Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Maroon Arts Group to sponsor the PitchBlack event series.
PitchBlack is a micro-granting gathering space designed to support and celebrate creative projects that impact the local communities in Columbus. The events are built on the principle of Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) and accomplish this cooperation in the democratic process of funding local creativity through crowd-funded micro-grants that impact the community in radically creative ways.
Attendees pay a $10 ticket to attend an event and hear pitches from a small number of community members who are leading projects in the arts, urban agriculture, social justice, education, technology, and other areas. After hearing the pitches, attendees vote on the project they feel will have the most community impact. The winner receives a large grant, funded by event sponsors and crowd-funded by the ticket sales. Runner-ups also receive smaller grants.
Funding for the PitchBlack Columbus event series may be used to supplement grants to these entrepreneurs and thought leaders, or for professional services, venue rental, or personnel support.
Fiscal Impact: Funding is available within the Jobs Growth subfund.
Emergency Designation: Emergency action is necessary as the PitchBlack event series has already begun and funding support is needed in a timely manner to allow for the administration of micro-grants to pitch competition winners.
Title
To authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Maroon Arts Group to sponsor the PitchBlack Columbus event series; and to authorize an appropriation and expenditure within the Jobs Growth subfund; and to declare an emergency. ($45,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, PitchBlack Columbus is a micro-granting gathering designed to support and celebrate creative projects that impact the local communities in Columbus; and
WHEREAS, crowd-funded micro grants bring the community together to participate in cooperative economics and support radically creative ideas that lift up the community; and
WHEREAS, it is a top priority of Columbus City Council to build strong neighborhoods and build pathways out of poverty; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City Clerk's office in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Maroon Arts Group because the PitchBlack event series has already begun and funding support is needed in a timely manner to allow for the administration of micro-grants to pitch competition winners, for the preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into a grant agreement with the Maroon Arts Group to sponsor the PitchBlack event series.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $45,000.00 in the Jobs Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015, to the City Clerk per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $45,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the action authorized in SECTION 1 of this ordinance, is hereby authorized in the Jobs Growth subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100015 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.