News from Ohio Citizens for the Arts

Over the past weeks Ohio Citizens for the Arts has issued action alerts regarding the proposed executive budget for FY 2014-2015. You can visit our e-advocacy center at any time to see the latest active issues.

If you have already registered for the Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon, please schedule a visit with your legislators and ask them to support the arts and culture in Ohio. It’s easy to find out who your legislators are, simply visit the e-advocacy center and enter your address to find your state and federal legislators.

Thank you for your advocacy efforts.

Ways to Get Involved in Ohio Arts Day

There are several ways you can get involved with Ohio Arts Day which coincides with the Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon on May 15, 2013. Below you will find several ways in which you and your organization can become involved:

• Register to attend the Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon. Registration is all done on line through the Ohio Arts Council’s website. Use the following link to register for a seat at the luncheon today: http://oac.ohio.gov/Events/ViewPublicEvent.asp?ID=338
• Attend the Advocacy Briefing prior to the luncheon. Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation’s Legislative Counsel William Blair provides an advocacy briefing at 9:30AM in the Capitol Theatre of the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts at 77 South High Street Columbus Ohio 43215-6108. Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation will provide you with the most up to date information regarding the Biennium Budget and provide talking points for your legisative visits. 
• Make visits with your legislators on May 15th. Ohio Arts Day is the state lobby day for the arts in Ohio. Call your legislators to schedule a visit with them on May 15th while you are in the state capitol! Use this link to find your legislators today!
• If you would like to network and promote your organization, consider purchasing a table for the Arts Day Showcase. This event is an opportunity for you to showcase your organization to hundreds of individuals from around Ohio participating in Arts Day. To purchase a table for the Arts Day Showcase email janelle@ohiocitizensforthearts.org. Space is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• Purchase a table sponsorship for the Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon. This is a great way to secure seating if you are coming to the event with a larger group. Please find details about purchasing a table sponsorship below. 

Governor’s Awards for the Arts Luncheon Table Sponsorships Available

We would like to invite you to become a table sponsor at one of Ohio’s most prestigious, best-attended statewide arts events, the Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon on May 15th. This event is co-sponsored annually by the Ohio Arts Council and Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation.

A table sponsorship is just $1,000 (with $500 being a tax deductible contribution). Tables will seat ten individuals and we are happy to assist you in registering all of your guests to save you an on-line step in the registration process. Your sponsorship will be recognized at the luncheon on event signage and will be featured in the program. The Arts Day Luncheon has been a sellout event in past years so you’ll want to reserve your table as early as possible.

The 2013 Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Arts Day Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, May 15th, at the Columbus Athenaeum, 32 North Fourth Street. This event will be an opportunity for you and other sponsors to reach an audience of arts patrons, artists, and arts administrators along with business and civic leaders from around the state. Once again we expect to have 80% of the legislature in attendance as well as Ohio’s legislative leadership presenting the awards.

Don’t miss the opportunity to be a table sponsor of this exciting event. To confirm your sponsorship, simply contact Janelle Hallett at 614.221.4064. We look forward to seeing you at the 2013 Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio and Arts Day Luncheon.

National Arts Advocacy Day
Register Now for National Arts Advocacy Day April 8-9, 2013

The 2012 election has made a dramatic impact on Congress with more than 80 new members of Congress taking office in early January. The 113th Congress will renew the focus on reducing the federal deficit through program cuts and revenue raisers that could detrimentally impact nonprofit arts organizations. It is imperative that arts advocates work together to help educate members of Congress about the role the arts play in spurring economic growth and job creation. Register Now!

The Americans for the Arts 26th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall
Washington, DC, April 8, 2013, 6:30 PM

Grammy Award winning musician Yo-Yo Ma will deliver the Americans for the Arts 26th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy. Receive two free tickets to the lecture with your Arts Advocacy Day registration or reserve your general admission single ticket online today.

A Student’s Experience at National Arts Day

By Justin Caithaml
Music Education Major at Baldwin Wallace University

National Arts Advocacy Day 2012 was full of many opportunities to network, attend policy oriented sessions, and lobby at the United States Capitol on behalf of various arts disciplines. The two day event started with a day full of informative sessions, including a speech by Rocco Landesman, chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. Landesman’s speech was very informative and addressed the importance of the endowment and its impact on communities across the country.

The same evening, attendees were treated to the Nancy Hanks lecture at the Kennedy Center, given by renowned actor Alec Baldwin. This speech proved to be thought provoking and inspiring to all advocates as they prepared to “storm the hill” the next morning. When that morning came, all Ohio House and Senate offices were visited by the advocates from Ohio, who worked in teams of two or three. These visits were largely successful as a means of informing legislators with statistics regarding how funding for the arts really makes a difference at a state and local level.

