Funding Archive

Berkshire Taconic Reports Nearly $7 Million Distributed in 2009

Published: March 4, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETINTags: Advocacy, Artists, Berkshire County, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Community Development, Funding, non-profit

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation announced today that despite the economic downturn, it distributed $7 million in 2009 throughout the Berkshire Taconic region. Grants included $242,760 in scholarships to young people to help them through college, along with millions of dollars in vital support for the arts, public education, health and human services and environmental protection.

In addition, 3,700 donors contributed $7 million to the foundation last year. Over $260,000 was raised for the new Neighbor-to-Neighbor program in a two-month challenge grant period. Hundreds of donors stepped forward with donations ranging from $1 to $100,000 to aid individuals and families in the Berkshire Taconic region who are in economic distress. Neighbor-to-Neighbor awards small grants, usually no more than $500, to help with overdue utilities, medical bills, short-term housing costs and transportation problems. Checks are written to the vendor (landlord, utility company, pharmacy or mechanic) on behalf of the community member in need.

“We have been greatly heartened by the marked generosity of donors in our region during this extremely difficult time,” said Jennifer Dowley, the foundation’s president. “Several donors walked into our offices this past year asking, ‘How can we help?’ and they did.”

On another note of good cheer, Berkshire Taconic’s investments have performed remarkable well even during the worst investment market since the 1930s. Comparative reports put Berkshire Taconic’s returns in the top quartile nationwide of community foundations, private foundations, university endowments and trusts over the past five years. As of December 31, 2009, the foundation’s assets were up 27.3%. “It is a great comfort that we have been able to recover much of was lost in 2008 during the drop of the investment markets,” said Jill Gellert, vice president of finance and administration. “We are very proud of the commitment of our investment committee. Their leadership has led to the foundation’s remarkable performance over the years.”

“Our goals for 2010 are to continue our focus on both the long-term development of charitable resources for our region and remain flexible and responsive to those people and nonprofits in immediate need,” said Dowley. “These difficult times are when we need to remember to support the people and organizations that keep our lives flourishing.”

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Thanks to its generous donors, in 2009 Berkshire Taconic distributed nearly $7 million in scholarships and grants for programs in the arts and education, health and human services, and environmental protection. Berkshire Taconic is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.

Click here to learn more about the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation!

American for the Arts Comments on Obama’s 2010 Budget Recommendations

Published: February 17, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, NATIONAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETINTags: Advocacy, Americans for the Arts, Arts Education, economic impact, Funding, Government

On February 1, 2010 the White House released President Obama’s budget recommendations for FY 2011. Below is a statement from Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts on arts and arts education funding in the budget:

“At a time when the Americans for the Arts National Arts Index shows that because of the current economy support for the arts is at its lowest point in a decade, arts organizations have been relying on one area where funding has been on the increase—the leveraging power of federal funding for the arts and humanities. The Administration’s FY 2011 budget request of $161.3 million for the National Endowment for the Arts—while just a fraction of the $6.3 billion of direct expenditures for all arts nonprofits in the U.S.—is unfortunately a $6 million decrease from what Congress appropriated for FY 2010. We now turn to Congress to continue its investment trend in providing additional appropriations for the NEA. The FY 2011 NEA budget also includes an announcement of a new agency program called Our Town. We are excited to see that this important initiative is designed to strengthen communities through the arts. The backbone for the arts starts at the local level and having the federal government strategically invest in this kind community-based direction will spur further support for the arts. But why hamper the potential impact of this new initiative by reducing the NEA’s overall budget?

“The President’s budget also includes a number of new proposals to strengthen our education system and build a 21st workforce. However, the consolidation of the Arts in Education (AIE) program within the Department of Education’s new ‘Effective Teaching and Learning for Well-Rounded Education’ category puts us at unease and could lead to a diminished focus on arts education. This consolidation of the only identified arts-specific education program at the Department of Education seems to be in contradiction to the Administration’s previous strong vocal support of the arts. While the total available AIE grant funds are unknown at this time, it is an unbeneficial move at a time when arts education cuts are happening across the country. The arts are a proven integral part of every child’s development, preparing them for school, work, and life in the competitive 21st century global economy.

“The nation’s creative industries and arts workers are ready to continue to play their role in assisting with economic recovery, job training and creation, and the development of a well-rounded education that includes robust learning in the arts in order to provide workers of tomorrow with the creative and innovative skills they need today. The 5.7 million jobs and $166 billion in economic impact from the nonprofit arts sector alone hang in the balance. Further commitment from the federal government is needed to allow these groups to reach their full potential.”

Click here to visit Americans for the Arts online and learn more!

Three Berkshire Programs Awarded Adams Grants!

Published: February 12, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, STATE NEWSTags: assets for artists, Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, Economic Development, economic impact, Funding, Grants, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Pittsfield Office of Cultural Development

The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) announces release of more than $700,000 in grants to stimulate new economic activity, job creation, and community revitalization through arts and cultural projects across the state.

