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 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 due to the existence of Naperville’s SECA Fund.
Unless one is involved in a local nonprofit, SECA may be an unknown entity. To clarify, the City of Naperville established the Special Events and Cultural Amenities (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 the Special Events Cultural Amenities Commission and agreed upon by City Council.
Nonprofit organizations sponsoring projects or initiatives located within incorporated Naperville are eligible to apply. Last year, 64 percent of the funds requested were awarded and the community benefitted.
In recent years, local residents experienced SECA’s positive impact each time they attended a Naperville Municipal Band concert, went trap shooting at Sportsman Park or visited the DuPage Children’s Museum.
Naperville Century Walk, Naperville Art League, DuPage Symphony, Downtown Naperville Alliance 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 23 deadline for application submission, Naperville’s non-profits will have to wait until the spring to find out what their SECA future holds. Knowing that the city embraces the importance of cultural amenities, many are looking at the possibility of an artful year.