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Three workshops are scheduled to help nonprofits and other small organizations meet the March 29 deadline to apply for funding from Salt Lake County's Zoo Arts and Parks (ZAP) program.

Last year, 143 different groups split $1.6 million in funds provided by the tax, approved a decade ago by county residents. It adds a penny to every $10 spent in the county. That tax money goes into programs advancing music, history, art, dance, natural history and theater, with the County Council dividing the revenues between large and small arts organizations, based on recommendations from volunteer advisory boards.

More money is expected to be available this year because an improving economy has boosted sales tax collections. ZAP tax collections for the first 11 months of 2012 were up 7.6 percent over the same period in 2011, according to county finance officer Lance Brown.

Victoria Bourns, who oversees the county ZAP program, said the application process for the smaller Tier II arts groups has been streamlined this year. Attending a workshop will help these groups to understand and complete the revised applications, she said.

The workshops will be held 2 p.m. Feb. 28, 5:30 p.m. March 7 and 9 a.m. March 15. All are in room 4017 of the North Building of the County Government Center, 2001 S. State.

Each session will cover the same material and will last about an hour, Bourns said. Reservations are not required.

The deadline for larger Tier I arts groups to apply for ZAP funding is May 17.

Mike Gorrell