RAP GRANT APPLICATION
If you are interested in applying for a RAP Grant, please fill out the RAP Grant Application Form.
Applications for 2022 opened on February 1, 2022 and close on March 31, 2022. Any approved grants will be disbursed after July 1, and must be expended before the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30 of the following year.
In order to qualify for a grant, an organization must:
- be a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization OR a city-funded recreation, arts, or cultural program or facility (e.g., Arts Council).
Qualifying 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations must:
- have, or commit to have, a significant presence and manage/present, in Spanish Fork City; and
- have as a primary purpose the advancement and/or preservation of natural history, art, music, theater, dance, or cultural arts (including literature or a motion picture), as well as a preponderance of activities that are within their eligible disciplines, and not just have some element of cultural arts.
Applicants must follow the RAP Program Guidelines, including submitting the Compliance Report.
For more information, please contact the RAP Program Committee at rapcommittee@spanishfork.org.
2021 RAP GRANT RECIPIENTS
In June 2021, the RAP Program Committee reviewed grant applications and made a recommendation to the City Council for grant distributions to the following organizations:
| Grant Applicant | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Arts Festival | $9,200 | Scholarships, materials, stipends, operations |
| Spanish Fork Community Theater | $17,000 | Materials and lights, Harvest Moon, staff pay |
| Spanish Fork Youtheater | $5,900 | Equipment, costumes, props, artists fees |
| Spanish Fork Chorale | $1,600 | Purchase new music & advertisement |
| Spanish Fork Arts Council | $42,000 | Lighting, projection, and special effects equipment |
| Nebo Philharmonic Orchestra | $1,000 | Perform a fall concert in Spanish Fork |
| Nebo Holiday Chorus & Orchestra | $3,000 | Venue and instrument rental, advertising, stipends |
| Little Miss Spanish Fork | $1,500 | Provide service opportunities for the royalty |
| Freedom Walk | $3,500 | T-shirts, dog tags, transportation etc. for 5th grade Spanish Fork students for the freedom walk. |
| Harvest Moon | $7,000 | Support for bigger name entertainment |
| SF Library | $7,000 | Establish early literacy program with Spanish Fork Hospital & update catalog system. |
| TOTAL | $98,700 |
RAP Grant Recipient History
RAP PROGRAM COMMITTEE
The RAP Program Committee is comprised of 9 members (7 voting and 2 non-voting), and includes the following individuals:
- David Boyack - 3 year term (ending in 2022)
- Susan Taylor - 3 year term (ending in 2022)
- Michael Hancock - 3 year term (ending in 2022)
- Richard Johnson - 2 year term (ending in 2021)
- Jill McConnell - 2 year term (ending in 2021)
- Ken Jensen, Art's Council Chair
- Doug Ford, Parks & Recreation Committee Chair
- Dale Robinson, Parks & Recreation Director (non-voting)
- Mike Mendenhall, City Council Member (non-voting)
Committee members are appointed by the Spanish Fork Mayor and approved by the Spanish Fork City Council.
WHAT IS THE RAP PROGRAM?
The Recreation, Arts, and Parks Program (RAP for short) enhances RAP programs and amenities in Spanish Fork City. This is made possible through a RAP tax, which was approved by Spanish Fork voters in November 2018. The RAP Tax is a sales tax that is added to the regular sales tax rate. Revenues generated by the RAP tax are reserved for specific areas of focus in our community, such as:
- Cultural Arts Programs
- Parks
- Recreation Programs
WHAT PROJECTS CAN BE FUNDED?
RAP Tax funds can be used for a variety of projects and programs, in accordance with State Code 59-12-1402 and Spanish Fork Ordinance 3.24. Funding may be used to support municipal or non-profit organizations providing programs such as, but not limited to:
- Live theater
- Chorale groups
- Bands
- Festivals
- Youth Arts
- Theater groups
- Symphonies
- Operas
- Museums
- Parks
- Playing fields/courts
- Trails/Bike paths
- Splash pads
- Swimming pools
- Performing Arts Center
Because the fund distribution will be subject to the recommendation of the Citizen Advisory Committee and approval of the City Council, it is hard to say exactly which projects will receive funding. Regardless, the City has several projects that could be priorities for the RAP Program, including but not limited to:
- All Abilities Park
- After-School Programs
- City Park Improvements
- Dog Park Amenities
- Improved Arts Programs
- Community Theater
- Children Programs
- Indoor Aquatics Center
- Indoor Arena at Fairgrounds
- Pool/Splash Pad Expansions
- Reservoir Amphitheater/Stage
- Rocky Mountain Power Trail Corridor/Other Trail Connections
- Senior Center Improvements
Submit your ideas and suggestions here. Suggestions will be reviewed prior to the annual distribution in July.
HOW ARE FUNDS DISTRIBUTED?
- A citizen advisory committee or commission would be formed
- Committee would accept and review funding requests, such as:
- City Parks projects;
- City Cultural Arts projects; or
- Appropriate 501(c)(3) grant applications
- Committee makes recommendation to the Council for distribution each year
Based on sales tax revenues provided by the Utah State Tax Commission, a RAP tax in Spanish Fork would have generated $491,000 in FY 2017 and $568,000 in FY 2018.
WHO PAYS THE RAP TAX?
Because the RAP Tax is a sales tax, it is collected at the time of purchase, just as the existing sales tax is collected.
Over the last several years, Spanish Fork City has become much more of a commercial hub in southern Utah County. With additional retail offerings, including restaurants and retailers that draw from a larger geographic area than the Spanish Fork city limits, many individuals from other communities come to Spanish Fork to shop and dine. Using sales data provided by the Utah State Tax Commission, it is estimated that between 41 and 52 percent of all sales in Spanish Fork City are from individuals who do not reside in Spanish Fork City. In other words, nearly half of the funds that will be generated by the RAP tax will be from nonresidents shopping in Spanish Fork City.
If you have any questions that you would like us to answer about the RAP Program, please submit your question below.
FAQs
Why did we need a new tax to fund RAP when we did not need it in the past?
Will any of these funds go toward the library?
What portion of the tax goes to pay city officials or those on committees?
What purchases does the RAP Tax apply to?
Would the tax apply to things such as vehicle sales? For example, how much would be paid in RAP Tax for a vehicle purchase?
Can these funds be used to build a rec center?
Will the RAP Tax be used for the arts?
Are the funds going to be allocated in percentages?
How long will the tax last?
Will the rate increase?
How does the RAP Tax affect the City's General Fund?
Do impact fees cover the costs for RAP?
What happens if the County institutes a RAP Tax?
How much of the current sales tax does the City receive?
Do increased sales tax revenues cover the costs for RAP?
Why use a RAP Tax rather than using property taxes?