Measure P guidelines receive tough scrutiny as opposing sides spar over limits on funding
By Doug Hoagland
In action that could benefit grassroots arts organizations and limit established ones, the City’s Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission approved guidelines for awarding nearly $6.5 million from Measure P in the next several months.
The biggest point of conflict at the Commission’s May 18 meeting: a proposed $150,000 cap on what Fresno’s large established, so-called legacy, organizations could seek in operating support grants. The Fresno City Council will get the final say on the guidelines – proposed by the City’s parks department – at the Council’s June 18 meeting.
Under the $150,000 cap, five of the city’s best known established arts organizations – Arte Américas, Fresno Art Museum, Fresno City & County Historical Society, Fresno Philharmonic, and Valley Public Television – could apply for a combined $750,000 in 2026-27. In 2025-26, they applied for a combined $2 million. That decrease could mean a bigger pot of Measure P money for grassroots applicants to access in the competitive grant process.
At the May 18 meeting, Commissioners heard pointed comments, and at one point Chair Kimberly McCoy called for security as people in the audience raised their voices at one another. The ruckus ended quickly. In the end, the nine-member Commission – with a bare minimum for a quorum – voted 4-1 to approve proposed guidelines that include the $150,000 cap.
Speaking in favor of the cap before the vote, grassroots advocate Johannus Reijnders said he believes Fresno’s established arts organizations have a specific attitude about Measure P funds: “We need to have it for us. We are entitled to it.”
In response, Elizabeth Laval, president of the Fresno City & County Historical Society, said, “I don’t feel entitled to anything. We feel honored to be part of Measure P.”
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Two different ways of looking at Measure P’s intent underscored the vigorous public remarks at the May 18 meeting.
Some in the grassroots community point to language in the Measure P ordinance that says funding priorities are diverse public engagement, youth engagement and equity. Meanwhile, some in established organizations point to Measure P language that says operating support is aimed at achieving stability in organizations that reflect Fresno’s cultural, geographic and demographic diversity.
‘Thin margins’
It’s wrong to suggest that established organizations are flush with money, Stephen Wilson, president and chief executive officer of the Fresno Philharmonic, said at the meeting.
In the 2025-26 cycle, the Fresno Philharmonic – along with Arte Américas, Fresno Art Museum, Fresno City & County Historical Society, and Valley Public Television – each applied for $400,000, the maximum allowed at that time. They each received $240,000, indicative of the fact that all applicants typically receive less money than they ask for.
Said Wilson: “The so-called established organizations all operate on extraordinarily thin margins. It’s completely incorrect to say we don’t need the Measure P money.”
Meanwhile, Alicia Rodriguez, chair and co-founder of The LAByrinth Art Collective, said her organization would be considered “established” and therefore could benefit from a higher cap. But that could mean less money for the grassroots artists, Rodriguez said: “That’s a ‘no’ for me.” She supported the $150,000 cap. In other remarks to the Commission, Rodriguez said she didn’t want to “disparage” established arts organizations. “I’ve patronized them and continue to,” she said. “I’m not here to fight with anybody. I’m here to argue for equity.”
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Hugo Morales, executive director and co-founder of Radio Bilingüe, also spoke about equity and the necessity to balance the interests of both grassroots and established arts organizations. “This process must address the full spectrum of local arts organizations,” he said.
Morales and others who spoke on May 18 have addressed the Commission in the past. But Robert Mollison, president and chief executive officer of Valley Public Television, was a first-time speaker. He favored increasing the $150,000 cap.
“Tonight is actually a pretty sad night for me,” Mollison said. “I never thought I’d live to see the day that public media would basically be considered the big bad wolf in the arts community.”
Noting that Valley Public Television (Channel 18) has lost nearly $1 million due to recent federal cutbacks, Mollison said his station is a platform for local artists and cultural organizations and also creates and shares new art that’s free. He said, for example, that Channel 18 is producing a new show, “Central Groove,” to feature local musicians in “high quality” broadcasts.
Mollison said he would attend the City Council’s June 18 meeting to advocate for Valley Public Television if there’s an opportunity for public comment. Laval of the Historical Society said she had not yet decided if she would speak at the June 18 meeting. She said she was disappointed that the $150,000 cap was not increased: “There will always be anchor organizations that take more to operate and have larger reach but higher need for funds.” Wilson of the Fresno Philharmonic also expressed disappointment in the Commission’s vote.
‘Webs and connections’
The biggest reaction of the night came after remarks by Ome Lopez, cofounder of Dulce UpFront. Lopez is a leader in the grassroots arts community, and Dulce UpFront, a registered nonprofit, served as a fiscal sponsor for dozens of artists in the 2025-26 grant cycle. Doing so enabled artists who don’t have nonprofit status to apply for Measure P; some received funding.
Lopez spoke against increasing the $150,000 cap, and she also referred to unspecified wealthy families in Fresno and “lots of webs and connections.” She appeared to predict – incorrectly – that the Commission would increase the dollar amount on the cap. “You already know what you’re going to do because there’s been back-end conversations,” she told the Commissioners, “and you already know that if you don’t do what you need to do, potentially you won’t have access, power, influence.”
In addition, Lopez spoke about a number of other issues, including her anger toward Lilia Gonzáles Chávez, former director of the Fresno Arts Council, and the budgets of Arte Américas, Fresno Art Museum and the Historical Society.
She also said “whistleblowers” in city government, the Fresno Arts Council and nonprofit organizations have shared concerns with her. “They have asked me to poke around to gather information, and I’ve done that.” she said.
The brief ruckus that followed Lopez’s remarks led McCoy to call for order and also summon security guards who work at Fresno City Hall. Two guards appeared.
In the end, Commissioner Rose Caglia was the only voice for increasing the cap. She cast the lone “no” vote on the guidelines. Commissioner Jon Dohlin made the motion to recommend the guidelines to the City Council, and Commissioner Jose Leon Barraza seconded the motion but only after appearing unclear about the motion and receiving explanations from Dohlin and McCoy. McCoy and Commissioner Laura Ward joined Dohlin and Barraza in approving the guidelines.
The Commission started the meeting with seven of its nine members present. Commissioner McKay Duran was absent and there is one vacancy.
Commissioners Scott Miller and Kelly Kucharski were present for part of the meeting but left before the Commission voted on the guidelines. They did not immediately respond to an email asking why they didn’t stay until the meeting ended.
After the vote on the guidelines, the public had one last opportunity to address the Commission. Reijnders, the grassroots advocate, reminded the Commissioners that the Fresno City Council in the past had changed some of the Commission’s Measure P recommendations.
The Council could increase the $150,000 cap at the June 18 meeting, and Reijnders seemed to issue a warning about that possibility. “The public is watching this process, both the work that you are doing and the work the City will do later,” he told the Commission at the end of the nearly 5 ½ hour meeting.
The meeting had barely ended when Lopez sent out an Instagram post to her followers. “We need you at the city council meeting. Stay tuned for more info.”
