GIA News's blog

(8-16-10) The 2010 Edition of Foundation Giving Trends: Update on Funding Priorities shows a decline in support for half of the major funding areas. Arts & Culture registered 13% of grant dollars in 2008, 14% of the number of grants given. Other key findings:

• Foundations awarded a record 214 grants of $10 million or more in 2008. Of the 10 largest, six were made by the Gates Foundation mainly for health-related activities and international development.

(8-16-10) Council on Foundations is actively planning the 2011 Annual Conference, which takes place in Philadelphia. A "session idea form" is available to fill out which CoF will take as input for the planning process. The form and other information is available on the CoF website at www.cof.org/events/conferences/2011Annual.

(8-16-10) After two weeks of meal prep and showing dinner companions to their seats (i.e. a thoroughly engaging back-and-forth discussion on individual artists and grantmaking), GIA guest bloggers Ute Zimmermann and Theaster Gates have sat down at the table to cut into the meat of this matter. Pull up your own seat and share your thoughts here.

(8-10-10) On August 7, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported on its survey of philanthropic programs at 162 of the largest U.S. corporations. In summary:

• Seventy-three percent of businesses polled said they expect their cash and product giving to be about the same as in 2009, reflecting a 7.5 percent reduction from 2008 giving.
• With less money to give, some companies are focused on responding to needs aggravated by the economy.

(8-10-10) Bob Booker, Executive Director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, (and former president of NASAA) welcome attendees on July 29 to the Southwest Arts Conference. Jonathan Katz passes along the text of Bob's introduction:

The arts hold the ability to shed the “light of truth and understanding” across America in these challenging times. The arts have always taken the lead in facing the tough issues head on. From Picasso's painting, Guernica, to the poems of Langston Hughes, the arts are not shy, quiet or reserved.

(8-10-10) New England Foundation for the Arts has announced the National Theater Pilot. Applications became available on August 6 and the deadline for submitting the application is Wednesday, September 1:

(8-6-10) The GIA Guest Blog, “A Movable Feast: Conversations About the Artist-Grantmaker Relationship around a Virtual Dinner Table” is happening now. The subject of the relationship between artist and grantmaker is looking to make for a rich discussion. Join in at blogs.giarts.org/uteandtheaster.

(8-3-10) A new website created by the Greater Washington Society of CPAs' Nonprofit Financial Accountability Task Force provides in-depth information on finance and accounting for small and mid-sized nonprofits. The site's creation was funded in part by the Meyer Foundation. Featured topics include:

• Internal reporting requirements
• Tax filings and audits
• Nonprofit-specific bookkeeping
• Information about starting a new nonprofit

(8-3-10) Deadline is Sunday, August 15 to submit nominations to the Greater Columbus Arts Council 2010 Community Arts Partnership Awards. The Community Arts Partnership Awards recognize the Ohio community's crucial contributions to the arts, including financial support, non-cash contributions, volunteer involvement, leadership and board participation. An online form for nominations is available here.

Read More about the Arts Partnership Awards.

(8-3-10) Richard Kessler brings us up to date on the U.S. Department of Educations i3 program:

As word is starting to make its way around the country regarding approvals and declinations for the 2010 USDOE Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination program (I am extremely happy to say the The Center for Arts Education was awarded a 2010 AEMDD grant!), I've been hearing conflicting information about when the results of the USDOE i3 program will be announced.