WolfBrown’s Post

The Tim Fairfax Family Foundation (TFFF) has announced three separate, nine-year, general operating support grants for three of Queensland’s most important cultural organisations. The grants have been made to Dancenorth Australia, Crossroad Arts and Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra. Chairman of the TFFF, Tim Fairfax AC said: “This new funding program reflects our Foundation’s commitment to Queensland and the Northern Territory organisations and the communities they serve. “Multi-year funding is what organisations need to plan with confidence, to strategise how best to realise their artistic vision, and to build meaningful relationships in their communities,” Tim said. “Through this program, we aim to foster a vibrant cultural landscape for rural, regional, and remote communities, and hope to inspire other funders to adopt similarly long-term approaches to their philanthropic activities.” Learn more in the article below, recently published in Philanthropy Weekly. #Philanthropy #Giving #Australiagives

🌟 Powering Sustainable Change: Pay What it Takes- Funding That Truly Supports Cultural Organizations 🎭 The Tim Fairfax Family Foundation is championing a revolutionary approach to nonprofit funding that goes beyond traditional grant-making. By providing three separate nine-year general operating support grants to Dancenorth Australia Crossroad Arts and Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra – Queensland's Chamber Orchestra, they're embracing the Pay What It Takes philosophy. Pay What It Takes is about recognizing that: • Organizations need unrestricted funding to thrive • Overhead and infrastructure are critical, not optional • Sustainable impact requires holistic organizational support These grants do more than fund programs—they fund potential. By providing long-term, flexible funding, the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation is Reframe Overhead by • Supporting full cost recovery • Investing in organizational capacity and infrastructure • Allowing leaders to strategically plan and innovate • Recognizing the real costs of creating meaningful cultural impact and enabling true organizational resilience The Foundation’s approach challenges the traditional nonprofit funding model. Instead of restricting funds to specific projects, these grants provide the essential resources organizations need to build strength from within. This is transformative philanthropy in action: Trust. Flexibility. Sustainability. A powerful example of how funding can truly support the organizations driving our cultural landscape. #PayWhatItTakes #Philanthropy #NonprofitFunding #ForPurposeLeadershop #CulturalInnovation

#APTipTuesday – Integrating music into your gala program adds fun, energy and entertainment value to the guest experience, and can also help inspire generosity. Here are three ideas for enhancing and elevating your event with music:    1. Use music to help connect your guests with your mission. An inspiring song right before your fund-a-need can provide the right emotion to set the stage for generous giving.    2. Work with your AV partner to identify upbeat “walk-on” music to play as your speakers are entering the stage.    3. Identify a song that ties in with the theme of each of your live auction items. Playing a snippet of a song as each item is described is a great way to add playfulness to your auction and help keep guests engaged.    #AnnPlans #TipTuesday #NonprofitEvent #FundraisingEvent #CommunityEngagement #Philanthropy #EventPlanning 

Looking forward to reading this: "From cinema programmers to orchestra CEOs, figures across the arts world reveal what 14 years of Tory rule has done to the sector – and whether a change of government would improve anything." In the past, as a Trustee of an impactful arts charity, I appraised that a more enterprising approach can yield more revenue than reliance on the public purse. Whether developing services, engaging with local or regional Corporate Social Responsibility agendas or simply contracting patrons whose tax regimens would be incentivised by donating and their brands developed by a publicly recognised partnership, there are many options that can add value and mitigate the risk of dwindling aid each financial year. #arts #britain #charity #cic #socialenterprise #funding #freedom #addvalue https://lnkd.in/ec-FrhpF

Unfortunately, another example that causes distrust between nonprofits, tax payers (and donors really), and funders (city, county, state and private). Events, and the grants requested to fund them, should be executed with: * agreed upon budgets, with periodic variance reviews * proactive and diverse revenue generating activities (not just one) * KPIs, reports, measurables that present progress (or lack thereof) * consistent oversight and transparent communication, avoiding surprises like budget shortfalls, cancellations, etc. Public funds for events like this should be hard to come by, and they certainly should be managed/executed as promised - if not, consequences have to come into play or we risk "promoting what we permit". #nonprofit #consulting #transparent #event #revenue #trust #grants #CRA TaMaryn Waters Tallahassee Democrat United Partners for Human Services Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP Global) Institute For Nonprofit Innovation and Excellence https://lnkd.in/gg7WYTFy