Overall, National Arts Advocacy Day was an incredible learning experience that made all attendees realize the tremendous power of a unified message, and how this one voice can affect positive change at a national level.

Americans for the Arts Salutes Launch of Congressional STEAM Caucus

A bipartisan team of members of Congress have launched the Congressional STEAM Caucus. The STEAM Caucus, a popular acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math, which “aims to change the vocabulary of education to recognize the benefits of both the arts and sciences-and their intersections-to our country’s future generations. Caucus members will work to increase awareness of the importance of STEAM education and explore new strategies to advocate for STEAM programs.”

Robert Lynch, Americans for the Arts President & CEO, saluted this newly formed caucus, stating, “Thanks to the leadership of Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Aaron Schock (R-IL), the message of how the arts can help launch creativity and innovation among our nation’s students will have a proper place in the halls of Congress. Having worked with both of them on these issues, we were excited to assist in establishing this new congressional policy effort in education.”

Through its professional and advocacy programs, Americans for the Arts works to advance the cause of arts education at the federal, state and local levels. The Congressional STEAM Caucus, like the Congressional Arts Caucus, will serve as another point of contact for members of Congress dedicated to improving education and how the arts can be a part of their policy solutions.

Source: Americans for the Arts

Nominate Your Favorite Music Teacher Today!
Ohio and the nation are afforded a real opportunity to thank those teachers who played a critical role in their musical development. Maybe they introduced you to your first instrument or simply inspired you to have confidence to continue when you were ready to give up.

The GRAMMY’s Music Educator Award will select 10 finalists including one overall winner each year to be recognized for their remarkable impact. The winner will be flown to Los Angeles to accept the Award and attend the GRAMMYs, plus pick up a $10,000 honorarium. All finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium as well.

Current music teachers who teach in public or private schools, Kindergarten through College are eligible. Private studio teachers and teachers in after-school educational settings are not eligible. Nominations from music teachers, school administrators, students and parents will be accepted.

It’s time to say thank you to all of those teachers who offered some much to make sure that all of us experience the joys of making music. Make your thanks real by nominating your music teacher today!

Applications and nominations are due by April 15, 2013.

NASBE Partners with AEP on Arts Education Policy Portal

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) is collaborating with the Arts Education Partnership (AEP) to create an online arts education resource designed to help state boards of education develop evidence-based policy.

NASBE will base the new web portal on AEP’s Arts Education State Policy Database and ArtsEdSearch, through which state board members will be able to easily access educational information about how the arts can support general education policy goals. For instance, if a state board is working on new high school graduation requirements, members and staff can use the web page to find research and policies that include the arts as a critical part of a student’s education.

“The arts not only enrich our social and emotional lives, they provide rare and special avenues to develop skills we need and use every day,” said NASBE Executive Director Jim Kohlmoos. “As state boards develop new and innovative evidence-based education policies, it is incumbent on them to consider every avenue to student success. We are excited to partner with AEP to help make arts education part of those efforts.”

“Evidence and action – within policymaking – is a powerful combination in ensuring the arts remain an essential part of a complete education for every young person in America,” said AEP Director Sandra Ruppert. “AEP and NASBE’s collaboration comes at an exciting crossroads in education reform, and we look forward to helping state boards understand the role of the arts as a gateway to learning and student success.”

The webpage will be hosted on NASBE’s website, and will also be linked to AEP’s site. When the portal is completed in the second quarter of 2013, NASBE and AEP will host a webinar open to all to guide potential users through the webpage and the two databases.

The initiative is made possible by funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to NASBE.

Source: National Association of State Boards of Education

Suggested Reading

National Core Arts Standards: A Conceptual Framework for Arts Learning: This narrative document outlines the grounding philosophy, primary goals, dynamic processes, structures, and outcomes that shape student learning and achievement in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts, as articulated in the 2013 National Core Arts Standards. To view all public documents relating to the National Core Arts Standards go to http://nccas.wikispaces.com.

Technology News You Can Use

Why Charities Are Moving Fundraising Data to the Cloud: In this episode of Fundraising Fundamentals, Mr. Graham and Ms. Cole offer advice to charities considering moving their data to the cloud. Listen to the podcast now.

Survey Shows Americans Want Charitable Deduction Protected: Seventy-five percent of Americans continue to say they value the deduction as it currently stands. And 61 percent say they feel strongly about maintaining the current deduction, up from 56 percent in January 2012. Only 9 percent strongly disagree, which is up from 5 percent a year ago.

