Grantmakers in the Arts

Funders Supporting Social Issues and the Persuasive Power of Film

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."

June 14, 2017 by Monica in Racial Equity

With funding from the Ford Foundation, Dance/NYC has launched a $500,000 fund to make operating grants to “small dance makers” with annual operating budgets between $25,000 and $1 million, with priority given to groups led by ALAANA artists. As reported by Crain’s New York Business:

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.

June 12, 2017 by Monica in Racial Equity

Race Forward: The Center for Racial Justice Innovation has selected sixty New York City arts and cultural organizations to participate in their Racial Equity in the Arts Innovation Lab, a year-long training program to improve racial equity in the arts and culture sector.

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.”

June 8, 2017 by Monica in Racial Equity

The Building Movement Project has released a report about the gap in representation of ALAANA individuals in leadership positions at nonprofits. The report has implications for organizations of all types, including recommendations for funders. As reported by Nonprofit Quarterly:

June 7, 2017 by Monica in Arts Education

The Education Commission of the States has released a detailed report highlighting the ways that states and districts can engage the arts in the ongoing work of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Designed to continue growing as ESSA implementation proceeds, this report currently contains chapters exploring the opportunities for arts education within the following topics: Accountability, Assessments, Stakeholder Engagement, State Plans, Tiers of Evidence, Title I, and a Well-Rounded Education.

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.

Explore Solidarity Economy resources here

Future of the Field: Cross-Sector Creative Placemaking Series

Video from the GIA 2021 Conference are now available for streaming.

The Racial Equity Coding Project: Unpacking The “Why”

In this first of a three-part discussion, we are joined by Susan Feder, Adam Fong, and Maurine Knighton, as they discuss the Racial Equity Coding Project, why it was started, their experience with the earliest iterations of the coding measures, and how their reflections will inform steps forward.

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