Ribfest, Last Fling, Riverwalk Fine Art Fair: what do these have in common? All three are highly anticipated signature festivals for Naperville that attract thousands of attendees who appreciate the offerings of the community. These events are organized by nonprofit organizations that rely upon their dedicated volunteers to assist in the successful execution of their annual celebration. Perhaps the most significant similarity is the marked growth and improvement realized by each in recent years due to the emergence of Naperville’s Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) Fund.
For those not familiar, the City of Naperville established the SECA Fund in 2004 as “a separate fund used solely for the funding of social and artistic events and entities, providing cultural experiences for the Naperville community and its visitors.”
Made up of monies derived from the city-wide 1 percent food and beverage tax, the fund is allocated to worthy applicants based on recommendations of an advisory committee and agreed upon by City Council.
Nonprofit organizations sponsoring projects or initiatives located within incorporated Naperville are eligible to apply. Last year, 79 percent of the funds requested were awarded and the community benefited. In recent years, local residents began to see SECA’s positive impact through the growth of Naperville’s Century Walk, expanded programming for the DuPage Symphony, and NCTV’s enhanced studio equipment.
Naperville Art League, Naperville Municipal Band, Downtown Naperville Alliance, Naperville Cares and Naperville Woman’s Club are among the recipients recognized in the past and are among the hopefuls for the next round of SECA grant awards. With a November 1 deadline for application submission, Naperville’s nonprofits now have to wait until the spring to find out what their SECA future holds. Knowing that the city embraces the importance of cultural amenities, the future holds the possibility of an artful year.
