Funding Research

Before the house lights dim at a production of Romeo and Juliet, I look for myself and I am delighted to find myself as I was many years ago: A teenaged boy sitting by himself. I recognize him because he keeps checking the number on his ticket against the number on the armrest. All in all, he is pleased with his seat. He wears a sweater and tie. He reads his program with the intensity I used similarly to scrutinize the actors’ biographies, the director’s notes, and the advertisements for after-theater dining.

Current Funding

This arts and culture grantmaking case study is among the latest in a series of Diversity in Philanthropy Project (DPP) reports that examine how foundations can more effectively achieve excellence in various social, economic, and cultural investment arenas by expanding their focus on diversity and inclusivity.

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, 4Culture, the Seattle Foundation and the Seattle Mayor's Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs commissioned Helicon Collaborative to interview leaders of diverse cultural organizations in the Northwest to determine the impacts the economy is having on their institutions. The report was released on March 9, and GIA and Philanthropy Northwest hosted two conference calls with regional and national funders to hear a summary of the report and discuss possible action.

In late January GIA polled its 309 member organizations about their organization's responses to the economic downturn. 117 (38%) members responded, which provides a healthy sample of the membership.

Members reported their expected 2009 arts grantmaking would likely compare to 2008 as follows:

• 41% expected that 2009 would be the same as 2008.
• 13% expected that it would be reduced to 90% of 2008.
• 12% expected that it would be reduced to 80% of 2008.
• 11% expected that it would be reduced to 70% of 2008.

Memo
To: David Landers
From: Holly Sidford
Re: December 4 Conference Call
Date: December 29, 2008

As promised, this memo summarizes the main points I made during the conference call of Northwest area foundations on December 4. I apologize for the delay in getting these notes to you; pre-holiday deadlines seem to have stolen several weeks of my time. But I suspect with all the snow you've had, you may have lost a few work days yourself. I hope you are shoveled out and back in business.

What do we know about the prospects for foundation funding in the next 12-24 months?
Edward Pauly, Director of Research and Evaluation, The Wallace Foundation
For Philanthropy Northwest and Grantmakers in the Arts
December 4, 2008

I appreciate being invited to participate in this important conversation.

Alana Conner Snibbe, in this article published by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, explores the often misleading relationship between nonprofit overhead and efficiency, and the pitfalls inherent in measuring a nonprofit's well being by its overhead ratio.

Available free online from Stanford Social Innovation Review

This short web article by Rob Reich explores the role tax deductions play as an incentive to charitable giving.

A free article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review