The strength of support for protecting the charitable tax deduction cuts across geographic boundaries, with 70 percent of those in the Northeast and West supporting it, 76 percent in the Midwest and a high of 80 percent in the South.In addition, key groups of President Obama’s 2012 coalition strongly agreed that “charitable deductions should not be cut, capped or limited.” The key groups were women (58 percent), adults 18-34 (56), Hispanics (65) and people making at least $50,000 a year and less than $75,000 (67).

OAC Budget Talking Points FY2014/2015

Ohio Arts Council FY2014/2015 Budget Talking Points
February 2013

Mission
To fund and support quality arts experiences in order to strengthen Ohio communities
culturally, educationally and economically

Ohio Arts Council Budget:

• The FY2012/2013 biennial budget of $17,211,408 for the Ohio Arts Council (OAC)represents just 0.031 percent (less than one twentieth of one percent) of the entire state of Ohio budget.
• The OAC sustained significant budget reductions from the original FY2008/2009 appropriation ($24,976,322) through FY2010/2011 ($13,188,580) totaling 47 percent over that period.
• The FY2012/2013 biennial budget ($17,211,408) was a 30.5 percent increase over the FY2010/2011 budget of $13,188,580; however, the budget is still $7,764,914 less than it was in the FY2008/2009 budget.
• Ohio is the seventh most populous state in the union and currently ranks 18th in per capita spending ($0.83) on the arts among the 50 states and six territories.
• In FY2012, the OAC received 950 applications requesting over $12.2 million in funding. Of those applications, 531 were funded for a total of $6.7 million.
• Every $1 in OAC grant funds is matched by another $67 in local and private sources.

National Endowment for the Arts Funding:

• For three years in a row, the OAC has received the second-largest grant for state arts agencies in the nation, exceeded only by California. NEA grants to state arts agencies are calculated on 1) a formula based on population; and 2) a competitive award based on merit in arts education, folk arts and underserved communities programs.
• The OAC’s FY2012 NEA award was $1,018,100 and the FY2013 award was $980,000. In both years, all federal funding was used on grants.

Benefits to Ohioans:

• The arts bring vibrancy to Ohio communities. Communities that offer robust arts and cultural sectors are viewed as more desirable places to live, work and visit. Additionally, Ohioans place a high priority on access to arts and cultural events in their communities, as well as access to arts education, which is viewed as essential to developing the creativity and problem-solving skills students need to join an ever more competitive workforce.
• The arts generate economic benefits. The arts are a critical economic driver in this state—they attract new business, support tourism, create and retain jobs and produce tax revenue. A growing body of research shows that thriving arts communities are crucial for the financial health and vitality of their regions. Recent reports show that the creative industries in Ohio support nearly 200,000 jobs, contribute $24 billion to Ohio’s economy and generate nearly $2.4 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues annually.*
• The arts strengthen education. The arts foster imaginations and facilitate success inside and outside the classroom. Ongoing research confirms a positive relationship between arts education and improved academics for all students. An education that includes the arts helps produce critical, innovative thinkers who are prepared to take their place in a rapidly-paced, constantly changing work environment.
• The arts are accessible to all. In FY2012, OAC grants and services reached 63 Ohio counties and their environs, bringing more than 21 million arts experiences to citizens all over the state.
• The arts are a sound investment. Support for the arts is a sound investment of public dollars that provides significant returns for Ohio including job creation and strong public/private partnerships that have initiated downtown revitalization efforts, invigorated community development projects, supported arts education in our schools, and ensured a vibrant quality of life in Ohio.

Ohio Arts Council Administration:

• The OAC is a well-run, transparent and efficient steward of public dollars.
  In the last five years, the OAC has transformed itself in the face of significant reductions in its staff—a 52 percent reduction since FY2008. Aggressive cost-saving measures and efficiency standards have been implemented—most significantly, a major relocation to the Rhodes Tower in November of 2010 and a revision to grant application cycles that have reduced the administrative workload of processing applications every year.
• The OAC continues to operate very efficiently on a modest administrative budget. Currently, only 13.7 percent of the agency’s total budget goes to payroll expenses for a staff of 16. Another four percent of the total budget is used for remaining agency operational expenses.
• Among its peers, the OAC is viewed as a leading state arts agency. During the OAC’s most recent adjudications by the NEA review panel, the OAC was described as “a national leader among the state arts agencies” and an agency “that works consistently at a high level and is known for its excellence.” The NEA panel further commended the OAC on its strategic planning process, its arts education programs and its overall work.
• The OAC staff and board work to maintain fairness and transparency in the conduct of the agency’s business and in the allocation of grants funded by state and federal tax dollars.

