Grantmakers in the Arts

Canada's Arts Sector Assesses Flood Impact
by Steve

Calgary Arts Development, in partnership with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, is working to assess the impact of a generational flood on the arts sector. Their website, www.calgaryartsdevelopment.com has lots of good information on their activities in the aftermath of last month's disaster.

Calgarians have witnessed a tremendous outpouring of offers to assist in recovery efforts. As The City’s arts development authority, Calgary Arts Development is assuming the role of an “arts responder hub,” playing three key roles:
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The Story Behind the Common Core Is Different from Duncan’s Version
by Steve

Diane Ravitch posts to her blog:

Arne Duncan has been vigorously defending the Common Core standards and vigorously insisting that they were created by the governors and the states. Of course, he must do this because it is illegal for the U.S. Department of Education to interfere in curriculum and instruction in the nation’s schools.

But his version of how the Common Core came to be adopted by nearly every state since 2009 is not accurate. It would be interesting to ask the nation’s governors what they know about the Common Core and even more interesting to ask them to take one of the two federally-funded tests of the Common Core. If that seems a stretch, how about having the nation’s chief state school officers–who are cheerleading for the Common Core–take the test?

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The Head and The Heart: Two Paths for Charitable Giving
by Steve

From Paul Sullivan, writing for The New York Times:

“We feel that people do start with this heartfelt desire to do good and they have all the good intentions in the world,” said Debra Treyz, global head of the philanthropy center at J. P. Morgan Private Bank. “But giving dollars does not always translate into results.”

She said she coached clients to focus on something they care about — that’s the heart part — and then gain expertise in the field to be able to make more intelligent decisions. “There are often ramp-up periods,” she said. “There’s a little bit of trial and error around that. We need to acknowledge what we need to do better, learn from mistakes and move on.”

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Summer Member Spotlight on the Colburn Foundation
by Abigail

During the months of July and August, the photo banner features grantees of GIA member the Colburn Foundation. Based in Los Angeles, the Foundation was established in 1999 by Richard D. Colburn. Below, in their own words, Colburn Foundation staff discuss their strategy of providing general operating support, as well as non-grant support through Foundation-organized grantee convenings.

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Grant Makers Need to Work on Resiliency to Climate Change
by Steve

Robert Searle and Karim Al-Khafaji for The Chronicle of Philanthropy:

Philanthropy’s role in fighting climate change has focused mostly on supporting projects to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases on global warming. But Hurricane Sandy’s unwelcome arrival last fall underscored the need to put front and center efforts to help people and communities adapt to the weather changes that are already putting lives and businesses in jeopardy.
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Business Support for the Arts Increased 18 Percent Between 2009 and 2012, Report Finds
by Tommer

After a 14 percent drop between 2006 and 2009, support for the arts by U.S. businesses increased 18 percent between 2009 and 2012, a survey by the Business Committee for the Arts, a division of Americans for the Arts, finds.

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3 Major Charity Groups Ask Donors to Stop Focusing on Overhead Costs
by Tommer

Three major groups that publish information about charities have started a campaign to persuade donors to look beyond overhead costs when deciding which groups to support.

“The percent of charity expenses that go to administrative and fundraising costs—commonly referred to as 'overhead’—is a poor measure of a charity’s performance,” says an open “letter to donors” drafted by GuideStar, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, and Charity Navigator.

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Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Names Gary Steuer as President
by Steve

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, of Denver, Colorado, has announced new leadership with the naming of its new President Gary Steuer effective October 2, 2013. Steuer’s predecessor, Dorothy Horrell, announced her retirement earlier this year after 13 years with the Foundation. Since 2008, Steuer has served as the Chief Cultural Officer and Director of the Office of Arts, Culture & the Creative Economy for the City of Philadelphia.

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