FY2025 Advocacy Platform and Details

Advocacy Platform at a glance. The arts and humanities need:

  1. Thank County Executive Elrich for recommending an approximately 3% increase of $199,471
  2. Thank County Councilmembers for their past support of our sector
  3. Recognize that demand from new, eligible applicants has risen by 14% from FY2024, requiring additional funding
  4. Increase the County Executive’s FY2025 funding recommendation by $700,000 to meet demand for a total increase of $900,000 to the Arts and Humanities Council

Where the Arts and Humanities Stand Currently

County Executive Marc Elrich proposed a $6,649,029 FY 2025 Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) budget allocation for re-granting and administration. The proposal would increase AHCMC by approximately $200,000 ($199,471), a 3% increase  in FY 2025. Any additional funding is good news; however, more is needed to meet the projected demand for FY2025 grants and address inflation. We thank the County Executive for his stalwart support and request an  additional $700,000 in re-granting funds to meet our community’s needs and navigate the economic recovery. 

FY 2025 Arts and Humanities Sector Response + Platform

AHCMC thanks County Executive Elrich for his stalwart support for the arts and humanities in Montgomery County and must request additional funding based on rising demand from the field, inflation, and continuing business and event disruptions caused by Covid-19-related factors.

The Advocacy Platform:

Our request for increased support is based on application data and survey responses from the field that inform a dynamic and impactful recovery strategy for Montgomery County’s arts and humanities sector.

In line with grants and services demand from professional arts and humanities practitioners and cultural nonprofits across Montgomery County, we request:

  • $700,000 in additional re-granting funds above the County Executive’s FY25 Budget Proposal for AHCMC’s FY25 budget allocation.

The Need for Increased Support

Data from recent AHCMC grantee surveys and FY25 applications show an increase in demand exceeding $900,000 for FY 2025 over FY 2024. As the creative sector recovers, County funds are needed to stabilize contributed income and offset long-tail effects from low sales due to health concerns from residents and patrons.  The $900,000 increase in demand encompasses FY25 grant applicants, increased cost of living, and an expanded FY25 grant pool resulting from increased community outreach and equity initiatives beginning in FY21 with Covid-19 emergency funds.