After Public Records Act request, TMR obtains complete list of Measure P grant applicants and adjudicator applicants
Editor’s note: Throughout the long (and often tortured) journey of Measure P on the road to reality, The Munro Review has advocated for complete public transparency. That extends to the grants process: who’s applying for them; who’s picking the winners; and who’s deciding the nitty-gritty details of how much each winner actually receives from the sales tax initiative to fund arts and culture.
Pictured above: The Fresno Art Museum is an applicant for the first round of Measure P arts grants.
The Munro Review requested this information in March. The Fresno Arts Council, which administers the grants and possessed the information, referred the request to the city’s Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission, which oversees Measure P. A member of that body’s arts subcommittee denied the request, saying that 1) she did not know the information; and 2) the identities of applicants and the adjudicators who would evaluate and score the grant applications should remain private to avoid possible pressure campaigns that could influence the process.
Looking ahead to the May 20 public meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission, when the grants will be presented for public approval, The Munro Review filed a Public Records Act request with the City Attorney’s Office on April 17. This request seemingly went into a black hole, prompting two in-person TMR inquiries. City Attorney Andrew Janz, after prodding from local media, finally responded on May 16 with a statement blaming the delay on computer problems. He did not, however, address the more important issue of whether a grants program that subjectively gives away $5 million-$9.5 million in taxpayer money should be transparent in the process.
Later on May 16, The Munro Review received two heavily-redacted documents – totalling 1,668 pages – that listed 137 grant applicants and 45 adjudicator applicants. Because of the complexity of extracting the relevant information and in the interest of timeliness, reporter Doug Hoagland has compiled a summary list of the grant applications without project descriptions, along with the names of the adjudicator applicants. This information will be updated as time permits.
GRANT APPLICANTS
Art of Life Cancer Foundation, Lizette Ray: $50,000.
STORY CONTINUES AFTER SPONSORED CONTENT
Philip Lorenz International Keyboard Concerts, Michael Purtell, $25,000.
Limitless Abilities (pottery program for persons with disabilities), Tina Salvador: $50,000.
Tower District Preservation Fund, Joseph Catania: $10,797.
Tower District Preservation Fund, Joe Catania: $12,450.
Fresno Art Museum, Michele Ellis Pracy: $90,330.
Fresno Art Museum, Michele Ellis Pracy: $300,000.
Fresno Metro Black Chamber Foundation, Dr. Cassandra Little: $300,000.
Iranian Culture and Art Club of Fresno, Parvin Malek: $10,000.
Iranian Culture and Art Club of Fresno, Parvin Malek: $31,800.
El Dorado Park Community Development Corporation (EDP CDC), Farhana Weerasinghe: $48,576.
Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame, Walter Byrd Jr.: $164,000.
Danger Aware (education about abuse through eBooks, comics, games and animation). Jennifer Davis: $50,000.
Danger Aware. Jennifer Davis: $12,000.
Shinzen Friendship Garden, Casey Lamonski: $95,738.
Shinzen Friendship Garden, Casey Lamonski: $150,179.
We Got the Beat (musical education and community enrichment), Agustin Rivera (fiscal sponsor: JazzFresno): $24,173.
Children’s Musical Theatreworks, Kimberly Rutiaga: $62,500.
A Hopeful Encounter (empower Southeast Asian youth), Susan Xiong: $120,000.
San Joaquin Valley Town Hall, Inc., Pamela Kallsen: $95,000.
Fresno Community Chorus, Inc., Nancy Johnson: $61,000.
Fresno City & County Historical Society, Elizabeth Laval: $299,579.
Fresno City & County Historical Society, Camille Cipolla: $196,240.
Fresno Ideaworks, Janelle Ozeran: $68,585.
Fresno Ideaworks, Janelle Ozeran: $74,500.
Chinese American Museum Project, John Cho (fiscal sponsor: Fresno City & County Historical Society): $49,995.
Revived Organization (Hmong fashion design and art community), Yer Vang: $48,510.
Mighty Community Advocacy (access to healing arts), Nishea Trinidad: $48,000.
Mighty Community Advocacy, Nishea Trinidad: $192,500.
KFCF FM / Fresno Free College Foundation, Rychard Withers: $146,300.
KFCF FM / Fresno Free College Foundation, Rychard Withers: $58,295.
Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Catherine Marchese: $174,000.
Youth Orchestras of Fresno, Catherine Marchese: $174,000.
Peace Rocks Foundation (Hearts On Fire choir), Debrah Ruud: $27,000.
Peace Rocks Foundation (Hearts On Fire choir), Debrah Ruud: $34,000.
Byron Russell (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $50,000.
JoyCore (creative mindfulness and arts-based wellness), Jade McAfee (fiscal sponsor: Mighty Community Advocacy): $49,445.