If you have questions about the data listed in these talking points please feel free to contact the Ohio Arts Council at 614.466.2613.

*Center for Regional Development, Bowling Green State University, 2013

Provision of Sales Taxability of Services Included in JOBS Budget 2.0

Governor Kasich’s JOBS Budget 2.0 includes a provision of sales taxability of services. For the arts this means that the proposed Executive Budget includes language that seeks to collect a state sales tax on admission to cultural events at a rate of 5%. 

There are 18 categories, with 82 line items, included in the proposed effort to collect additional sales tax. The categories range from Agricultural Services to Fabrication, Installation, and Repair Services and include line items such as pet grooming to dating services to a wide-range of admissions and amusements.

Ohio Citizens for the Arts has already been in contact with many arts leaders who join us in our concern about the impact of the proposed state sales tax on admission to cultural events. We are in the process of convening an ad hoc committee to review the pending legislation, strategize to determine a plan of action and talking points, and communicate with the field with a unified voice, including talking points and the ways you can support our efforts to have the proposal reversed before we are too far into the budget process. We would be happy to hear from you about the impact this new tax would have on your institutions. Let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns.

As more information becomes available we will be in contact with you.

Thank you,

William P. Blair
Legislative Counsel
Ohio Citizens for the Arts

OHIO CITIZENS FOR THE ARTS SETS $22.4 MILLION GOAL

Governor John R. Kasich released his State of Ohio Executive Budget for Fiscal Years 2014-2015 on Monday, February 4, 2013. The Governor has titled the budget: Ohio’s Jobs Budget 2.0: Jobs. Momentum. Transformation.

The Executive Budget recommends that the Ohio Arts Council funding be increased by 11.5% over the current biennium for a total of $19,198,408. The Governor recommends that the appropriation for subsidies (grants to arts organizations throughout Ohio) be increased by $2 million. In the current biennium (FY12-13) that category totaled $14 million for the two years. In the newly introduced Executive Budget recommendation, the total for subsidies is $16 million for the two years beginning July 1, 2013.

In December, 2012 at the Annual Meeting of Ohio Citizens for the Arts, through a unanimous vote of the membership, we set our GOAL FOR THE OHIO ARTS COUNCIL BUDGET AT $22.4 MILLION. This would return us to the most recent budget before the disastrous cuts began over the last three biennia. We applaud Governor Kasich’s confidence in the arts and appreciate him giving us this starting point in the budget process.

There may be other policy issues in the pending legislative language, which we anticipate having in the next week when it is made public, that will impact the arts and we will keep you informed about any issues or actions you need to take.

The budget now is before the Ohio House Finance and Appropriations Committee chaired by Rep. Ron Amstutz (R Wooster). In two weeks our section of the budget will be sent to a subcommittee chaired by Rep. Cliff Rosenberger (R Clarksville). It is at that point that we will give direct testimony to the subcommittee on the importance of public funding to the arts and the importance of the arts to the people of Ohio. After the budget has been considered by the House, with its changes having been made, the budget will move to the Senate, probably sometime in April, and go through a similar process. In the Senate, the Finance Committee is chaired by Sen. Scott Oelslager (R Canton) and the subcommittee is chaired by Sen. Randy Gardner (R Bowling Green).

The budget season has begun and we continue our long commitment to keep you informed and engaged as successful advocates for the arts. So as we begin or continue our arts advocacy for this session of the Legislature, we must keep our goal of $22.4 million alive as we talk to our State Representatives and Senators. We will keep you informed of the progress at the Statehouse and count on you to keep us informed of any contacts you have made, questions you have or suggestions as to how we might better achieve our goal. Let the games begin!

William P. Blair
Legislative Counsel
Ohio Citizens for the Arts

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays!  Ohio Citizens for the Arts’ Board of Directors and staff extend our thanks and appreciation to you for your commitment to the arts in Ohio! As we reflect on 2011 we are reminded time and time again about the power of the arts. We know first-hand how the arts in our state contribute significantly to protecting Ohio’s heritage through culture, education, and the economy.

As you think about how you can support the arts this holiday season, we offer you the opportunity to provide the arts lover on your gift list a membership to Ohio Citizens for the Arts.

You can purchase a gift membership through our website at OhioCitizensfortheArts.org or by printing a membership form and mailing it to OCA, 77 South High Street, Floor 2, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108.

