Grantmakers in the Arts

Strategies for Philanthropic Organizations to Address Workplace Diversity

April 8, 2016 by Monica

By Vikki N. Spruill and Diana Campoamor, writing for Nonprofit Quarterly:

In philanthropy, creating a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of backgrounds and experiences of the communities we strive to serve builds public trust in our field, helping to counter skepticism about philanthropy’s value. … Yet the latest data from the Council on Foundations Grantmakers’ Salary and Benefits research confirm that the rate of underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities and, to a certain extent, women in leadership roles, in our field has not significantly improved over the past five years.

April 7, 2016 by Monica in Racial Equity

In an article posted in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Phillip Henderson of Surdna Foundation and Rip Rapson of The Kresge Foundation discuss how some of their programs have helped to address economic and racial inequities.

For a nation whose majority population will soon be people of color, [economic] inequities loom large over the future prosperity of cities and their surrounding metropolitan regions — and pose a major challenge for philanthropy to tackle.

April 7, 2016 by Monica

In an email sent to colleagues this morning, The McKnight Foundation president Kate Wolford announced that Neal Cuthbert will retire from his position as vice president of program at the end of the year. Cuthbert served on the board of Grantmakers in the Arts from 1999 to 2003. The following letter is republished here with permission from The McKnight Foundation.

April 7, 2016 by Steve

In an article from the latest issue of GIA Reader, Cara Mertes of the Ford Foundation discusses the role of film and filmmakers in creating social change in Telling it Slant: Leadership, Justice, and the Art of Film.

April 6, 2016 by Monica

As part of their Cultural Equity and Inclusion Initiative, the LA County Arts Commission has released a literature review on cultural equity and inclusion in the arts. The literature review investigates how various organizations across the United States address diversity in the following areas:

Boards of Directors in Arts and Culture Organizations
The Arts and Culture Workforce
Audiences and Programming
Culturally Specific Arts Organizations

April 6, 2016 by Monica

Mike Kelley Foundation has announced the recipients of its first formal funding initiative, called the Artist Project Grant. The foundation has awarded a total of $310,000 to nine nonprofits is Los Angeles.

According to the Los Angeles Times, “the grants are meant to support artists who are creating cutting edge projects, particularly work that’s been overlooked or that has seen logistical or funding challenges.”

April 5, 2016 by Steve

Regina R. Smith has been named managing director of The Kresge Foundation’s Arts & Culture Program following a national search. Smith has been with the The Kresge Foundation since 2008 as a program officer and senior program officer, working to advance the deliberate integration of arts and culture into community development through creative placemaking. She has been interim managing director of the Arts & Culture Program since July 2015.

April 4, 2016 by Monica

By Sarah Lutman, writing for Twin Cities Business:

Ben Cameron became president of the St. Paul-based Jerome Foundation in January. He previously led Target’s giving in the arts and most recently worked in New York for the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, one of the nation’s largest arts funders. ... [Twin Cities Business] spoke to Cameron recently to learn about the Jerome Foundation’s vision for arts funding.

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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