SECA COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Discuss SECA policy items and/or designate items for the April SECA meeting.
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DEPARTMENT: Community Services
SUBMITTED BY: Jake Fiedler, Special Events Coordinator
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
Several SECA policy items were discussed by the Commission throughout the application process. Staff is requesting direction on the items discussed.
DISCUSSION:
Standard Response for Requests to Reconsider Funding
The Commission is asked to confirm the following response for requests to reconsider funding is appropriate.
Thank you for your patience throughout the SECA grant process. Award amounts are final pending City Council approval on DATE. As a point of clarification, when a majority of SECA Commissioners recommend $0 funding for an application, the resulting allocation is $0. We understand this decision is disappointing and not the news you hoped to hear.
To ensure consistency and fairness in the allocation process, the SECA Commission does not reconsider allocations once they have been finalized. We strongly encourage you to apply for CY27 (Calendar Year 2027) funding. The SECA webpage will be updated soon with the application timeline and instructions.
It may also be helpful to clarify the current role of City Council in the SECA process. By Resolution 24-06, adopted February 20, 2024, the City Council eliminated the prior process in which individual council members made separate SECA funding recommendations on individual applications. Under the current process, the SECA Commission reviews all applications and forwards a single unified funding recommendation to the City Council for final action.
Applicants who wish to address the City Council may still do so through Speaker Sign-Up, which is available up until 30 minutes prior to the start of the City Council meeting. For meeting schedules, participation guidelines, and archived meeting videos (including the videos of the November and December SECA Commission meetings), please visit: https://www.naperville.il.us/government/board-and-commissions/city-council-meetings-and-workshops/city-council-speaker-sign-up/
Compliance and Consequences for Noncompliance
Currently, the SECA policy does not outline consequences for noncompliance. The Commission is asked to review the proposed language subject to legal review and provide direction on its incorporation into the application and grant administration process.
Recipients of SECA grant funds are required to comply with all program policies, procedures, and conditions outlined in the manual and in the grant agreement. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in corrective action, including but not limited to:
• Withholding of awarded grant funds;
• Reduction or termination of grant funding;
• Ineligibility for future SECA funding opportunities for a period determined by the Commission; and/or
• Referral of unpaid balances to collections, in accordance with City policies and procedures.
The SECA Commission reserves the right to evaluate noncompliance on a case-by-case basis and determine appropriate action to ensure accountability and protect the integrity of the program
Applicant Attendance Requirement (Saturday Public Meeting)
At the January meeting, the Commission discussed the importance of applicant participation in the public comment meeting and proposed requiring attendance for applicants requesting funds above a specified amount. The Commission is asked to confirm that the proposed language meets this intent and to determine the appropriate funding threshold.
Following the application submission deadline, a public meeting will be scheduled to allow the SECA Commission to hear comments from applicants and ask questions related to their funding requests.
Applicants requesting more than $XX in SECA funding are required to have a representative attend this meeting to present their request and respond to Commission questions. Failure to attend may negatively impact the Commission’s consideration of the request or may not be considered for funding.
Applicants requesting $XX or less are strongly encouraged, but not required, to attend.
Staff Review of Applications - Request for Clarification
At the previous meeting, consensus was not reached regarding staff’s role in reviewing applications for eligibility prior to Commission review. Currently, staff performs a preliminary review and forwards all applications to the Commission to ensure transparency.
To ensure consistency moving forward, staff is requesting clarification on how applications that may not meet eligibility requirements should be handled. Specifically, the Commission is asked to provide direction on the preferred approach:
• Option A: Staff notifies the applicant of the eligibility concern and does not forward the application to the Commission.
• Option B: Staff notifies the applicant of the eligibility concern and forwards the application to the Commission with that notation.
• Option C: Staff flags the eligibility concern and forwards the application to the Commission for review and determination, without making an eligibility determination at the staff level.
Staff seeks Commission direction to establish a clear and consistent process.
Change of Scope Clarification
The current SECA policy states that “If the award is less than the amount requested, the applicant may choose to not hold the event or create the art. The applicant must then notify the Special Events Coordinator. If the award is accepted at a lesser amount, the grantee may decide to reduce the event scale/scope or alter the piece.”
Since the last meeting, staff has observed some inconsistent interpretations regarding what constitutes a change of scope. To ensure clarity and consistency moving forward, the Commission is asked to clarify and confirm what qualifies as a change of scope under SECA policy.
For the purposes of SECA administration, a Change of Scope is defined as a substantive modification to the nature, purpose, scale, or primary components of a funded project or event that differs materially from what was described in the approved SECA application.
Changes of scope include, but are not limited to:
• A change in the primary purpose, concept, or artistic intent of the project or event;
• A change in the type of event or project (e.g., changing from an installation to a performance);
• Changes that affect the primary audience, format, or core deliverables of the funded project; or
• Changes that alter the fundamental use or justification of SECA-funded expenses.
Changes of scope do not include routine logistical or administrative adjustments necessary to implement the project, provided the overall purpose, nature, and public benefit of the project remain substantially the same.
Examples of changes that are not considered a change of scope include:
• Change of venue within Naperville;
• Adjustment of event date or time;
• Minor adjustments to programming or event components;
• Vendor substitutions or operational adjustments; or
• Cost reductions or reallocations made to align with the awarded funding amount.
The purpose of reviewing potential scope changes is simply to verify that the event or project being implemented remains substantially consistent with what was described in the approved SECA application.
If the SECA Commission determines that a change of scope has occurred, the Commission’s role is to make that determination and notify City Council of the change, along with any recommendation related to the applicant’s request.
Salary Compensation, Artist Fees and Honorarium
The Commission is asked to confirm the following definitions related to salary compensation, artist fees and/or honorarium.
An artist fee or honorarium is a payment made for a specific artistic appearance, performance, or specialized service directly related to the funded event or project, as described in the application. Salaries, defined as ongoing compensation paid to an organization’s employees as part of their regular job duties, are not eligible for SECA funding.
An employee of the applicant organization may receive an artist fee or honorarium only if all of the following conditions are met:
• The service provided is distinct from the individual’s regular job duties;
• The service is directly tied to the funded event or project;
• The payment is clearly identified and documented as an artist fee or honorarium, not salary or general administrative compensation.
SECA funds may not be used to supplement, replace, or offset an employee’s regular salary, wages, or routine job responsibilities.
Review SECA Mission Statement Draft Samples
At the previous meeting, two Commissioners volunteered to review the SECA mission statement with staff. Staff is requesting that Commissioners review each sample and reach a decision at the April SECA Commission meeting.