The MCC’s Adams Arts Program for the Creative Economy will invest in 27 projects in every region of Massachusetts, including the Berkshires’:

Assets for Artists, North Adams*
The project provides an innovative set of tools to enable artists of all disciplines to advance entrepreneurially and financially through financial education, microenterprise training, home ownership assistance, and access to capital.

Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, North Adams
The Berkshire Cultural Resource Center provides resources, training, and support that: bring a creative class of people to the Berkshires; provide work opportunities in the creative sector for young adults currently living in the region; and support the existing creative class of artists and arts organizations in the county.

Cultural Pittsfield
Cultural Pittsfield is a campaign to support and grow the creative economy in Pittsfield through collaborative marketing and technical assistance, with a focus on seed funding and support for new entrepreneurial initiatives and events; and to provide networking and professional development opportunities for artists and creative workers.

Adams is the oldest and most-far reaching program of its kind in the nation, supporting projects that harness the unique assets of the Commonwealth and the creativity of its residents. Adams grants fuel a creative sector that has a $4.2 billion total impact on the state’s economy and provides more than 109,000 jobs.

“I am delighted to see the results of our ongoing investments,” said Senate President Therese Murray of Plymouth at a State House announcement this morning. She cited Adams-funded projects such as Harbor Your Arts! in Hyannis, which “helped local artists generate $121,000 in sales in one year.”

“The creative sector is a proven engine for economic development and revitalization,” said Anita Walker, the MCC’s executive director. “This year’s Adams grants will generate real dollars for these communities at a time when innovative strategies to produce wealth and create jobs are sorely needed.”

MCC’s Adams grants will:

Promote cultural tourism in the Pioneer Valley through Museums 10, a cross-promotional effort by seven college museums and galleries and three independent museums in the region. The partners are collaborating on a joint themed exhibition, Table for 10: The Art, Science and History of Food, which will bring together several sectors of the local economy: artists and artisans, small farmers, restaurants and inns, food writers, and food aficionados.
Invest in the Gateway Cities: New Bedford, Pittsfield, Fitchburg, Worcester, and Leominster through a range of strategies to generate new, arts-based commercial activity in downtown districts.
Create opportunities for Massachusetts artists to compete in the global arena with Transcultural Exchange, which includes a biennial conference that has resulted in hundreds of local artists finding jobs and residencies worldwide, and draws visitors from as far away as Mongolia and Nigeria.
Reinvest in the Cambridge Science Festival, a project of the MIT Museum that attracts 30,000 annually to the Greater Boston area, and estimates annual visitor spending at $652,000.

“These grants will help connect our region’s natural beauty with local businesses and tourist services,” said Senator Stephen Brewer (D-Barre), whose district is home to the North Quabbin Woods Arts and Culture Portal, which uses the work of local artisans to drive ecotourism in the North Quabbin Woods region. “I am proud to support these important cultural grants that will help increase economic sustainability for our district and promote the connection between ecotourism, arts, and culture.”

Click here to see the full list of Adams grants!

*Berkshire Creative Partner Initiative

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Published: January 22, 2010Posted in: ARCHIVES, FEATURES 1, HAPPENINGS ARCHIVETags: Berkshire Community College, Funding, Marketing, non-profit, Online Marketing, Professional Development, Small Business, Website

“Get Found in Social Media”

Wednesday, January 27, 9:00- 12:00 pm

Berkshire Chamber of Commerce, 75 North Street, Suite 360 in Pittsfield, MA

Registration fee: $25. Register online at www.clickbasics.com/workshop, email paulc@clickbasics.com, or call 413-637-2459

ClickBasics, an internet marketing and web analytics company, will present the workshop, “Get Found in Social Media.” Geared for a non-technical business audience, the workshop will be presented by Paul Carter, founder of ClickBasics Internet Marketing, Lenox, MA. Participants will learn basic concepts and receive practical guidance helping business owners and internet marketers tie social media to the bottom line. Seating is limited.

Berkshire Enterprises’ February Business Breakfast Forum: What was your greatest success and what was your greatest mistake?

Friday, February 5, 2010, 7:30-9:00 AM

3rd Floor Board Room, One Fenn Street, Pittsfield, MA

Free. Email Steve Fogel at sfogel@berkshireenterprises.com or call 413-441-3688 to RSVP .

Space is limited and reservations are required.

Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Success depends on learning from experience including our mistakes. To err is human but to continue to err without analyzing what is going on and changing leads to failure. This forum will be a discussion of how participants have used their successes and failures to improve their businesses and their lives. The forum will be lead by Steve Fogel, Program Director of Berkshire Enterprises. Berkshire Enterprises Business Breakfast Forums have been held since 2001. The Forums are made possible through the generous support from Greylock Federal Credit Union, Legacy Banks, Berkshire Bank, TD Banknorth, and the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank in space provided by CompuWorks. The forums include an active discussion of techniques that work and can be implemented easily. A light breakfast is included. Berkshire Enterprises is a program of the Office for Workforce Development at Berkshire Community College.

