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Americans for the Arts Economic Resource Center
Featured! New Ways for Arts Organizations to Finance Their Operations
Discussion held by The Chronicle of Philanthropy on Thursday, May, 28, 2009
Arts organizations face special challenges in weathering the recession. Many groups will see a significant decline in ticket buyers as patrons cut spending, while others have seen charitable contributions stall. This discussion will give arts leaders and those who support them an opportunity to talk about new, promising approaches to overcoming financial pressures, increasing revenue, managing costs, and connecting with audiences in new ways. Here's the link to the transcript.
Arts Funding Response and Readiness Kit
The Arts Funding Response and Readiness Kit features two main topic areas that can provide help in the current economic climate. We lead off with how to get funding and funding opportunities and then follow-up with how to respond to budget cuts and information on making the case for the arts.
How to Get Funding
The nation’s 100,000 nonprofit arts organizations and their audiences generate $166.2 billion annually in U.S. economic activity. They support 5.7 million jobs and provide nearly $30 billion in government revenue. Recently, however, nonprofit and governmental arts groups as well as individual artists have faced funding gaps and budget shortfalls during the nation’s economic downturn. In addition to the $50 million in National Endowment for the Arts recovery funds, Americans for the Arts has identified additional funding resources in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that could be available for the arts.
Current Funding Opportunities Available
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes eight initiatives that will enhance the role of the arts in achieving national economic recovery:
National Endowment for the Arts
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Transportation Transportation Enhancement (TE) Grants
Corporation for National Service
U.S. Dept of Housing & Urban Development –Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development Program
Accessing Funding Opportunities
Americans for the Arts has created Resource Guides describing the funding opportunities available through different government agencies and programs and how to navigate the process involved in applying for funding.
Responding to Cuts in Funding
When you face a funding cut, you need to be able to take swift and efficient action to mitigate the situation—mobilize your advocates, create your message, and implement your strategy. To simplify this process for you, we have developed this ever-expanding online tool, the Arts Funding Response and Readiness Kit, to provide you with current information and key messaging, communications and advocacy strategies, and the research you need to make the case. Click the links below to begin.
1. Get Started
2. Support
- Key Industry Stakeholders
- Links to Resources (updated 2/5/09)
- Making the Case
- About Research
Message from Bob Lynch, President and CEO
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President and CEO of Americans for the Arts Bob Lynch discusses the importance of rallying behind the arts in times of economic uncertainty. Americans for the Arts is working with several national partners, including the International City/County Management Association and the National Association for Business Economists, to further spread the message to governments and corporations that the arts are essential to the growth of cities and communities and are a powerful economic generator |