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Notes from 2009 Rurals Gathering

Notes from annual Rurals Gathering

September 23, 2009

Proctor’s Theater, Schenectady NY

After welcomes and self introductions, the question of scheduling the annual Rurals Gathering at a more convenient time came up.  Suggestions included:

• first morning of the Arts Summit, during registration and prior to lunch.

• if the NEA comes through with funding for the NYS ARTS RuralsConnect request, we may be able to subsidize an extra overnight, and hold the meeting the night before the Summit begins.

There was general agreement on changing official Rural Partnership designation from an invitation and application/review process to one of self-selection with NYS ARTS membership.

There was also agreement on keeping the Rurals listserv active as a tool to engage the Rurals directly in sharing ideas and information, while continuing to use the Rurals blog to share resources.

Mini-surveys were filled out to find out how the Rurals are handling the depressed economy;  15 were completed and returned.  While the mini-survey did not cover all the questions in the original survey, the responses serve as an update to the full Rurals Survey taken in February 2009, which was filled out by 27 organizations.  Some of the questions are on track with the February projections.

 

Steps taken to deal with budget cuts and reduced 2009 income:

February survey Mini survey

• reduce staff 44% 40%

• work hour reduction 30% 27%

• revamp health care plan 7%  6%

But many showed large discrepancies between initial projected strategies and  the strategies they developed to deal with necessary contingency budgets.

• reduce/freeze salaries/increase

work hours 26% 13%

• cut programs & services 52% 13%

• reduce hours of operation 22%     6%

• increase volunteer hours 59%  6%

• collaborate to share resources 52%  6%

• increase fundraising efforts 15% 53%

• trim operating expenses  4% 13%

• won’t replace vacant staff position  4% 20%

What stands out is that fewer than expected cut programs and services; or reduced hours of operation. Other interesting differences: while all Rural Partners constantly partner and collaborate, there was little mention is the mini-survey of specific efforts that have paid off.  And few mentioned in the mini-survey efforts to increase their volunteer base, although I’m sure a lot of this has been done - but it takes time and training, and still isn’t a substitute for paid staff.  Of further note:  I know of some Rural groups who have cut staff or work hours to a degree that they were not able to attend the Arts Summit.

According to the February survey, the late 08/09 NYSCA budget cuts affected 13 separate organizations; 5 lost their general operating support, 8 lost program support, with most indicating the projected loss of under 25% of their budgets.   However, 6 Rurals received 2009 ARRA (job retention) grants through NYSCA, ranging from $10,000 to $16,000.  

A number of groups used the NYSCA loss of last year and projected deficits as a tool to raise new monies.  In the Rurals Gathering discussion, Stewart Bigley of Unison Arts & Learning Center told of losing all  their NYSCA support for 08/09 - $22,000.  When the word got out to the community, terrific grassroots support almost matched their loss.  Memberships, donations and audiences increased; and the board started a new, regular program of fundraisers with mini-auction at area restaurants.  When Chenango County Council of the Arts lost $6,000 in program support,they sent a “soft” appeal letter to just members and raised $7,000.  Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County (CAP) lost GOS NYSCA support, crucial for all they accomplish with a staff of two.  They worked with their local press, which made their visibility in the area shoot through the roof!  They made up their loss and developed new relationships with area foundations.  CAP director Brett Bossard also stated that working so closely within their community to get through this loss was an excellent reminder of staying in touch with the needs and wants of their community.  A further exciting development for CAP - a move to a new central downtown location will save them $40,000 per year in rent.

David Shine of Arts Council for Chautauqua County approached their 08/09 NYSCA loss differently.  Jamestown and the Arts Council hold a lot of non-profit and foundation buildings:  they collaborated with area businesses and other nonprofit and for profit groups to do a study of the town and develop new monies to collectively market Jamestown.  This group, called Jamestown Attractors meets monthly; so far, they have raised $165,000 in new monies.

Further, when asked if any of the Rurals had developed new sources of income since last February, there were 9 positive responses.  Besides those mentioned above:  Arts Council for Wyoming County secured new monies from WalMart Foundation and is a partner in a prevention grant.  St. Lawrence County Arts Council received memoriam gifts in honor of an area artist; Greene County Council on the Arts received new Main Street Facade funds to add to a member item to improve their building; Arts Council for the Northern Adirondacks received a one-time grant in support for their work on the Quadricentennial celebration. Cattaraugus County Arts Council is working on a contractual partnership with potential income, and Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO ARTS) received new capital funds.  All responses indicate that the Rurals have put much more energy into raising new funds than they originally projected in February, with success. 

