Hello, We Are Johnny Cash (Reserve)

A Conversation About Cash Reserves

Tuesday, October 18, 10:00am – 11:30am

Organized by Cate Fox, Senior Program Officer, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Presented by Cate Fox, Senior Program Officer, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Ellen Placey Wadey, Program Officer, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; and Kelli Strickland, Executive Director, The Hypocrites.

Cash reserves are the incognito superheroes of investment. They address unexpected cash flow shortages to stave off crisis (and let EDs get a full night’s sleep). They offer safety cushions so that arts organizations can take risks without having to walk the line. They can be a launch pad for sustainable growth. So why don’t more funders incorporate cash reserves as part of a regular investment strategy? Many grantees, small and large, either do not have a cash reserve (some don’t know what one is) or have one that is too small for their needs, leaving them vulnerable and prone to the ring of fire. Presenters will have a discussion drawing from their experiences and challenges funding cash reserves (from funder and grantee perspectives), then open it up for conversation among the group to learn from each other’s practices.