Guidelines for SCFD Public Support and Sustainability

The Denver Art Museum is located in the Golden Triangle Creative District. Photo by Visit Denver

The Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD), the Denver metro area’s national model for regional funding of cultural facilities and programs, was developed in the mid-1980s in response to a funding crisis among the largest cultural facilities in Denver. A group of civic leaders assembled to respond to the shortfall and devised a solution, a number of pragmatic guidelines. The 1988 legislation was drafted based on those guidelines. Since 1988, the district’s basic principles have been reviewed and renewed by Colorado legislatures and voters repeatedly in three successful reauthorizations (1994, 2004, 2016). The basic principles:

1. Minimize bureaucracy and cultural-related politics and ensure accountability through a low-profile, non-controversial, non-partisan board.
2. Provide funds for operations, not capital. Encourage municipalities and private donors to fund capital; encourage ongoing fundraising.
3. In reviewing the qualifications of new organizations, the SCFD board must ensure the primary purpose of the establishing legislation is followed.
4. Provide a sustaining level of funding support for the largest regional cultural programs and facilities to allow for long-term planning and investments.
5. Fund organizations with more localized, specialized audiences by using budget and audience data to allocate funding. Employ audits/other measures for accountability.
6. Fund county level organizations based on their contribution of revenue to the total regional tax. Grants are recommended by community cultural councils (selected by county commissioners). Commissioners have final approval. Avoid cultural elites or special interests’ dominance.
7. Restrain bureaucracy with limited funding to ensure dollars go to cultural providers.
8. Include a sunset provision requiring periodic renewal elections to keep organizations’ focus on public service, access and fiscal accountability.

Modest updates were made in the operation and formulas in the statutes in each renewal election by the state legislature. They were then signed by the governor and endorsed by the electorate.