Membership truly is the gift that keeps on giving … every OCA member receives our monthly E-News, Arts Action Alerts, information, and resources.  We also provide desktop advocacy opportunities through our E-Advocacy Center.

Our Board of Directors and staff wish you a holiday season filled with friends, family, and the arts!

Happy Holidays!

News from Ohio Citizens for the Arts

The gift that keeps giving…to the arts
OCA memberships make memorable tokens for the arts supporters on your list

By Julius C. Dorsey, Jr.
Board Member, Ohio Citizens for the Arts

What do you give the arts lover in your life who has everything?

Why, the gift of all the arts news and updates they can handle, of course! The loyal arts supporters on your holiday list will certainly remember your gift of a one-year membership to Ohio Citizens for the Arts – probably because it will require no more space in their homes.

An OCA membership gift is just as beautiful, however. That’s because the recipient receives the kinds of benefits that a true arts supporter can truly enjoy, including:

• The scoop – in News from Ohio Citizens for the Arts, a monthly electronic newsletter with all the latest developments in the arts locally, statewide, and nationally
• An artful heads-up – early notice about networking opportunities at events like the annual Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio
• Calls to arms for the arts – Up-to-date information and action alerts regarding legislation that impacts the arts and arts education in Ohio
• Access to influencers – Link to our E-advocacy center to find your legislators with ease and write to them for their support of the arts
• OK, one piece of art – A beautiful commemorative membership card depicting the Ohio Statehouse amidst a serene winter scene by Columbus water color artist and OCA board member Jim Siemer
• All of the above are neatly packaged and ‘delivered’ to your friends in their names with your purchase of a one-year Ohio Citizens for the Arts membership at any level. Individual membership levels range from $30 to $600.

To purchase a gift membership, call Janelle Hallett, OCA Membership Coordinator at (614) 221-4064, or purchase online by clicking the “Membership” tab at www.OhioCitizensForTheArts.org.

Americans for the Arts Releases Statement on 2012 Elections

Americans for the Arts and Arts Action Fund President and CEO Robert L. Lynch gave the following statement on the Election Day results:

“On behalf of Americans for the Arts and the Arts Action Fund, I wish to congratulate President Barack Obama and all of the national, state, and local elected leaders across the country who won their elections last night.

White House

President Obama will now have the opportunity to fully realize his vision for the arts and culture as he originally laid out four years ago. By successfully securing healthcare for artists, economic recovery funds that saved artists’ jobs through the National Endowment for the Arts, and ongoing support for appropriations that fund federal cultural agencies, the president has taken many steps in supporting the nonprofit arts sector.

We hope to encourage President Obama and his administration over the course of the next four years to remain focused on maintaining arts education in every classroom; allocating a larger budget for the arts as an economic generator for American jobs, products, and communities; and protecting charitable giving incentives that are the lifeblood of the nonprofit arts sector.

We are proud that the nonprofit arts sector has already played an important role in our nation’s economic recovery by generating $135 billion in economic activity, supporting 4.1 million jobs, and returning $22 billion in tax revenue back to federal, state, and local coffers.

Congress

The make up of the Republican-controlled House and Democratic-controlled Senate, with a few races still to be called, is poised to remain relatively the same with modest gains by Democrats in both chambers. In the House of Representatives, we are happy to report that Congressional Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) won re-election in a hard-fought campaign made difficult by New York’s congressional redistricting plan. Also, Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) will continue to chair the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee, ensuring a friend of the arts remains at the head of that very important panel.

With the retirements of former Arts Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA) and Interior Subcommittee member Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH) and the losses of moderate Republican Reps. Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Charlie Bass (R-NH), the number of Republicans that formed a crucial pro-arts voting bloc in the House has taken a hit.

Their defeats mean we have to re-double our education of new members to ensure a firewall against possible future congressional attacks on arts funding. We look forward to working with newly elected Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) who bring their stellar House arts voting records to the Senate.”

To read the full statement, including more about Congress and state/local elections, visit ARTSblog.

Public Policy Alert: Preserve the Charitable Deduction

As Congress reconvenes for the year-end lame duck session to address a number of looming priorities, including the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, reinstatement of the tax provisions commonly known as extenders (including the IRA charitable rollover and other giving incentives), sequestration, further deficit reduction, and setting the stage for comprehensive tax reform, there are reports that suggest limits to the charitable deduction may be under consideration to help pay for any number of these issues.

