In 2028, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) will be up for voter reapproval. It has been a huge success in funding cultural organizations and is praised and envied as a national model. There has, of course, been substantial growth in the seven county Denver metro area in both population and the number of cultural organizations serving the population since the SCFD voter approval in 1988. The amount distributed has also increased due to the growth in the revenue from sales tax. It produced $14 million 1989 and $85 last year.
The distribution formula of the SCFD has been adjusted at each of its three reauthorization elections (1994, 2004, 2016). The 1987 statute, approved by 75 percent of regional voters in 1988, allocated 65% of the funds to Tier I, 25% to Tier II, and 10% to Tier III. Today, after repeated adjustments, the formula is 59%, 24%, and 17% respectively (SCFD Annual Report 2024). Tier I began with four large regional organizations and after the 2004 legislative changes, now has five. Denver Center of Performing Arts, the largest organization in Tier II, was removed and placed in Tier I, providing more funding to share among Tier II mid-sized organizations. Tier III, smaller county level organizations, have had the most substantial increase from 10% to 17%, a seventy percent increase.
The table compares the percentages and total distribution (millions) of each SCFD Tier in 1989 and 2024.
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