JoyCore, Jade McAfee (fiscal sponsor: Mighty Community Advocacy): $47,545.
Armenian Heritage Museum (dba: Armenian Museum of Fresno), Varoujan Der Simonian: $150,000.
Armenian Heritage Museum (dba: Armenian Museum of Fresno), Varoujan Der Simonian: $200,000.
BreakBox Thought Collective (creativity, collaboration, and cultural embodiment), Jamillah Finley: $49,942.
BreakBox Thought Collective, Jamillah Finley: $199,921.
Womxn 2 Womxn, Serena Dohi: $48,280.
Kids Can Sing (affordable visual and performing arts), Kaylene Clark: $49,500.
Dulce Upfront Labs (platform for artistic expression, cultural exchange, and personal growth), Ome Lopez: $43,235.
Dulce Upfront, Omequetzal Lopez, $105,000.
Dulce Upfront Labs, Ome Lopez: $50,000.
Sia’s Place Wellness Center, Sia Xiong-Lopez: $50,000.
Warnors Center for the Performing Arts, Ron Thomas: $300,000.
Warnors Center for the Performing Arts, Ron Thomas: $77,625.
Spectrum Art Gallery, Steve Dzerigian: $40,000.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central California, Diane Phakonekham: $142,468.
Tony Imperatrice (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $39,270.
Lively Arts Foundation, Diane Mosier: $132,821.
Arts Enrichment For All, Erin Burd: $300,000.
Arts Enrichment For All, Erin Burd: $200,000.
African American Historical and Cultural Museum, Alondra
Williams Vasquez: $118,360.
Chanticleer Shakespeare Co.– Inaugural Production, Brandon Weis (fiscal sponsor: Emerge Arts Project Inc.): $50,000.
Chinatown Fresno Foundation, Janine Minami: $199,456.
Chinatown Fresno Foundation, Janine Minami: $195,495.
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JazzFresno, William Reeve: $22,814.
JazzFresno, William Reeve: $49,862.
Valley Music Hall of Fame, Don Priest (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $18,400.
Valley Music Hall of Fame, Don Priest (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $6,930.
Fresno Storyland, Matilda Soria: $200,000.
Chris Lessley (fiscal sponsor: St. Paul Catholic Newman Center): $93,741.
Youth Leadership Institute, Patricia Barahon: $200,000.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Fresno and Madera Counties, Wilma Hashimoto: $20,000.
Good Dirt Collective (economic mobility for aged-out foster youths through culture and arts), Kasey Jackson: $200,000.
Good Dirt Collective, Kasey Jackson: $140,000.
League of Women Voters of Fresno, Francine Farber: $15,000.
Sikh Heritage Society, Bill Nijjar: $30,000.
Saints Rest Community Economic Development Corp., Marcie Santana: $300,000.
Saints Rest Community Economic Development Corp., Marcie Santana: $199,923.
Arte Américas, Arianna Chavez: $199,931.
Arte Américas, Arianna Chavez: $298,927.
Bloom Artistry, Valarie Perez (fiscal sponsor: Break the Barriers Inc.): $50,000.
KOFP Radio The Voice, (African-American radio station) managed by the Helping Others Pursue Excellence (H.O.P.E.) Organization, Julia Dudley: $300,000.
Helping Others Pursue Excellence [H.O.P.E] – KOFP Radio “The Voice”, Julia Dudley: $200,000.
Fresno Philharmonic Association, Stephen Wilson: $300,000.
Fresno Philharmonic Association, Stephen Wilson: $45,000.
Choummaly Keodara (fiscal sponsor: Alliance of California Traditional Arts): $35,000.
San Joaquin Valley Media Alliance, Pam Whalen: $62,800.
Neighborhood Woodshop, Brett Mason (fiscal sponsor: Jackson Community Development Corp.): $16,393.
California Opera Guild, Boris Nixon: $81,400.
California Opera Guild, Boris Nixon: $49,895.
Chicanismo in Color (Chicano Lowriding Art project), Julio Hernandez (fiscal sponsor: Alliance for California Traditional Arts): $50,000.
West of West Center for the Narrative History of the Central Valley, Inc., Mark Arax: $50,000.
The West of West Center for Narrative History, Mark Arax: $13,000.
Downtown Fresno Partnership, Elliott Balch (fiscal sponsor: Downtown Fresno Foundation): $84,986.
Downtown Fresno Partnership, Elliott Balch (fiscal sponsor: Downtown Fresno Foundation): $154,000.
Downtown Fresno Partnership, Elliott Balch (fiscal sponsor: Downtown Fresno Foundation): $55,000.
Downtown Fresno Partnership, Elliott Balch (fiscal sponsor: Downtown Fresno Foundation): $200,000.
