that public funding supports the institution based their ability to raise funds, she responded by writing another check.

"Even though Challenge Grant funds have become a lower percentage match over the years," say Arts Council Executive Director Gerri Combs, "we still think this is an excellent investment in public dollars. These organizations are usually nationally recognized for the quality of their work and they bring in sizeable revenue to the state."

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EDITORS NOTE: FY2005 Challenge Grant recipients listed below.