TITLE
RESOLUTION APPROVING THE FUNDING OF THIRTY-THREE GRANTS FOR A TOTAL OF $383,600.00 FROM THE FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 THIRD QUARTER OF THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL GRANTS PROGRAM ROOM TAX PLAN AND SURTAX CATEGORY TO PROMOTE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TOURISM; WAIVING RESOLUTION NO. R-130-06, AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO EXECUTE GRANT AGREEMENTS WITH VARIOUS ENTITIES AND TO EXERCISE ALL PROVISIONS, INCLUDING CANCELLATION PROVISIONS CONTAINED THEREIN

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WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board approves funding of thirty-three (33) grants for a total of $383,600.00 from the FY 2025-2026 Third Quarter of the Tourist Development Council Grants Program-Room Tax Plan and Surtax Category to promote Miami-Dade County tourism by funding tourist-oriented cultural, sporting, television and special event/promotions as follows:
1.
Artefactus Cultural Project, Inc.
$5,000.00
2.
Artists in Residence in Everglades, Inc.
$5,000.00
3.
Centro Cultural Boliviano Masis Corp
$3,500.00
4.
Community Arts and Culture, Inc.
$7,500.00
5.
Creation Art Center Corp.
$5,000.00
6.
Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami Inc.
$5,000.00
7.
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology
$10,000.00
8.
FUNDarte, Inc.
$10,500.00
9.
Gato Gordo Arts Corporation
$3,500.00
10.
Gran Fondo New York, Inc.
$5,100.00

11.
Juggerknot Theatre Corporation
$15,750.00
12.
Karen Peterson and Dancers, Inc.
$10,000.00
13.
Men Beni Gardening
$5,000.00
14.
Miami Beach Gay Pride Inc
$35,000.00
15.
Miami Dade College dba Miami Film Festival
$15,000.00
16.
Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Inc.
$30,000.00
17.
Miami New Drama, Inc.
$12,000.00
18.
Miami Northwest Express Track Club, Inc.
$10,000.00
19.
Miami River Fund, Inc.
$10,000.00
20.
MUCE Educates Corp.
$5,000.00
21.
Musicall, Inc.
$15,000.00
22.
Namaskar Foundation Corporation
$10,000.00
23.
Nu Deco Ensemble, Inc.
$9,000.00
24.
O, Miami, Inc.
$12,000.00
25.
Primer Acto Florida Foundation, Inc.
$5,000.00
26.
Salute 365 Foundation, Inc.
$35,000.00
27.
Siudy Flamenco Dance Theater, Inc.
$7,500.00
28.
Thai American Association of FL, Inc.
$25,000.00
29.
The Dance NOW! Ensemble, Inc.
$10,000.00
30.
The Deering Estate Foundation, Inc.
$12,250.00
31.
The Miami Children's Museum, Inc.
$25,000.00
32.
UNSIN Incorporated
$5,000.00
33.
We Art Foundation, Inc.
$5,000.00
This Board further waives the requirements of Resolution No. R-130-06 requiring all contracts to be in final form and executed by the party contracting with the County, and authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to execute grant agreements, in substantially the form of the sample attached hereto, with each grantee for and on behalf of Miami-Dade County, Florida and to exercise all provisions, including the cancellation provisions, contained therein.

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Date:
To: Honorable Chairman Anthony Rodr�guez
and Members, Board of County Commissioners
From: Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor
Subject: FY 2025-2026 Tourist Development Council Grants Program - Third Quarter Recommendations for a Total of $383,600.00

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Executive Summary
This item is requesting that the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approve the recommendations of the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Tourist Development Council (TDC) Grants Program - Third Quarter (supporting events and activities in April, May and June), totaling $383,600.00 for 33 applicants. With four deadlines a year, this program provides support to nonprofit and for-profit organizations presenting significant cultural or special events, including sports activities and television and film origination projects that promote Miami-Dade County�s appeal as a tourist destination.

The Tourist Development Council Grants Program supports approximately 100 diverse cultural projects each year, serving all thirteen Commission Districts. The Department of Cultural Affairs� (Department) grants programs are promoted to hundreds of organizations and individuals through the Department�s e-newsletter, press releases, through social media, in regular ongoing workshops, through partner organizations, in collaboration with Commission District offices, grants informational flyers, and on the Department�s website. Applicants are offered one-on-one consultations, workshops, and technical assistance, including a corrections process, prior to the panel review. Despite this outreach, no applications were received for the third quarter of this grants program representing work taking place in Commission Districts 1 or 13. However, over the course of the entire fiscal year, granted activities in this grants program are represented in all Commission Districts. The grant recommendations were reviewed and approved by the Tourist Development Council, chaired by County Commissioner Keon Hardemon on April 17, 2026. The funds were approved through the FY 2025-2026 County budget process.

