The Summit County Council awarded nearly $900,000 in recreation, arts and parks (RAP) tax grants last week to support more than 20 nonprofit organizations across the county.

County Councilors unanimously approved the recommendations from the community-led RAP tax advisory committee after a brief discussion. The committee is comprised of Melissa Marsted, Connie Nelson, Kirstie Rosenfield, Ben Castro, Loralie Pearce, Judy Horwitz, Amy Yost and Anita Lewis.

The RAP tax represents one-tenth of 1 percent of sales tax collected county-wide. The grant has funded projects and programs for park development, exercise programs and art projects. Approximately $331,352 was awarded in 2017.

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More than 20 organizations submitted applications to the RAP tax advisory committee, with the organizations requesting nearly $1.5 million. No applications were denied this year for not meeting state or local requirements for grant approval.

Grant awardees are chosen based on several criteria, including organizational capacity, public benefit/outreach, and artistic/cultural vibrancy.

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The committee recommended the Sundance Institute receive nearly 10 percent of the funding available, or approximately $80,000. The institute plans to use the funds to support the Summer Film Series, community screenings and Best of Fest screenings. The application indicated the monies would not be used for capital expenditures or travel.

The second largest recommendation included $78,000 to the Utah Symphony and Opera/Deer Valley Music Festival to pay the fees for guests artists. Last year, the organization received just over $70,000.

Other notable allocations included $72,000 each to KPCW, the Kimball Art Center and Mountain Town Music.

Only a few organizations received the entire amount they requested. The Council approved $71,079 to the Park City Film Council, $55,000 to the Alf Engen Ski Museum Foundation and $5,000 to the Echo Community and Historical Organization. The Film Council’s application stated the funds would be used for performance production fees, salaries and space rental fees.

Leslie and Russell Harlow, who sit on the board of directors for the Park City Chamber Music Society, were disappointed with the amount of money the organization was awarded — $1,980. The Park City Chamber Music Society promotes the preservation of classical chamber music, sponsoring concerts and seminars year round, notably producing the Beethoven Festival Park City during the summer months.

“When we dropped to $7,200 last year we were shocked,” Leslie Harlow said. “I mean we lobbied to get this tax passed for the arts.”

The organization requested $15,000 to help pay the world-renowned classical artists that perform throughout the summer.

“We have been putting on this festival for 35 years and it’s not like we are going away,” Russell Harlow said. “We do draw smaller crowds to our events, but that is because we want the performance to be more personal.”

Some of the other requests included:

-Park City Institute requested $170,000 and received $69,300 for operational expenses, as well as the costs associated with performances.

-Park City Historical Society and Museum requested $68,500 and collected $61,000 to support two exhibitions, “Imprinting the West: Manifest Destiny — real and imagined” and “Once upon a playground.”

-Park City and Summit County Arts Council received $50,000 of $75,000 requested to pay staff salaries and fund short-term projects.

County Council members also approved the following grant requests:

-Art Kids Inc: $3,000

-Ballet West: $20,000

-Egyptian Theater Company: $64,800

-Park City Historical Society and Museum/Sunrise Rotary of Park City: $12,000

-Park City Singers: $2,000

-Park City Summit County Arts Council/Public art program: $5,603

-Park City Summit County Arts Council/Latino Arts Festival: $6,000

-Park City Summit County Arts Council/South Summit Strings Orchestra: $3,000

-Park Silly Sunday Market: $25,000

-Swaner EcoCenter: $55,000

-Utah Wind Symphony: $3,000

-Utah Humanities Council: $3,000