Also: clearing the decks for an important announcement in August It’s the end of May, which means that too many nonprofit arts organizations are beginning their annual “end of fiscal year” push for additional donations. There’s a lot on the line for these charities to meet their financial revenue goals and stuffing as much asking as you can into that final month might … [Read more...] about Just a Reminder — June 30 Is Only Meaningful to You
Foundations
Measuring the Arts is Impossible – Which Is Why Funders Should Measure Charitable Impact Instead
Imagine what would happen if foundations and corporate donors funded not by grantee promises or relationships, but by their deeds and impact instead. Ah well, a man can dream, can’t he? Imagine a world in which nonprofit arts organizations are given every tool they need to succeed. Or, in lieu of that, enough money to care for their communities, provide needed services, … [Read more...] about Measuring the Arts is Impossible – Which Is Why Funders Should Measure Charitable Impact Instead
Nonprofit Arts Success: Out of Hand Theater Shakes the Trees of Social Justice
And they’re changing Atlanta for the better every minute. From the press releases announcing new artistic leaders for nonprofit theaters in the last year: Yawn. For the purposes of fairness, let’s look at the active parts of the mission statements of these three organizations. Pardon me. I was mistaken. This part is the yawn part. The first set of quotes is … [Read more...] about Nonprofit Arts Success: Out of Hand Theater Shakes the Trees of Social Justice
The Mellon Foundation Did a Nice Thing. Next Time, Look at Where the Action Is.
If the Mellon Foundation would start to look at the next-level budgets, they’ll find transformation is the purview of better-run organizations. A local nonprofit arts organization realized that it had never received a donation from the town’s most successful lawyer. The volunteer in charge of contributions called him to persuade him to contribute. “Our research shows … [Read more...] about The Mellon Foundation Did a Nice Thing. Next Time, Look at Where the Action Is.
Funders: How Do You Hold Your Nonprofit Arts Organizations Accountable?
Alternately, are you just robotically giving the most money to previous beneficiaries? In a city in which I no longer live, I served on a local government arts panel evaluating capital requests from arts organizations in the community. We looked at a number of proposals from organizations with small, medium, and large budgets, but the money for such capital expenses came … [Read more...] about Funders: How Do You Hold Your Nonprofit Arts Organizations Accountable?