 Projections on Other Resources: 

February 2009 September 2009

    DOWN     UP    HOLDING DOWN   UP    HOLDING

Memberships     75%     10% 15%             31%     23% 40%

Donations       78%     13%     10%       67%    27%              6%

Foundations      71%     10%     11%            57%    14%             29%

Corporations      80%     10%     10%       79%          7%           14%

County/Municipal      53%      37%    10%       29%     23%    46%

Fundraising     63%    26%    10%       47%     27%         27%

Attendance      63%      27%    14%   13%     40%         47%

Sales      57%      29%    14%     60%     20%         20%

Overall, individual and corporate donations are down in both the February projections and at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2009.  But county funding (at least for this year) turned out better than expected, as did foundation support.  The biggest gains are in membership, fundraising and attendance.

The question was raised:  did any Rural lose constituent organizations this year?  Some did, but the trend of developing and all-volunteer organizations approaching rural arts councils for guidance continues.  And many that run NYSCA Decentralization programs are seeing a rise in applications;  more new organizations and municipalities are interested in DEC as a resource for arts programming.  There was general consensus that the NYS ARTS advocacy campaign has made more people aware of the arts, the need for arts and funding for the arts.  

Martha  

 

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"Funding the Arts in Rural Areas" workshop

NOTES from “Funding the Arts in Rural Areas, “ an interactive discussion with a panel of funders and grants/donation seekers.  Hosted by St. Lawrence County Arts Council, July 29th in Potsdam.

Panelists:

Fred Hanss, Director, Potsdam Planning & Development

Suzy McBroom runs the Community Arts Grant program for St. Lawrence County Arts Council

Hilary Oak, Executive Director, St. Lawrence County Arts Council

Rande Richardson, Associate Director, Northern New York Community Foundation, Inc.

Susan Sweeney Smith, Director of Community Outreach and Major Gifts, North Country Public Radio

Martha Strodel, Rural Arts Program Director, NYS ARTS

Hilary welcomed all to the workshop and introduced Martha Strodel, who gave a brief overview of NYS ARTS, its Rurals Program and professional development workshops and webinars; the upcoming Arts Summit and the Cultural Data Project.  

As facilitator, Hilary asked attendees to briefly introduce themselves and their reasons for attending.  She referred to the list of prepared questions which guided the panel presentations and interactive discussion, then introduced the panelists.  As the prepared questions structured the discussion, these notes follow this format.  Most of the questions were directed toward funders, but others encouraged general discussion.

What are the primary challenges that face arts organizations who seek funding in rural areas?

• sponsors are pulling back on promised support because of the economy

• funders are willing to support organizations in larger towns and cities, but when in a remote location, lower numbers of people served works against you.

• some of the issues center on being “stuck” because of the economy; despite new outreach programs that are proven successful, or a priority for community members, they can’t move forward with these due to the economy.

• a number of other attendees were looking for spaces for public programs.

Questions for funders:

• As a funder of cultural programs, what kinds of funding do you provide and who is eligible to apply?

• What is the application process, and how should organizations approach you for funding?

• What do you look for in a proposal?

• Do you provide support for individual artists?

Rande began by answering a question raised during introductions;  if your service community is small, then pull board members from the larger population centers.  He also pointed out that only 18% of funding comes from foundations and corporations; most is raised through individual donations and small gifts.

Northern New York Community Foundation offers a quarterly open application process for organizations based in Jefferson and Lewis Counties.  Recently they have expanded their funding into St. Lawrence County. The foundation supports cultural organization projects, and scholarships for careers in the arts.  They fund projects in the small, rural areas of these counties as well as in the cities. They do not directly fund artists or general operating support, but will fund administrative costs of a project.

Rande stressed the importance of personal contact when approaching community foundations for support.  Let funders know of your projects plan early on; build the dialogue and relationship before submitting an application.  Submit the application before the deadline; staff can then guide you if the proposal needs strengthening.  By the time the proposal gets to the board, staff wants to see it happen, and can be advocates. Other things his foundation looks for in applications:  the need/impact of project, what the applicant’s investment is in the project, and a realistic request.

As the person at North County Public Radio responsible for raising major gifts, Susan also stressed the importance of building personal and ongoing relationships with funders.  Making this a habit often brings wonderful “surprises.” She has also found that effective fund raising is always tied into the organizational strategic plan/vision - it backs up every project request (which is part of your business plan to address the strategic plan.)  A confident and positive voice is also important - don’t talk about “if” we get the money to make this happen, but “when” we get the money to make this happen. Timing is important too - you might consider postponing a large capital campaign if your area hospital is also running one.  When writing grants, check your facts, don’t depend of spellcheck and have a fresh eye look at it before submission.

