arts and positive deviance
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
PRO BONO IN THE ARTSA LOOK INSIDE TAPROOT'S ARTS GRANTEES
THE PROBLEMISSUES FACING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TODAY
MIDDLE-CLASS ARTS
ORGANIZATIONAL SIZE
BU
DG
ET
CAPITALCAPACITY
MIDDLE-CLASS ARTS
ORGANIZATIONAL SIZE
BU
DG
ET
FLEXIBILITY
UNDERLYING ISSUES
Budget Cuts
• 61% in 2010 1
Grants
• Fewer General Operating opportunities2
Business Contributions
• 43% down to 28%3
Market Loss
• Uniqueness of product 4
For Arts Organizations, we are really challenged with trying to communicate the value of Art…we need to demonstrate the ability of art to develop new ways of problem solving, and creative thinking.
--Nonprofit Respondent
MISSING LINKS
LEADERSHIP TRAINING
NEW BUSINESS MODELS
AUDIENCE
KEYS TO SUCCESS
METHODS
16 Taproot Grantees
Examined Key Issues
Worked with the Positive Deviance Model
POSITIVE DEVIANCEA METHODOLOGY FOR UNDERSTANDING SUCCESS
In every community there are certain individuals or groups whose uncommon behaviors and strategies enable them to find better solutions to problems than their peers, while having access to the same resources and facing similar or worse challenges.
Positive Deviance Initiative
POSITIVE DEVIANCE
Solutions to seemingly intractable problems already exist
They have been discovered by members of the community
Succeed in spite of the obstacles and constraints shared by their community
BRIGHT SPOTS
AMPLIFICATION
IDENTIFY DEVIANTS
NEW PRACTICES
PRACTICE NEW
BEHAVIOR
RESPONDENTS
HISTORY WITH PRO BONO
COACHING
BOARDPRO BONO
MARKET RESEARCH
STRATEGIC PLANNING
LEADERSHIPCAPITAL
STRATEGY
PRICING
RESPONSES
CRITICAL ISSUES
AUDIENCE
CODIFYSERVICES
BUDGET
RESERVES
BOARD
RESPONSES
CRITICAL ISSUES
AUDIENCE
CODIFYSERVICES
BUDGET
RESERVES
BOARD
MARKETING
MARKET RESEARCH
HUMAN CAPITAL
MARKETINGHUMAN CAPITAL
MARKETING
Mission Focus
Market Research
• Consistently examine audience needs1
Adopting Social Media to Counteract Digital Competition
“We know what we do and we communicate it well…It is important to be clean and focused on what you are doing and work with that”
-Nonprofit Respondent
HUMAN CAPITAL: BOARDS
Board network and net worth are interchangeable
Board of “Friends” transition
Passion vs. Skill
Board Evolution
“The greatest problem has always been the very important members of the [community] should have served on our board were engaged in other things or other theatrical activities.”
-Nonprofit Respondent
The best thing we can know is who is on the board of foundations, [and] who controls corporate sponsorship, because [our Board] is always willing to help us.
--Nonprofit Respondent
Two new people can change an entire board
-Nonprofit Respondent
They are well suited to govern…but I do think what they’re going to need is a solid strategic planning session…I don’t know what would be better
--Nonprofit Respondent
HUMAN CAPITAL: VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer Management
Volunteer Retention
Return on Investment
Conflicts with Unions and Service Enterprise
“Because I manage in a Union environment, I have to be very careful about the perception that volunteers are taking over employee’s positions or roles. However, I do agree that we could have volunteers take on more responsibilities.”
-Nonprofit Respondent
There is not a lot of commitment…the work that makes them useful is almost not as much as the work you get out of them.
Nonprofit Respondent
We are much more comfortable with our professional staff delivering our programs. The best thing a volunteer can do is write a check and reach out to friends so they can pay the professionals.
Nonprofit Respondent
DEVIANCEMANAGEMENT DISSONANCE THAT SPARKS CHANGE
RESOURCES
Technical assistance
Use consultants wisely
Strategic Planning
Over 60% of respondents have received technical assistance outside of Taproot’s Service Grant Program
HUMAN CAPITAL: LEADERSHIP
Developing Partnerships
Coaching
Peer Learning Environments
“I am less interested in going to networking events and participating in awards…put us in a learning environment of our peers to create a network of leaders”
-Nonprofit Respondent
In our case, we don’t have money to pay for consultants so we try hard to reach out to organizations who will speak [with] us. I think people are willing
--Nonprofit Respondent
We have meetings with other boards to see how they can guide or teach us a little more on how to do things strategically
--Nonprofit Respondent
The future is about partnerships. What’s complicated is how do arts organizations and artists carve a role out for themselves in partnerships. There’s always some “ickyness” to blending that individualistic and inspired front of ideas into what can be a more defined outcome-oriented, entrepreneurial model.
Nonprofit Respondent
HUMAN CAPITAL: VOLUNTEERS
Volunteer Corps
• Cohorts of 20 dedicated volunteers in 5 different areas.
Actors Double as Program Support Volunteers
• Supervised by Board and Staff
53% of respondents use volunteers to accomplish their strategic goals
We rely on them quite heavily. The volunteers take ownership of the place.
-Nonprofit Respondent
RECOMMENDATIONS
POST-PRO BONO TOOLS
Recruiting New Board Members
Manage Strategic Plan Post-Project
Pro Bono “Snacks” Training
More mentorship is needed, not peer to peer, but big institutions helping smaller organizations…People desperately yearn for that
--Nonprofit Respondent
PEER NETWORKS
PRO BONO ARTS
COUNCIL
SPREAD ETHIC
SHARE LEARNING
INSPIRELEADERS
RAISEAWARENESS
GROUP GRANTS
Give grants in cohorts
• Supports peer-to-peer Learning
• Creates opportunities for partnerships
While the grant itself was obviously of great value, the technical assistance and the opportunity to share information and experiences with peers contributed to the success of the initiative
Jane Culbert, Marc Goldring, Dr. Thomas Wolf, An Evaluation of the Mid-Sized Presenting Organizations Initiative for the Nonprofit Finance Fund, December 2010
FOUNDATION AND CORPORATE SUPPORT
FOUNDATION SUPPORT
Prepare nonprofits for capacity building Generate awareness around pro bono Reward nonprofits utilizing Service Enterprise
structure Create more opportunities for communal learning.
FOR CORPORATIONS
Corporations can adopt groups of arts organizations to provide a range of pro bono support • Promotes a culture of mutual learning• Connects a corporation to a common cause