Embracing dynamic adaptability
in the Bay Area
Is there anything special arts funders can do to help nonprofits and artists deal with the continued effects of a down economy? Something beyond continued funding opportunities, capacity building, and technical support? Read more »
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Five ways CAA-funded community foundations grew arts funds in the worst year since the Depression
Most nonprofit fundraisers are glad to see the calendar turn to 2010—personal donations in 2009 declined while social needs skyrocketed. During this tumultuous time, the arts giving landscape might have been bleak, but it was far from barren. Read more »
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Launching the East Bay Cultural Corridor
Talk about a multiplier effect: Here’s how two community foundations leveraged private foundation dollars to seed a four-city partnership for the arts. It’s an equation worth knowing in regions where acting together is the better path for growing a vibrant, sustainable arts landscape. Read more »
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Probing questions, proven techniques, and a simple process
What makes arts donors tick? How can we connect with these givers?
These questions are top of mind for all who aim to increase donor support for community arts. Recently, a group of California community foundations turned to research guru Alan Brown to help deepen their understanding of donors. Their aim was clear: to shape more effective donor engagement strategies and accelerate local arts giving. Read more »
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Michael Kaiser, sponsored by
Sacramento Region Community Foundation
This is the story of what a community—even one facing economic and social issues—can do to stake a claim for arts, and of how a community foundation can spark this public commitment.
California’s challenges are visible in its capital, where images of a tent city housing hundreds displaced by the economic downturn make international news. Read more »
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An Evening of Song & Poetry
Community Foundation Sonoma County
What can a community do when economic recession threatens local arts organizations and makes donors cautious about their giving? In Sonoma County, these scary circumstances led to a strategy for showcasing local arts—while helping donors reconnect to their passion for creativity in community. Read more »
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2009 Champions of the Arts Videos
Monterey County
Here’s how one community is using video to showcase local arts—and appeal to existing and new donors.
This moving medium was a centerpiece in the 2009 Champions of the Arts Gala sponsored by the Arts Council for Monterey County. The Gala offered tribute to community arts heroes—artists, nonprofit leaders, education advocates, and donors. Each of their stories was presented through a series of professionally produced videos, all of which are available online and promoted through the Arts Council and its networks. Read more »
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A private foundation states its case
The economy is at a 40-year low. Safety net issues are on the rise at an alarming rate. So why sustain a commitment to the arts?
Jim Canales, president and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation, answers this question in the following op-ed appearing in the San Francisco Chronicle.
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One man’s point of view
John Killacky is on a quest for relevance. He fears that many grantmakers will establish new priorities and initiatives regardless of what the field of dance actually needs. He calls for foundations and arts organizations alike to hone their ability to adapt to changing times—emphasizing that being dynamic is as important as building endowment when it comes to long-term success. Read more »
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Sustaining arts in a time of economic turmoil
Arts funders and nonprofits agree: We are in an unprecedented time of financial distress, and no one knows when we will reach bottom. This new reality is causing reactions that range from caution to crisis in arts organizations. Read more »
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