Proposals to limit or cap the charitable deduction are nothing new – in fact in the past few years we’ve seen:

• President Obama propose capping the charitable deduction at 28% for taxpayers earning above $250,000;
• Governor Romney propose an aggregate cap as low as $17,000 on deductions for all taxpayers, which would effectively eliminate the charitable deduction for most taxpayers (There have also been other proposals to place an aggregate cap on deductions, including one that would place a cap of 2% of AGI on deductions for all taxpayers); and
• A proposal from the Simpson-Bowles Commission to eliminate the charitable deduction and replace it with a 12% flat credit for donations above a 2% floor of AGI.

Contact your members of Congress and the President and urge them not to limit the charitable deduction in the lame duck session and to avoid deficit reduction and tax reform solutions that would increase poverty and widen income inequality. As nonprofits continue to see increasing demand for programs and services, our elected officials should support policies that encourage all Americans to give more to charitable organizations and protect the most vulnerable in our society.

OANO is a member of Independent Sector, a national coalition of nonprofit organizations. Independent Sector has a VERY EASY tool for nonprofit organizations to obtain sample language as well as assist organizations in identifying and contacting their elected officials. Click here for details.

If you would like to use Ohio specific language as part of your messaging, please feel free to use economic data from OANO’s Sector Report found here.

Source: Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations

50 Top Community-Minded Corporations Unveiled

IBM and AT&T headlined the 50 corporations that were the most active in their communities, according to a list released by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), Points of Light (PoL), and Bloomberg LP.

The inaugural edition of The Civic 50, which will be posted in full on Bloomberg’s Business Week website, represents a comprehensive ranking of S&P 500 companies that best use their time to help communities. The list ranks companies on seven specific metrics: Leadership, measurement and strategy, design, employee civic growth, community partnerships, cause alignment, and transparency.

“NCoC is proud to be part of The Civic 50 launch,” said Ilir Zherka, executive director of NCoC, via a press release. “The Civic 50 demonstrates that the best companies in America are deeply committed to strengthening their respective communities. Leaders of these companies are aligning the expertise of their companies and people with the needs of their communities, and then measuring the impact of their programs. NCoC hopes The Civic 50 will spur companies throughout our country to do the same.”

More than two-thirds of the top 50 companies “frequently” or “always” used the professional skills of their workforce to address social issues and real community challenges. In addition, 66 percent of the corporations had “mission-level” alignment with community partners, working with them not just on individual programs or events, but also on the highest strategic level.

With the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy still looming large, Jackie Norris, executive director of the PoL Corporate Institute, it’s even more important to see businesses pitching in to help their communities. “In times of disaster and in relative calm, The Civic 50′s work is transformative, innovative and critically important,” she said in a statement.

The top five companies in The Civic 50 – IBM, Citigroup, AT&T, Aetna, and Capital One Financial Corporation – contributed $1.5 billion in grant support to community organizations, 17.5 million volunteer hours valued at more than $375 million, and $150 million in matching donations.

View the full Civic 50 list.

STEM Promotes Science Instruction at the Expense of Humanities

We need more engineers and scientists. That has become the mantra of promoters of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in education. There is nothing wrong with such a rallying cry, except that investment in STEM education usually comes at the expense of HAS (humanities, arts, and social sciences).

There is no arguing that inadequate science and mathematics education threatens the economic competitiveness of the United States.

It is no less true, however, that the neglect and systematic defunding of education in fields such as history, sociology and art history can have even more damaging repercussions. Damages include the creation of an uninformed citizenry and a concomitant erosion of democracy, and of a workforce unable to understand, communicate, and collaborate with people of different cultures in an increasingly diverse America and globalized world.

This, too, threatens America’s economic competitiveness.
The investment in science and technology, the desire for higher mathematical proficiency among school children, and implementation of programs to increase the number of graduating engineers are important goals but they are not a panacea.

Botanists and geneticists have succeeded at developing pest-resistant, high-yielding food crops but they have not been able to eradicate famine – world hunger is actually on the rise.

The so-called defense industry has created futuristic weaponry that can virtually guarantee victory in the battlefields, but its scientists cannot guarantee the preservation of peace once the smoke and stench of war have dissipated.

And likewise, modern medicine and biotechnology have prolonged people’s lives but cannot assure that those who live longer lead fuller and spiritually richer lives.

No! Scientists and their formulas and machines cannot solve the world’s problems!
We also need the knowledge of social and political scientists to help us figure out how to distribute those high-yielding crops in war-torn Africa.

We need the wisdom of historians to win the peace after winning the war or to prevent wars altogether.

And we need poets, painters, musicians, ballet dancers and clergy to nurture the spirit of those who now lead longer and healthier lives.