Downtown Fresno Partnership, Elliott Balch (fiscal sponsor: Downtown Fresno Foundation): $199,500.
Downtown Fresno Partnership, Elliott Balch (fiscal sponsor: Downtown Fresno Foundation): $179,300
The Catrina Legacy Project (multimedia documentation of Central Valley Latinos), Nancy Marquez (fiscal sponsor: Alliance for California Traditional Arts): $50,000.
Centro Binacional para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño, Sarait Martinez Ortega: $62,740.
Hella Fresno, Jennie Guerrero-Graham (fiscal sponsor: Arte Americas): $50,000.
Hella Fresno 20112, Jennie Guerrero (fiscal sponsor: Arte Americas): $128,260.
Care Fresno, Inc., Mark Carlson: $115,000.
Valley Public Television, Inc., Nancy Borjas: $300,000.
Los Niños de Aztlán Dance Studio Inc., Elena Ybarra Murphy: $39,158.
Jakara Movement, Naindeep Singh: $250,000.
Teatro de la Tierra, Patricia Wells: $45,000.
LitHop Fresno, Andrea Mele (fiscal sponsor: Arte Americas): $18,606.
Stage View Performing Arts Foundation, Saima Nunez: $200,000.
Stage View Performing Arts Foundation, Saima Nunez: $80,500.
Reading and Beyond, Sandra Flores: $50,000.
Community Center For The Arts and Technology (CCAT), Armando Valdez (fiscal sponsor: Ser, Jobs For Progress, San Joaquin Valley, Inc.): $192,008.
Chicano Youth Center, Samuel Contreras (fiscal sponsor: Dulce Upfront Labs): $100,000.
F.I.G.L.E.A.F. Educational Festivals (dba Fresno Reel Pride LGBTQ+ Film Festival), Raquel Busani: $200,000.
Emerge Arts Projects, Inc (DBA Shine! Theatre), Amy Gallagher: $176,000.
Integral Community Solutions Institute, Jairo Lozano Lopez: $195,000.
The LAByrinth Art Collective, Alicia Rodriguez: $49,984.
The LAByrinth Art Collective, Alicia Rodriguez: $30,750.
The Dream Again Project (youth-led media production), Hersie Stovall (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $50,000.
South Tower Community Land Trust, Kiel Lopez-Schmidt: $100,000.
South Tower Community Land Trust, Kiel Lopez-Schmidt: $40,000.
Another Level Training Academy, Nia Hodge: $160,100.
The Munro Review, Donald Munro (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $26,780.
Deri Lasher (fiscal sponsor: Fresno Barrios Unidos): $28,888.
Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival, Carly Tex: $71,324.
Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Amy Kitchener: $200,000.
Paper Crane Arts Center, Racquelle Mendiola: $203,916.
Community Media Access Collaborative, Natalie Nigg: $300,000.
Community Media Access Collaborative, Natalie Nigg: $175,995.
Laotian-American Community of Fresno, Boutsaba Janetvilay: $300,000.
Break the Barriers Inc,, Jared Hergender: $289,400.
559 Night Market, Mike Osegueda: $50,000.
Mr. E. Christian Media, Inc., Drew Eash: $50,000.
B-Side Collective, Francisco Garibay (fiscal sponsor: Arte Américas): $48,246.
Food Mood Kitchen, Roxanne Villaluz (fiscal sponsor: Mighty Community Advocacy): $50,000.
United Khmer Cultural Preservation, Siphanarene Lonh: $48,400.
Fresno Metro Ministry, Christopher De Leon: $143,717.
Central Valley Scholars, Julianna Swilley: $102,889.
Christine Rose Brown (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $50,000.
Cen Cal Cinema, Roque Rodriguez (fiscal sponsor: Community Media Access Collaborative): $47,113.