Fred Hanss is the Director of the Village of Potsdam’s Planning & Development Office.  He stated that the North Country is relatively recession proof; lots of small businesses, and thus, not a lot of job loss when the economy turns bad. He’s noticed a renewed interest in opening/starting businesses in Potsdam, both from Canadian companies and local entrepreneurs.

 Potsdam P & D understands the role the arts can play; his planning office helped renovate and relocate St. Lawrence County Arts Council into a downtown space that was damaged by fire, and sees the arts council as the shining star in rebuilding downtown Potsdam.  Hilary and Fred recently partnered to submit a “Restore New York” grant to renovate another major downtown building into  a multi-arts center and arts incubator. Fred is more than willing to work with organizations to find space, and is interested in setting up a micro loan program available to working artists.

He strongly advises that cultural organizations partner with their local or county planning and economic development agencies; this opens many doors for rural organizations to borrow funds or receive grants through such agencies as the USDA Rural Development Fund to meet space needs. There are other resources to help, such as the Small Business Development Center at SUNY Canton, which can assist in developing a strategic plan and/or business plan.

Suzy McBroom runs the NYSCA Decentralization Program for St. Lawrence County.  These are project grants with public benefit, available to organizations, municipalities and individual artists. They offer workshops in writing the grant application and provide ongoing assistance on a one-on-on basis.

What are the big No-No’s in seeking funding? 

• Don’t lie - have your facts straight

• Don’t whine or state that the success of your project is totally dependent on one source of funding.

• Don’t cut back on your organization’s fundraising campaigns and activities because of a stressed economy.

Some “Do’s”?

• build the relationship with all potential funders, small or large.  Sometimes that annual gift of $100 can turn into a major bequest.

• diversify your resources and build your membership, individual donor giving and any earned income support as your main source of general operating support.  

• develop a strategic plan tied to your organization’s mission; tie this in with a business plan to secure support.

• present a confident, professional attitude in dealing with funders.

• reach out to other community resources, such as economic or development agencies; a benefit of rural areas is that we know and help our neighbors.

• say “thank you,” to funders when support comes through.

What are some creative  fundraising approaches?

Hilary explained a fund raiser they are now working on which ties their mission/vision to serve artists and the community; at the same time building  the personal relationships people living in rural areas need and constantly use - this time, with artists. The “Service Auction” is accepting bids on such items as a Photography Mentoring  one day session; or learn ballroom dancing in 3 sessions, or how to make utilitarian pottery, or how to create a website. 

Orchestra of Northern NY does an annual raffle called “Maestro for the Night.” The winner gets mentoring sessions with the orchestra conductor, then gets to conduct during their annual Pops concert.

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Notes from "Connecting the Dots: The Arts and Economic Impact"

“Connecting the Dots: the Arts and Economic Impact” was a NYS ARTS rural workshop cosponsored with Cattaraugus County Arts Council and hosted by Olean Public Library on June 18, 2009.

The workshop was planned as an interactive panel discussion;  panel presenters included:  Celeste Lawson, Executive Director, Arts Council in Buffalo and Erie County;  Andy Glanzman, President & CEO, Northern Lights Candles and founder of the Wellsville Creative Arts Center; John (Jack) Hart, attorney with Wagner & Hart LLP; Anne Conroy-Baiter, Executive Director, Cattaraugus Council Arts Council, and Kimberly LaMendola Driscoll, Programs & Grants Manager, Cattaraugus County Arts Council.

The workshop was also planned as a follow up discussion to NYSCA’s Cultural Blueprint meeting last year in Western New York.  It centered on the positive economic impact that arts sector activities generate; the catalytic role of the arts in community development, and contributions toward creating vibrant communities with stimulating quality-of-life assets.  Some presenters spoke on how their organizations are integrating the arts with economic development strategies; others spoke of opportunities to cultivate new sources of revenue for arts and cultural organizations.

Andy Glanzman and his wife Tina own and operate an international business.   He also created a for-profit arts center in the heart of downtown Wellsville.  The art center started with Andy’s desire to rescue two old buildings slated for destruction.  In explaining the process of how he converted these buildings into a lively incorporated community arts and education center, Andy indicated it was often a “What Next?” approach.  But some things clearly supported his efforts;  his committment to his town, a background in music and love of art; strong business skills and his role as a business leader in Wellsville and the county.  Wellsville Creative Arts Center is now a town hub; has just opened a restaurant (it offers cooking classes as well as arts instruction), and employs 20 people in its various programs.  Feedback and observation indicate that people are now moving to Wellsville because of the art center and local officials bring visiting dignitaries to show it off; it has helped  identify Wellsville as a location that supports creative endeavors. 