Danny Kean story here, nearly 40 years of free music for all, read below and support if you can: On the road for almost 40 years, the same pickup truck with a piano in the back shared freely with everyone. After 20 years as a fee based performance vehicle, for the last 18 years the Traveling Piano has been operating with no fees, tips or commercial affiliation... no hook and with nothing but with pure Musical Fun, Friendship and Respect through Empowerment and Inspiration. Piano Man Danny Kean with his first pup Bo-ner in spirit and now Traveling Piano pup Mo, they have been focused on community outreach and especially for those struggling in life. Over 100,000 people have been on the piano seat and all through one-on-one individual musical interactions. Having originated in Philadelphia, PA the Traveling Piano has established itself now as a Downtown Las Vegas for the last eight years. Travels have happened throughout the entire Northern Hemisphere of America. The journey has been blogged daily since 2006 on the Traveling Piano's website www.travelingpiano.com The Traveling Piano operates in the most simple way possible without financial reserves, obligations, expectations, salaries or self-serving agenda for attention. 100% of all contribution is put into the truck, work and equipment. Online fundraisers happen only when the situation becomes dire for truck and equipment needs. The act of not accepting contribution in person with the Traveling Piano experience keeps the agenda pure. It creates trust and opportunity for healing in vulnerable environments where communities are severely hurting from tragedy. Giving freely without an exchange leads to intimate and personal interactions of trust and is a huge aspect of why the Traveling Piano's work has been successful. Currently the Traveling Piano truck is in a dire situation. Funding is necessary in order to continue operation. Specifically, a new carburetor and brakes are needed and for the sake of present-ability, serious cosmetic work as in a paint job, new front window and a replacement dashboard to get the speedometer and emergency lights working. The heat is destroying the piano and its sound system and a backup keyboard and speaker is necessary. Over the years people have suggested a new vehicle. This will not work considering the Traveling Pianos unique life and deep emotional and personal history. Cleaning it up and restoring its parts is the only way to go. The world needs the Traveling Piano's mission of truth in spirit. It is a safe space with positive energy and love and lets not forget the fun for all who come in contact with it. We all need fun now especially, eh? Will you help keep it alive? Please contribute... again and again. Just once is great too! And please share this contribution link on your social media and in groups. Spotfund: https://lnkd.in/e54Ra5hk Website: https://lnkd.in/ecXeC6Ji Venmo: Dan Kean @travelingpiano

What if I told you that you could invest $1 and get back $21? Don't worry, I'm not pitching you a fund, but what I am saying is that investment in our #artsandculture sector has a massive, and well documented, benefit on our society. I think too often we focus just on how art feeds our souls and not how it also enriches our economy and other industries. Artists drive growth in hospitality and tourism, and also are too often the victims of the #gentrification that comes as a byproduct of the "cool" factor the arts provide. But, if the #arts generate $21 for every $1 invested... where is that money going and why are the artists the last ones to usually see the pennies of those generated dollars? Or worse yet, sold the myth of the "noble" starving artist? Arts and culture is in crisis right now, and government grants that have been such a driver of the sector for a while are at historic lows. Simply put, something has to be done, and it's going to take a village. For those of us for whom arts and culture are a core part of our #philanthropy there's a few things we can do right now: 1. Consider #strategic philanthropy to increase our donated dollars. Strategies like "in-kind" donations, corporate donations, legacy gifts via #wills and #lifeinsurance, all of these are things we should investigate with our advisors. You're probably going to be meeting with them anyways to discuss the #federalbudget2024... perhaps this topic should be on the agenda? 2. Listen to artists and consider how trust-based philanthropy fits into our giving plan. Challenge your boards to focus on pay equity for artists and pay artists what they're worth. 3. Look into providing physical spaces for artists to create. While you may not be in a position to create a Community Land Trust, look out for spaces like B-Street Studios by TAPA - Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, The Bridge by Bygone Theatre that are committed to providing affordable space for creation. 4. Reach out to your local community foundations, as their mandates are often to uplift grass-roots and community organizations - of whom artists are often members. Toronto Foundation is the one in my backyard (and to whom I am a supporter and fundholder myself) in case you're a Torontonian. #arts #charity #givingback #economics #theatre #filmandtv

Deeply value this conversation from an advisor who is himself connected to the arts community, and journalism from a nonprofit publication ( The Local )! Great giving, planning and community insight here. As we keep reading in mainstream media, arts organizations are in crisis right now https://lnkd.in/djspc5MY

Today we announced $2.4 million in grants to 15 nonprofits! 🎺 “These nonprofits are driving permanent changes in the way music is used in their respective fields. That might look like shifting the culture around how music education in schools can support young people in all areas of their lives, or reducing recidivism in the juvenile justice system through music programs, or working with policymakers to increase public investment in the arts,” said Sarah Lyding, executive director of The Music Man Foundation. “The Foundation is proud to amplify their work.” Southern California Meredith Willson Awards support fund nonprofits with the potential to permanently change the way music is used to improve education, health care and community wellbeing. The awards are named for Meredith Willson, who wrote the musicals “The Music Man” and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” and in whose honor The Music Man Foundation was established. 🥁 Two-year grants were awarded to Arts for Healing and Justice Network, Education Through Music-Los Angeles, Harmony Project, Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA), LA Opera, LA Phil, Riverside Arts Academy and Tonality. Strengthening the Sector grants support initiatives to increase public funding for the arts, advocate for arts education and pro-artists policies, and raise awareness about the profound impact of arts on health and wellbeing. 🎹 Arts for LA, CA For The Arts, Los Angeles County Arts Ed Collective, Lifetime Arts, National Association for Music Education (NAfME), National Guild for Community Arts Education and SoCal Grantmakers received funding. 📷 credits: LA Phil, Riverside Arts Academy, Tonality, Arts for Healing and Justice Network, Arts for LA, Lifetime Arts. #philanthropy #artsadvocacy #musicadvocacy #grantopportunity #meredithwillsonawards #musiceducation

For anyone not familiar with nonprofit arts budgets, please be clear: the price of your ticket typically covers 20-30% of the cost of your seat. And that’s for the show you choose to see. Grant funding covers the ability for arts organizations to take risks with the art many people don’t see. To create theater and dance and sculpture that challenges its viewer to think. To critique. To see the world differently. Make no mistake—what Florida has done is not purely a budget cut. It is state-sanctioned censorship masked as fiscal prudency. It’s Crappy Funding Practices without even pretending not to be.