From South Carolina Arts Alliance: On June 12, Governor Henry McMaster issued 41 budgetary vetoes. Veto #24 eliminates $350,000 from the South Carolina Arts Commission. These funds would support grants made to over 150 nonprofit arts organizations around the state, professional development for industry leaders, and help reach underserved and rural areas in South Carolina … Continue reading South Carolina Governor Vetoes Arts Funding
Monica's Blog
Posted on June 14, 2017 by Monica
An article in the PhilanTopic blog highlights the work of the CrossCurrents Foundation to support films that explore social issues:
Soon after [co-founders Ken Grossinger and Michelíne Klagsbrun] created their foundation, the couple contacted Gittens with a proposal to establish the Justice Matters film series and award.
"Over the past eight years, Justice Matters has featured forty-one films," Blackaby told me. "And thanks to the Wyncote Foundation, we've been able to create that community connection, too: taking films out to schools and other settings, using social media to reach new audiences, and bringing the filmmakers and resource people to post-screening discussions."
Posted on June 13, 2017 by Monica
From The Chronicle of Philanthropy:
Charitable giving hit a record high for the third straight year in 2016, reaching $390.1 billion, according to "Giving USA," an annual study that estimates American philanthropy. However, donations rose at a slower rate than in recent years — 1.4 percent — as key economic indicators grew modestly and a divisive election season sowed uncertainty.
Foundation and corporate giving saw modest gains, with each increasing by a little more than 2 percent, to $59.3 billion and $18.6 billion, respectively. Giving to arts and culture groups grew by 5.1 percent, the second-biggest jump [by giving category], reaching $18.2 billion.
Posted on June 12, 2017 by Monica
Seattle Office of Arts & Culture has released a report exploring mechanisms for creating, activating, and preserving cultural spaces amid the city’s real estate boom.
“Despite cultural space’s role in strengthening neighborhoods, creating and maintaining these spaces in strong real estate markets can be extremely difficult. The older, smaller, more eccentric spaces that often house cultural uses and small businesses are particularly vulnerable to development-driven displacement.”
Posted on June 9, 2017 by Monica
A recent article on The Washington Post offers a detailed look at projects supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Author David Montgomery researched and visited several NEA-funded arts projects and community programs around the country to explore how they impact and are supported by the local community. He also interviewed representatives from the … Continue reading What Difference Does the NEA Make? A Look at Programs around the Country
Posted on June 7, 2017 by Monica
An article in The Art Newspaper describes how a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts helped launch an initiative that has raised over $1.2 million in private funding: With the $25,000 NEA grant, the St Paul, Minnesota-based arts non-profit, Springboard for the Arts, which calls itself “an economic and community development organization … Continue reading How a $25,000 NEA Grant Became a Springboard for Change in a Rural Minnesota Community
Posted on June 6, 2017 by Monica
The Council on Foundations had published an informative update on how potential federal tax reforms affecting the charitable deduction (which allows individuals to write off contributions to nonprofits on their taxes) could negatively impact giving to private foundations. To mitigate consequences of changes to the charitable deduction, the Council encourages funders to advocate for “a … Continue reading The Charitable Deduction: How Tax Reforms Could Affect Foundations
Posted on June 6, 2017 by Monica
The Council on Foundations had published an informative update on how potential federal tax reforms affecting the charitable deduction (which allows individuals to write off contributions to nonprofits on their taxes) could negatively impact giving to private foundations. To mitigate consequences of changes to the charitable deduction, the Council encourages funders to advocate for “a universal charitable deduction as a part of tax reform.” The update from Council offers detailed information on how private foundations can engage in advocacy and lobbying on this issue.
Posted on June 6, 2017 by Monica
A recent article from The McKnight Foundation highlights the thriving arts community in rural Fergus Falls, Minnesota:
In what has become a national model, artists in Fergus Falls worked within their communities to create a meaningful, vibrant, and equitable place. According to the 2017 Creative Minnesota report, the economic impact of the arts and culture activity in Fergus Falls alone is nearly $3 million every year.
Posted on June 1, 2017 by Monica
A recent article on Quartz describes how military service members benefit from arts programming from the National Endowment for the Arts: The benefits of arts therapy are particularly striking at the “resilience” stage, where it is used to combat physical and psychological trauma. Research has shown that arts therapy helps military patients suffering from PTSD and … Continue reading How Military Service Members Benefit from the NEA