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Tag Archives: philanthropy
Resource ThuRsday #5: Infographic Fave #3
NTEN 2013 Benchmarks Study
This infographic came ArtSpark’s way just yesterday via a fave blogger for all things tech and nonprofit, including the arts: thank you Beth Kanter.
The infographic is from NTEN’s (Nonprofit Technology Network) “2013 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study,” and demonstrates some key nonprofit trends:
- Online revenue for nonprofits is growing, up 21% compared to the 2011 NTEN study.
- Monthly giving is WAY UP (+43%), proving itself to be one of the best sources of reliable revenue/giving.
- Social media presence for organizations has increased dramatically, and significantly faster compared to email lists: the study showed a 46% median increase in Facebook fans in 2012, and a 264% increase in Twitter followers (!!). However, Facebook continues to be the larger social media presence for most groups.
- On the negative side, while email lists grew, particularly for small organizations, email response rates and click through rates were down, and even more so for fundraising.
What does this NTEN Benchmark Study really mean? First, online fundraising is here to stay, but it’s also slow to grow (although it’d be interesting to see comparisons, say, between Baby Boomer and Millennial donors). Second, social media is being widely adopted, yet how does social media presence translate into fundraising and true community engagement (e.g., how many of your organization’s Facebook friends are committed to you by participating in events, engaging others and donating?). And, finally, the arts were not separated out in the study, so results from that sector might have been similar or different… too bad the arts was overlooked.
Check out this exhaustive study and download it (plus the cool infographic) via this NTEN link. What are your idea/thoughts/experiences? Please share!
Posted in ArtSpark Update, Resource ThuRsdays
Tagged Artists, arts, Beth Kanter, community engagment, NTEN, online giving, philanthropy, social media
2 Comments
ArtSpark’s Arts Listening Project Launches!
www.visualthesaurus.com
ArtSpark is excited to launch its brand-spanking-new Arts Listening Project (ArtsLP) in the New Year, 2013. Yeehaw!
ArtSpark is out to discover what artists + sustainability truly means and how it translates into effective action and positive outcomes for art in communities. ArtSpark will facilitate a series of participatory dialogues/discussions in New Mexico and California (ArtSpark is located in ABQ) with different key individuals and stakeholder groups: artists, arts and culture organizations, arts supporters, patrons, community members, grassroots and official leaders, etc. After we’ve collected and analyzed data to identify themes and variations, the project will continue in an online space.
Why are we asking questions about how artists are (and can be!) sustained and supported? Skills and strategies that sustain artists are essential for creative strength and longevity. This equation does, of course, include arts organizations that show/present artistic work, provide artists with skills, plus advocate on behalf of artists and the arts.
The word sustain means “to supply with necessities and support” and “to provide with nourishment.” Yet there is little consensus among different stakeholders and groups around how “sustaining artists” creates a valuable, rich, diverse and reliable arts ecosystem within a community.
ArtSpark has discovered in listening to 150+ artists/arts organizations, arts supporters, patrons and community members that the word sustainability, when related specifically to artists, can mean very different things to different people. ArtSpark sees patterns that are worth pursuing, like social media for audience development/engagement, bartering and exchange, online crowdfunding, and affordable housing, studio space and health insurance. However, to learn more we need to collect more data, allowing for the wisdom of the community to shine through.
A question for you, dear reader: “What does sustaining artists mean to YOU?” We welcome your comments and hope that this conversation continues to engage…
Posted in Arts Listening Project
Tagged Albuquerque, Art, Artists, arts, arts investor/donor, Arts Listening Project, ArtSpark, Crowdfunding, fundraising, kickstarter, Microfunding, online communication, philanthropy, San Francisco, Social Media for Artists, sustainability, technology and the arts
2 Comments
ArtSpark/Aspiration Tech ISEA Event 9/17/12
The ArtSparker/AspirationTechie Gang
photo by Lauren Rolls
It was a great day all around. Fantastic facilitation by Aspiration’s Misty Avila, and engaged participation from everyone who attended. The space we got to play in was wonderful too: home to the Fusion Theatre Company, The Cell theater in downtown ABQ was a perfect haven (many thanks to Dennis Gromelski).
Our learning was interactive and full of good dialogue. First we created a “mindmap” to focus our day based on questions we’d like to ask another artist (see picture below for some of the questions that came up), followed by Paula Scott presenting on her approaches to audience engagement and social media. Then we had VERY interesting “spectogram” dialogue around the statement “Artists don’t need $ to survive.” At the end of the day, Misty led us through a detailed discussion and presentation around Using Online Tools Sustainably.
- Questions for a favorite artist…
photo by Lauren Rolls
There were also some great online resources shared: www.fiverr.com – assistance on design, logos, etc. for $5! www.verticalresponse.com – email newsletter provider (10K emails/month allowed free for non-profits), www.adobeairstream.com – online arts magazine for Santa Fe, Denver and Austin, www.artspan.org and www.fineartstudio.org – artist websites, www.wsj.com – articles about data transparency, www.eff.org and www.afj.org – Electronic Frontier Foundation and Alliance for Justice – watchdogs for privacy and social justice.
As the sun waned we drank beer from microbrewery La Cumbre and ate yummy stuff from Patrick’s Gedunk foodtruck with invited friends and family. NICE! Thanks to all of you who created such a lovely day. Let’s do it again sometime, yes?!
Sunset over ABQ
photo by Lauren Rolls
Asking for $$: Donor or Investor?
n. money (from visualthesaurus.com)
One of the most challenging activities for many (most?) artists and arts organizations is ASKING FOR MONEY, particularly from individuals. Throats seize up, palms sweat, we lose our train of thought and even forget to ask. This spring, ArtSpark joined up with Margo Chamberlain (a champion arts philanthropist who also has a very positive relationship with money) to host two conversations on how artists can jump-start their relationship around asking for money. What surfaced was quite illuminating, including each participant’s deeply-held beliefs about the power and evils of “good ol’ cash,” particularly as it supports artistic work and creativity.
We also had a lively dialogue about how we view and interact with individual philanthropists – are they donors or investors? Here are a few ideas that surfaced:
- A donor gives for the joy of making something happen in the world
- An investor receives something in return for their support
- A donor is somebody who “gives blood”… something more physical, life giving
- An investor is tied up with the ideas of banking, the stock market, a portfolio
- A donation seems like a one-time thing and an investment seems like almost the opposite
- A core group of investors are part of your team, so nurture and build relationships with them
- It is no small thing to be an investor, and no small thing to ask
- “To who much is given, much is required.” How much am I willing to give, in being the caregiver of funds?
- Check in with donors/investors and ask them what they want
- What are our own criteria re: an ideal investor: what do we need, want, and how can we give back?
Food for thought, certainly. What do YOU believe and how does asking for money work for you?