Recommendation
It is recommended that the Board of County Commissioners approve the funding of 33 grants for a total of $383,600.00 from the FY 2025-2026 Tourist Development Council Grants Program � Third Quarter. Attached is a list describing the projects being recommended for funding. In addition, it is recommended that Resolution No. R-130-06 (requiring contracts with non-governmental entities be signed by the other parties before being submitted to the Board of County Commissioners) be waived in order to expedite the allocation of funding support for these time-sensitive, tourism-oriented, and community events.

Scope
The impact of this agenda item is countywide.
Delegation of Authority
The County Mayor or Mayor�s designee is delegated the authority to execute the grant agreements and exercise all provisions, including cancellation provisions contained therein.

Fiscal Impact/Funding Source
The FY 2025-2026 Adopted Budget indicates that the item has been budgeted. Refer to the table below for additional information. The current Third Quarter recommendations, totaling $383,600.00, continues the recommended TDC grant allocations for this fiscal year.

Revenue Name Budget Reference Fund Code Revenue Amount
� Tourist Development Room Tax
� Hotel/Motel Food and Beverage Surtax
� GMCVB agreement ($25,000) FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget Ordinance No. 25-98, Attachment H, page 309 S1034 $1,450,000


Track Record/Monitor
Each recommended organization has a track record for responding to Departmental grant requirements and contractual conditions. Ashlee Thomas, Interim Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs, is responsible for monitoring the grant contracts.

Background
The Tourist Development Council Grants Program is responsive on a quarterly basis to organizations/events, which showcase Miami-Dade County�s appeal as a tourist destination by sponsoring tourist-oriented sports events, cultural and special events (visual and performing arts, including theater, concerts, recitals, opera, dance, art exhibitions and festivals), and television origination projects.

The TDC specifically evaluated each applicant organization based on the following competitive review criteria: (1) tourism impact/marketing plan; (2) hotel accommodations (3) quality and track record, event coordination, management, and efforts to comply with and incorporate the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) into projects.; and (4) fiscal feasibility.

It should be noted that the TDC Grants Program operates on a quarterly basis and, when taken together, all four quarters provide a picture of broad diversity of applicants and projects. In addition, the Department�s grants programs are promoted to hundreds of organizations and individuals through the Department�s e-newsletter, through social media, in open workshops and on the Department�s website. The Department also works closely with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, and other tourism interests represented by members on the TDC to ensure that notice of the grants opportunities is widely distributed. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend free workshops that are held throughout the year and explain the grants process. One-on-one consultations are also offered in multiple languages. The Department grants administrators work closely with applicants to ensure their success and account for the fact that virtually all of the organizations that apply are recommended for funding support. In addition, these grants administrators are friendly and knowledgeable and understand that it is essential to make applicants of all sizes and backgrounds feel welcome and well-served. Applications are fairly and thoroughly evaluated pursuant to the published review criteria in public meetings by the nine-member TDC, chaired by County Commissioner Keon Hardemon, and applicants are encouraged to attend the meetings.

It is recommended that Resolution No. R-130-06 (requiring contracts with non-governmental entities be signed by the other parties before being submitted to the Board of County Commissioners) be waived. These grant recommendations are being submitted to the Board immediately subsequent to their thorough evaluation by the TDC and while the Department of Cultural Affairs simultaneously issues grant agreements for execution by grantees, subject to the Board�s approval of this agenda item. It is in the best interest of the County to waive Resolution R-130-06 and proceed in this manner in order to expedite grant allocations for time-sensitive, tourism-oriented, and community events. This �dual track� approach saves from one to two months of time in providing funding support to projects that have been evaluated through a thorough and already lengthy grants review process. As a safeguard, the Department negotiates the grant agreements by closely adhering to the descriptions of projects that are summarized in the list of grant projects attached to this memorandum. In addition, grant funds are released on a reimbursement basis to ensure that County grant funds are used strictly for the activities that are listed in this memorandum and represented in the subsequent grant agreements.

Attached is a list describing the projects being recommended for funding.

_________________________
Jimmy Morales
Chief Operating Officer