STEM without flowers is just a bare stem.
Indeed, we need more humanists and social scientists as canaries in the mines, to warn us about looming dangers of an increasingly technocratic, market-driven and authoritarian system.

And we may soon need them to play the role that a few thousand Irish monks played during the Middle Ages, helping to preserve the knowledge and artistic sensitivities of classical Greece and Rome in the face of barbarism.

The systematic neglect of HAS is far more complex than a simple transfer of education funds during tough economic times from those fields to STEM.

It is partially the result of the growing dominance of corporations which, on the one hand, demand highly-trained scientists, managers and technicians, and on the other, benefit from the existence of a vast pool of workers and consumers educated only to the point of basic functionality. Trends in our education system respond to such corporate demands.

Public school education, particularly in poor districts, has suffered from marginalization of the social sciences and the elimination of arts programs.

In many states, Florida among them, governments are neglecting, if not willingly dismantling, humanities and social science programs while expanding STEM fields.

Public schools in affluent districts, exclusive private schools and elite private colleges, while not immune to the increasing dominance of STEM, have successfully preserved holistic curricula with adequate support for the arts, humanities and social sciences.

These disparities between public and private institutions point to a dreadful scenario. One in which those who can afford it will enjoy the luxury of a well-rounded quality education, while those who cannot, will be limited to increasingly narrow vocational and technical opportunities.
Luis Martínez-Fernández is a history professor at the University of Central Florida and trustee of the College Board.

Source: Miami Herald

Flat or Declining Donations Mark the First Half of 2012

The slow economy continued to cause fundraising challenges for most charities in the first half of this year, according to a study released today by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative, a coalition of five organizations that collect and study information on giving and fundraising.

Giving dropped at 29 percent of the 781 groups in the study when compared to the first half of 2011 and was flat for another 25 percent. About 46 percent chalked up increases.
Small groups did far less well than the big ones, a finding that mirrored the results of last year’s study.

The sluggish giving rates seem to be a direct result of the economy, the researchers said. Gross domestic product grew by only 1.5 percent in the second quarter of this year, while spending by consumers stagnated.

Lapsed Donors
Charities that increased donations were more likely than others to reach out to supporters in multiple ways such as e-mail or in-person events, to show donors results of their contributions, and to publicly acknowledge donors by listing their names or taking other steps.

The study also examined whether charities are doing a good job of keeping donors year after year. Nearly half said that 60 percent or more of donors who gave to their organizations in 2011 have made one or more gifts in 2012.

While charities often stop making special efforts to reach out to people who haven’t given for a while, that strategy may be a mistake, the researchers said. Charities that focused attention on people who had stopped giving tended to fare better with their overall fundraising returns and in their donor-loyalty rates than other groups, the study found.

In addition, “a well-developed communications plan seems to be a critical step in both retention and in increased charitable receipts,” the researchers wrote. “This includes providing donor recognition through thank-you letters and special activities; reporting your organization’s work and showing the impact achieved with donor gifts; and using multiple channels of distribution to get your message out: online, print, e-mail, magazines, and so on.”

Source: Chronicle of Philanthropy

Cultivating the Next Generation of Arts Donors

The names Paul and Rose Carter don’t stick out in the Playbill acknowledgments. On paper, the husband and wife seem like typical arts patrons. Paul serves on the board of the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Rose sits on the board of the National Symphony Orchestra. They serve side by side on the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts, giving their time and money.

But the Carters are outliers within philanthropic circles. In their 40s, with four children younger than 13, they are younger than the typical arts patron. Indeed, they are half the age of many National Symphony Orchestra board members, 11 of whom have each served 35 years.

When asked why he gives well before his twilight years, Paul Carter, chief executive of software developer MapHook Inc., gives a simple response: “At the Kennedy Center, you become like a family…it’s not just about the shows. It’s the whole concierge-level experience they provide.”

And that explanation – one that prioritizes the donor experience – is a hopeful sign for arts centers, galleries, museums and theaters, which are competing for donations from coveted younger patrons. “Hook them young and they’ll stick around” is the conventional wisdom. And Washington arts institutions are catering to the tastes of younger donors, just as they’re becoming more important to arts giving.

It’s unclear whether economic factors and shifts in wealth will affect how younger people give. “From what I’ve seen, younger generations have less of a financial commitment to the arts,” said Maria Di Mento, a staff writer at the Chronicle of Philanthropy. “They go to the theater, they like it, but they don’t necessarily view it as something that is crucial to the well-being of society, and if they do, they’re not giving [large] gifts.”

