GIA Blog

What the Election Means
Posted on November 10, 2014 by Steve

Barry Hessenius at Westaf has followed last week’s pre-election analysis with a new post on the elections outcomes:

What the election means in a negative sense for the arts is the elevation of a number of those whose position is that the arts should not be supported by government. That, I categorically oppose, and think its in all of our interests to oppose. I certainly don’t want to give them ammunition of the sort that suggests the Endowment is not a priority issue for the arts, or that its existence and health does not have a major impact on the arts in America. Why do that?
Dollar Bank Sells August Wilson Center to Three Pittsburgh Foundations
Posted on November 7, 2014 by Steve

From Mark Belko, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Two days after being sold unceremoniously at sheriff’s sale, the August Wilson Center for African American Culture ended up in the hands of three local foundations, its future seemingly secure for the first time in at least a year. Monday’s high drama gave way Wednesday to the ending most had been expecting — with the Pittsburgh Foundation, the Heinz Endowments and the Richard King Mellon Foundation taking control of the Downtown real estate with the intent of preserving the center’s mission as a focal point for African American art and culture.
Nonprofits: Ban These Phrases from Your Vocabulary
Posted on November 6, 2014 by Steve

GuideStar, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator don't ever want to hear you say these words again:

“Only X% of your gift goes to overhead.” OR
“Only X cents on the dollar go to overhead costs.”

Why? Because you do both your organization and your donors a great disservice when you focus on overhead as the key indicator of your worthiness to receive donations.

U.S. Foundation Giving Reaches an Estimated $54.7 Billion in 2013
Posted on November 5, 2014 by Steve

According to the new edition of Foundation Center’s Key Facts on U.S. Foundations, the country's 86,192 foundations held $715 billion in assets and distributed a record $52 billion in 2012. This annual research study estimates 2013 giving at $54.7 billion and the outlook for 2014 is for growth to continue ahead of inflation, with independent and family foundations growing at a higher rate than other types of foundations.

Among the key findings in the report:

  • In 2012, New York State led the nation in overall foundation giving ($8.7 billion).
  • California organizations ranked first in the amount of grant dollars received from the largest U.S. foundations ($2.4 billion).
  • The Switzerland-based World Health Organization was the top recipient of international grant dollars in 2012.
Dollar Bank buys August Wilson Center for $1,912.50
Posted on November 5, 2014 by Steve

From Daniel Moore, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Although the deal seemed to put an end to a tumultuous five years of financial hardship for the center since its grand opening, the center’s ultimate fate remained unclear. In particular, the sale continued the uncertainty for those who have advocated to maintain the property as a hub of African-American culture and arts. For months, local leaders have expressed support for a deal in which the center would end up in the hands of three Pittsburgh foundations: the Heinz Endowments, the Pittsburgh Foundation and the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The foundations have stated their intent to continue operations of the center as a hub of African-American arts and culture.
NYC Arts Funders Create Fund to Advance Cultural Policy and Equity
Posted on November 5, 2014 by Steve

Five foundations are pooling close to a million dollars to create the New York City Cultural Agenda Fund to strengthen the City’s arts advocacy network, develop a cohesive agenda for cultural policy, and promote equity within the sector. Under the combined leadership of the Booth Ferris, Lambent, and Robert Rauschenberg foundations, The New York Community Trust, and the David Rockefeller Fund, the NYC Cultural Agenda Fund is expected to make grants of more than $700,000 over the next 18 months. Additional funders are encouraged to join.

Member Spotlight on Rasmuson Foundation
Posted on November 1, 2014 by SuJ'n

During the months of November and December, GIA's photo banner features artists and projects supported by Rasmuson Foundation.

Established in 1955 as a private family foundation, Rasmuson Foundation has a proud history of grantmaking in Alaska, including a major focus on support of arts and culture throughout the State. The Foundation directs support in the cultural sector through several channels, including direct financial support of individual artists, arts in education, museum collections and conservation, arts and cultural organization sustainability, performing and visual arts exhibition touring, and capital project support. It is also committed to strong national partnerships, including United States Artists and ArtPlace America.

Story/Time: Bill T. Jones on John Cage
Posted on October 30, 2014 by Steve

Former GIA Board member John Killacky posts to The Green Room, a blog from Walker Art Center in Minneapolis:

Three decades ago, choreographer Bill T. Jones jolted the New York dance scene. Bucking the prevailing stripped-down postmodernism, he and his partner Arnie Zane created sensational dances collaborating with composers, fashion designers, and visual artists. A new queer aesthetic emerged that was anything but minimalistic.
Exploring the Effects of an Abbreviated Intervention on Improving Financial Management for Youth-Serving Organizations
Posted on October 30, 2014 by Steve

In 2009, The Wallace Foundation launched the Strengthening Financial Management (SFM) initiative, a comprehensive multi-year intervention to improve the financial stability and planning of 26 nonprofit Chicago organizations that were providing afterschool programming. A new report by the management consulting firm CFAR — Differences a Day Can Make: Exploring the Effects of an Abbreviated Intervention on Improving Financial Management for Youth-Serving Organizations — examines the effectiveness of a one-day workshop and series of webinars offered to nonprofits by the consulting firm FMA as part of the SFM initiative.

Arts Education: The Need for More Arts Teachers in School
Posted on October 24, 2014 by Steve

Gary Steuer, posting in Huffington Post Education:

Arts in Education Week took place last month, and since then arts education has been on my mind and in the air. A recent blog post by Alan Yaffe that contended arts education advocacy should be focused more on art-making than art-viewing got me thinking. It is true, much energy goes into trying to get K-12 students to attend arts events, and that's wonderful and much-needed. We try to organize class trips, and bemoan the increasing challenges of getting access to buses, to getting the OK to leave school for an arts experience when the pressures of sticking to curriculum and "teaching to the test" are ever-present. And arts groups do all they can to provide "enrichment", to facilitate those out-of-school experiences and to also bring teaching artists or arts education programs into schools.