Celeste Lawson spoke both as the executive director of the arts council serving Buffalo and Erie County, and as the western New York Regional Captain for NYSCA’s Cultural Blue Print project.  Her economic impact handouts included a listing of “National Treasures,”, the 2008 competition for the 25 top art destinations by American Style Magazine.  In the category of American mid-sized cities, Buffalo ranked #1 in a list of 25 and in the same category, Rochester lists at #14;  for small cities and towns, Corning holds the #4 spot.  Another handout explores “The Economic Impact of the Nonprofit Arts and Culture Industry in Greater Buffalo”, a study conducted with Americans for the Arts (AFTA).  It provides evidence that the nonprofit arts and culture are a significant industry in Greater Buffalo - one that generates over $155 million in local economic activity and supports 4,740 full-time equivalent jobs, generates $95.9 million in household income to local residents, and delivers $24.05 million in local and state government revenue.  Another AFTA handout shows that on a national level the arts sustain 5.7 million jobs; that 4.3 % of all American businesses are arts-centric; that the arts bring in almost $30 billion in tax revenues and have an overall total economic impact of $166.2 billion.

Celeste suggested we need to consistently advocate for the arts by learning and using the language of business and economic development; we are a strong industry but often are ignored when economic development decisions are made on various levels of government.  We need to be at the economic development decision-making tables with these facts:  “in this region, x number of people are employed in the arts and pay taxes; our buying power is x; arts activity generate x number of dollars for other businesses in the community, etc.”

There are many facts and allies that can help in making your case, and you should learn to use these on all levels.  For example, Congresswoman Lois Slaughter is a top advocate for arts funding on Capitol Hill; she knows her district (including Buffalo) is heavily dependent on the arts industry.  Another clear identity/brand:  New York State is recognized nationally as #1 in the arts & culture industry.

She also shared her experience as a panelist for Cayuhoga County, Ohio, which has a dedicated fund for the arts for the Cleveland region.  This experience was an enlightment; for those in the arts, we are so focused on transparancy, accountability, model management and at the same time trying to squeeze the most quality out of limited financial resources, that we fail to take into account this reality:  economic development leaders, business leaders and venture capitalists are willing to invest in projects that hold risk, as long as the potential gains are worthwhile.  Celeste urged all to start the language in your community for dedicated funding for the arts and reach out to all community resources as new potential partners with discussions focused on how we can work together. 

Kim and Anne have been working for years on developing Cattaraugus County Arts Council (CCCA) as a leader and resource to help individual artists develop professionally as stand -alone businesses.  Through the Arts & Business Council, CCCA received a grant to develop an artist studio tour, called “Routes to Art.”  By its third year, “Routes” had caught the attention of the country tourism office - the week - long project had brought in thousands of visitors and added .5 million dollars to the rural county’s economy.  Through their hard work in reaching out, finding a common language and advocating that “arts mean business” Cattaraugus County is now very aware of the power and impact of cultural tourism and the arts as an industry.  “Routes” has led to other developing and potential collaborations; the Seneca Nation and the city of Salamanca wants CCCA to work with them to develop an identity associated with arts & culture.  The county has asked CCCA to develop a county-wide cultural strategic plan;  CCCA plans to develop this on a contractual basis with the county and has reached out to area universities to help develop it. 

Jack Hart is a working partner in the firm of Warner & Hart, LLC, and is also the attorney for the city of Olean.  In his firm’s business, most of his work is on cooperative agreements between for-profit entities, but he is carving out a role of handling such agreements between a for-profit entity or government agency and nonprofits organizations - and he loves the arts!  Non-profits can bring specific and desirable skills to a project; through “teaming” and legal cooperative agreements, two or more entities can bid on a contract project together.  Jack will be working with CCCA and the universities as they develop the contract with the county for the cultural assessment strategic plan.

In the open discussion, the federal percent for art program came up.  Buffalo has this program - 1% in any new construction is dedicated to the arts.  The program is a national model and has laws supporting it; however, enforcement of these laws is the problem, as elected officials are the actual enforcers. 

Question:  can we successfully collaborate without legal help?  It can be done, but when working with government agencies and large entities (including universities, hospitals, and businesses,) it’s highly advised.  They expect this; it’s part of their language of doing business .

Further discussion followed on using effective language in making the case for the arts.  These included:

• when you talk about your work and the arts, learn to address the issues that interest your potential partners, including the economic affect of the arts on your community or county.  The message should be clear;  the Arts mean Business.

• As artists and arts administrators, speak of your role as part of the “creative industry” and share how the arts enhance and add value to your community, and provide desirable “quality of life” components.

• We need to become comfortable with the word “profit” as a good word.  A nonprofit can work toward making a profit, but its profits go back into the organization rather than to shareholders or an individual owner.  Understanding this allows us to move our organzations forward.