But young philanthropists do give widely to education and community development programs; experts are finding that they donate to arts institutions that champion education.

Arts institutions are also examining how generations X and Y give of their money and time. Since the late 1990s, experts have examined how nonprofit groups are affected by venture philanthropy, a term that describes how technology and business executives make long-term financial commitments to charities and then work with them to meet quantifiable goals.

“The good news is that there always seems to be a subset of people who understand the value of the arts,” Marie Mattson said. “The arts have always brought people together in ways that nothing else can. Every culture on the planet has dance and music and theater; the arts are clearly holding their own.”
Read the full story at the Washington Post

Suggested Reading

Nonprofit Voters Increase from 2008: Claim a Higher Share of the Electorate in 2012: The benchmark National Election Exit Poll showed that the lower income, younger, and diverse populations typically served by nonprofits accounted for a greater share of voter turnout than ever before. While some of this can be attributed to population increases, it was also aided by unprecedented voter education and engagement efforts from the nonprofit and civic sector. Although the total number of ballots cast will fall short of the record in 20082 it will still top pre-election expectations.

Election Done, Focus Is On Budget Cuts, Tax Deduction: President Barack Obama won re-election to a second, four-year term but he likely won’t have too much time to bask in the glory, as critical issues that impact the nonprofit sector will need to be dealt with before his inauguration in 10 weeks – if not sooner. The primary issues – namely the federal government’s financial difficulties, often termed the “fiscal cliff” – were determined long before the election, according to Tim Delaney, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits in Washington, D.C.

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Congresswoman Turns to Reddit for Legislative Advice: Typically when policy makers brainstorm ideas on new legislation, they’ll talk to their colleagues or constituents. But California Rep. Zoe Lofgren is trying something different — she’s turning to Reddit. Lofgren will be tuning into Reddit to ask people for ideas on how to best protect Web sites accused of copyright infringement, according to political news site The Hill. The congresswoman is working on new legislation that would notify Web site owners blamed for copyright violations. The law would also halt the government from shutting down Web sites until the owners were able to defend themselves. Find out what other Congressional leaders have used Reddit to hear from users.

Seeking 10 Ohio High Schools to Represent Ohio’s 1.8 Million Students! Is a High School in Your District the Perfect Match?

Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation, in partnership with the Ohio Arts Council, offers a unique community service opportunity for high school students in conjunction with Ohio’s annual Arts Day and Governor’s Awards for the Arts in Ohio. Ten high schools from around the state will be chosen to send a team of six students to Columbus to serve as student advocates. These students will participate in a range of activities highlighting the value and importance of the arts and arts education as a part of a complete curriculum. This is a valuable opportunity for your students to participate in the democratic process in a way that is personally meaningful to them.

You are invited to express your interest in having your students participate in Arts Day 2013 to be held in Columbus on Wednesday, May 15th. Please respond by writing a brief statement of your interest in participating and what you hope to achieve through the student advocates program by November 19, 2012 via email, fax, or US mail (contact information can be found at the close of this message). High school selections will be made by the end of November from those indicating their interest to participate.

WHAT: Arts Day 2013 Student Advocate Program
WHEN: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM
WHERE: Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts and the Ohio Statehouse
Columbus, Ohio

ACTIVITIES:

• Students attend an advocacy briefing
• Students meet with state legislators or their aides to advocate for the arts and arts education
• Students attend the Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Arts Day Luncheon with members of the state legislature
• Students tour state buildings

OPPORTUNITIES:

• Collaborate among academic departments within the high school (ex. arts, government, and language arts)
• Host a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and/or Senate in your school for a pre-Arts Day orientation to discuss the role of a legislator in the school and arts funding process
• Raise student awareness of the legislative process and citizens’ participation in government
• Receive positive recognition for your school
• Make an important contribution to the continuation of state funding for the arts and arts education

REQUIREMENTS:

• Six (6) students who demonstrate an interest in the arts and the day’s activities
• Advance preparation by students: identify and write their Ohio legislators
• School-provided release time for: a) two-hour in-school legislative visit and advocacy training and b) trip to Columbus on Arts Day
• School-provided transportation to Columbus for students and accompanying adult(s)
• Teacher and/or school administrator to “advise” the student participation and serve as a liaison with the Arts Day Committee member

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Janelle Hallett, Member Services Director
Email: janelle@ohioctizensforthearts.org
Telephone: 614.221.4064 Fax: 614.241.5329
Ohio Citizens for the Arts Foundation 77 South High Street, 2nd Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108