ADJUDICATOR APPLICANTS
Listed by Name, Organization affiliation (if any), Area of experience
Alan Pierrot: Health and Aging, Philanthropy
Amy Kitchener, Alliance for California Traditional Arts: Arts Administration and Management, Correctional Services, Health and Aging, Immigrant/ Refugee Services, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Philanthropy, Social Justice
Amy Lawrence, Sierra Health Foundation: Arts Administration and Management, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Philanthropy, Health and Aging
Ana Zarco: Nonprofit Administration and Management
Caleb Duarte: Arts Education, Community Development, Immigrant/ Refugee Services, Practicing Artist, Race-Equity Services/Advocacy, Social Justice
Candace Eros Diaz: Arts Administration and Management, Community Development, Government Administration, LGBTQ+ Relations/Services/ Advocacy, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Philanthropy, Practicing Artist, Race-Equity Services/Advocacy, Social Justice
Chandelle Arambula, Music Together Fresno-Clovis, Owner and Director; Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education
Corrinne Hales, retired Professor of Creative Writing, Fresno State: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Practicing Artist, Social Justice
Cristina Velazquez: Arts Education, Practicing Artist
Danielle Mayer, Fresno Ideaworks: Arts Education, Practicing Artist
Tony Vang, CSU Fresno: Arts Education, Community Development, Learning and Evaluation, Practicing Artist, Nonprofit Administration and Management
Diana Gaspar-Pena: Other
Elizabeth Looney: Arts Administration and Management, Community Development, Marketing, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Philanthropy, Arts Education
Jeanie McKelvey: Arts Education, Practicing Artist
Jesus Sepulveda, Society of West-Coast Artists: Arts Education, Community Development, Practicing Artist
Joachim Schirmacher, Shinzen Japanese Garden, Fresno: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Community Development, Correctional Services, Health and Aging, Marketing, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Practicing Artist,
Veterans Services
Joseph Rios, Poet Laureate, City of Fresno: Practicing Artist,
Race-Equity Services/Advocacy, Social Justice
Juan Karlo Muro, Studio Mala, A is A: Arts Education, Marketing, Practicing Artist
Judith Peracchi: Health and Aging, Community Development, Philanthropy, Social Justice, Learning and Evaluation
Julia Copeland, FAC: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Practicing Artist,
Marketing
Julie Dana, Retired Music Educator, Fresno City College, President-elect ACDA Western Region: Arts Education, Arts Administration and Management, Practicing Artist
Kristin Goehring: Arts Administration and Management, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Philanthropy, Practicing Artist,
Social Justice, Arts Education
Laura Silberman: Practicing Artist, Disability Services, Health and Aging,
Immigrant/ Refugee Services
Linda Coleman, Central Valley Component of the Northern California Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America: Learning and Evaluation
Linda Ravenswood: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Community Development, Practicing Artist
Loan Le: Government Administration, Philanthropy, Practicing Artist, Other
Lorena Moreno, Center for Cultural Innovation (Role: Systems and Grants Manager): Arts Administration and Management, Government Administration, Nonprofit Administration and Management
Lynn Baldwin: Arts Education, Community Development, Marketing,
Nonprofit Administration and Management, Philanthropy
Maggie Courtis, Scarab Creative Arts: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Marketing, Philanthropy, Practicing Artist
Mariah Bosch, CSU Fresno (Lecturer): Arts Education, Practicing Artist
Matthew Cunningham: Community Development, Government Administration, Health and Aging, LGBTQ+ Relations/Services /Advocacy, Marketing, Nonprofit Administration and Management
Maymanah Farhat, California State University, Fresno, part-time lecturer in the Department of Art, Design, and Art History: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Nonprofit Administration and Management
Nwachukwu Oputa: Arts Education, Community Development, LGBTQ+ Relations/Services/Advocacy, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Race-Equity Services/Advocacy, Social Justice, Practicing Artist
Yer Vang, Revived Organization: Nonprofit Administration and Management, Arts Administration and Management
Pedro Urena: Arts Education, Community Development, Marketing,
Health and Aging, Nonprofit Administration and Management
Robert Boro: Arts Education, Community Development, Health and Aging,
Immigrant/Refugee Services, Marketing, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Philanthropy, Practicing Artist, Social Justice
Ruth Soderlund: Practicing Artist, Disability Services
Sally Ramage, Clark Bonsai Collection: Community Development, Learning and Evaluation, Marketing, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Other
Scout Jaech: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Community Development
Sharron Alexander: Arts Education, Learning and Evaluation, Practicing Artist
Song Vue, Revived Organization: Practicing Artist, Nonprofit Administration and Management
Stephanie Bradshaw: Arts Administration and Management, Arts Education, Community Development, Practicing Artist, Learning and Evaluation
Stephen Gamboa: Community Development, Marketing, Nonprofit Administration and Management, Social Justice,Tribal Justice/Services/Advocacy, Practicing Artist, Arts Administration and Management
Tom G. Laury: Tribal Justice/Services/Advocacy, Practicing Artist
Varoujan Der Simonian, Armenian Museum of Fresno (a.k.a. Armenian Heritage Museum): Nonprofit Administration and Management, Arts Administration and Management, Social Justice, Community Development, Philanthrophy
Steph
Thank you for your hard work Doug!
Some of these are just one person using their laptops at Starbucks with pipe dreams for the future if/when they get these big payouts.
I’m much more of an advocate for doing the very difficult work to get your idea actually up and running before we toss big bucks your way.
But overall there are very worthy organizations on the list, and very competent adjudicators.
This transparency has me quite hopeful the committee will be able to vet the true artisans and allocate the monies well.
Question: Are the adjudicators able to offer partial payouts rather than the full amounts requested?
Paige Addington
Thank you for doing this!! This seems to be the most disorganized grant award I have heard of in a long time.