Arts Funders Respond

In an op-ed in Nashville Arts Magazine, Jennifer Cole, executive director of Metro Nashville Arts Commission, addresses questions and debunks some of the myths about federal arts funding such as: “The arts are only for ‘certain people’ and others shouldn’t subsidize programs for the wealthy.” “If artists can’t make it as a business, why should … Continue reading Op-ed: Jennifer Cole on Why We Need the NEA →

The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) conducted a survey of foundation leaders about how they are reacting to the new administration, and the degree to which they are making changes as a result. Based on survey responses from 162 CEOs of US independent and community foundations making at least $5 million in grants annually, CEP has … Continue reading Survey: Foundations Respond to a New Political Context →

From The Washington Post: The new federal spending bill would spare — and even slightly increase — funding for three arts-related agencies that President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating: the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities.The agreement announced Monday calls for the CPB’s budget to … Continue reading Federal Budget Agreement for FY 2017 Would Slightly Increase Funding for NEA, NEH →

A recent article in The New York Times highlights the impact of National Endowment for the Arts funding in South Dakota, “a largely rural, politically red state”: South Dakota, which has fewer than a million people, received the fifth-highest amount of federal arts money per person in the nation last year, and the endowment’s generally … Continue reading In Rural, Conservative South Dakota, NEA Funding Is Crucial to Arts Community →

A new survey by Exponent Philanthropy shows the vast majority of its members (82%) expect the institution of philanthropy to play a more important role in society as a result of recent changes in Washington, DC. Issued in late March to Exponent Philanthropy’s members – foundations with few or no staff, philanthropic families, and individual … Continue reading Survey: Grantmakers Expect Philanthropy to Play a More Important Role in Society as a Result of Recent Changes in Washington, DC →

The New York City Cultural Agenda Fund, a collaborative fund managed by the New York Community Trust, is seeking proposals for grants to support arts advocacy efforts in New York City. Read the announcement.

From Hyperallergic: A new report by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the US Department of Commerce tracks the economic impact of the arts nationally and state by state. Read the article.

A recent article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review discusses how some foundations are using a systems change approach to work toward social change in the current political climate. “A key differentiator for systems change foundations,” author Mark R. Kramer writes, “is that they no longer try to pilot a small-scale program first and then take … Continue reading How Foundations Are Using a Systems Change Approach to Work Toward Social Change →

Rep. Alma S. Adams (D-NC) has published an op-ed on The Hill arguing for continued funding of the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition to representing North Carolina’s 12th District and serving on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Adams is also a professional artist, curator, and college art professor. Read the article on The Hill.

Barr Foundation has announced a set of grant awards totaling $1.43 million to support freedom of the press. This is the second set of grants in Barr’s 2017 Special Initiative, responding to dramatic shifts in the national context, to increased polarization, and to growing concerns about equity and opportunity for vulnerable populations. Read more from … Continue reading Barr Foundation Announces Grants Supporting Freedom of Press →