Metro area voters first created the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District in November 1988 to provide public financial support to scientific and cultural organizations. Since the first distributions in 1989, SCFD has funded over 300 organizations via the 0.1% (1¢ on every $10) retail sales and use tax in the seven-county district. Counties within the District include Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson and most of Douglas. The SCFD was most recently reauthorized in 2004 by vote of the citizens to extend the Statute governing the District until 2018.
SCFD facilitates distribution of the voter-approved retail sales and use tax funds to organizations such as the Central City Opera that provide for the enlightenment and entertainment of the public through the production, preservation, exhibition, advancement or preservation of art, music, theatre, dance, zoology, botany, natural history or cultural history. SCFD has become known nationally as a unique and efficient model of regional cooperation with extensive outreach to schools and underserved populations.
In 1989, SCFD first distributions amounted to $14 million to 171 organizations. By year’s end in 2008, a total of $591 million had been distributed over the 20 years since. In 2008 alone, over $41.9 million was distributed to more than 300 eligible nonprofit and local government scientific and cultural organizations including regional entities such as the Denver Zoo, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and the Central City Opera to a fantastic array of smaller, local nonprofit organizations based across the seven-counties of the District. The SCFD Statute allows for a Board of Directors of eleven members to oversee the District policies, distributions and staff. Members serve from each of the District’s seven counties and four are by appointment of the Governor. Councilwoman Marcia Johnson is the Board representative from Denver County.
SCFD has solidified the Metro region’s cultural assets and prompted public participation! One million adults and children were enrolled in SCFD supported cultural classes in 2007 and more than 16.4 million people visited SCFD funded organizations in 2007, including 9.4 million free visits. An inspiring wealth of culture has been provided to the community by the Citizens of the SCFD. Congratulations to us all on 20 years of SCFD!