Berkshire Community College Professional Development Non-Credit Courses

Strong Boards Make Non-Profits Work

Designed for board members and executive staff. Topics include the structure, purposes and duties of the board of directors/trustees, fundraising roles, fiscal oversight, strategic palnning, hiring and dismissal of the chief executive and the role of volunteers and advisory boards.

WKS-1028-E1

2 Meetings, Mon. & Thurs., 3/8 &3/11, 9-11am

Location: Intermodal Education Center, Room 3, $75

Instructor: Gene Wenner, Non-Profit Consultant

Financial Management Skills

Learn to understand the procedures and processes needed to accommodate and meet the growing demands of federal/state regulations. Explore the easy use of available computer accounting programs that accommodate nonprofit practices, as well as successful means for relating donor information to the accounting system.

WKS-11152-E1

4 Meetings, Weds., 2/24-3/24, 6:30-8:30pm (no class 3/17)

Location: Melville Hall, Room 116, $80

Instructor: Gene Wenner, Non-Profit Consultant

Programming and Marketing Skills

Explore a strategic planning process to develop, implement and evaluate programs that meet a nonprofit organization’s mission. Learn to develop materials for marketing to specific audiences for fundraising or program purposes. Study public relations procedures and the means of communicating with the general public.

WKS-11153-E1

4 Meetings, Weds., 3/31-4/21, 6:30-8:30pm (no class 3/17)

Location: Melville Hall, Room 116, $80

Instructor: Gene Wenner, Non-Profit Consultant

To register, contact the Office of LifeLong Learning/Workforce Development at 413-499-4660 or 800-816-1233 ext. 2123 or 2122

Bi-annual Taste of Philanthropy Conference

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA

Click here to register for the conference!

The Taste of Philanthropy 2010 conference is expected to bring together over 300 nonprofit leaders, consultants and foundations. Morning workshops on all aspects of fundraising –from planned giving/major gifts, to corporate/foundation giving, marketing and stewardship — will be available. In the afternoon, after hearing Sheryl WuDunn’s inspirational talk, we’ll all come together to focus on building our skills for making the all important ASK!

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New York Foundation for the Arts

Published: January 11, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, RESOURCESTags: Advocacy, Artists, Call for Submissions, Funding, Grants, Jobs, Museums, non-profit, Professional Development, Reisdencies, Resource, Website

The New York Foundation for the Arts’ mission is to empower artists at critical stages in their creative lives. NYFA offers resources for artists, art organizations, and those working in the arts related fields.

NYFA’s mission starts with individual artists in the visual, media, performing and literary arts. Their site offers access to a comprehensive list of resources for artists in the nation, including financial, educational, technological, and institutional resources and information such as jobs in the arts, opportunities & services for artists, event Listings, learning workshops, business of art articles, information for for teaching artists, fellowships, fiscal sponsorships, and more.

NYFA’s Arts Advocacy section regularly provides up-to-date listings of select arts advocacy issues at the local, state, and federal levels. These listings are for current legislation efforts, which if approved will have a direct impact on artists and arts workers across the country.

NYFA also provides information on the management of small and mid-sized organizations that serve the needs of artists including resources for management assistance and fundraising on the web, marketing and public relations, as well as an annotated list of nonprofit management & staffing resources list.

Click here to learn more!

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Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation to Move Headquarters to Sheffield, MA

Published: January 5, 2010Posted in: FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETINTags: Advocacy, Berkshire County, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Funding, non-profit, Resource

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation has announced the purchase of an office building at 800 N. Main Street in Sheffield, MA to house its operations. The 5,000 square-foot property was purchased from Landmark Volunteers, Inc. The foundation will move into its new headquarters after making minor improvements and creating parking sufficient for staff and visitors. “Berkshire Taconic is here forever and we are thrilled to be able to invest in a permanent home for the organization as we commence our 23^rd year of work,” stated Virginia Smith, chair of the foundation’s board of directors.

The purchase of 800 N. Main Street concludes a three-year search for a long-term home for the foundation. A task force composed of members of the foundation’s board of directors, chaired by Ed Hoe, looked at properties up and down the Route 7 corridor. “We found nothing to compare with the condition and size of this Sheffield property within our price range,” stated Hoe. “The foundation was outgrowing its space in Great Barrington and needed room for community meetings, as well as for its expanding operations over the next five to ten years.”

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation was founded in 1987 as a Connecticut nonprofit organization and leased space in Lakeville, CT for several years. As its work expanded beyond Northwest CT and Northeast Dutchess County into Berkshire and Columbia counties, it needed to move its base of operations to the geographic center of its catchment area. In 1997, the foundation leased space at 271 Main Street in Great Barrington, MA where it has resided for the past 12 years. “The opportunity to buy our own building is terrific,” stated Virginia Smith. “The money we save on rent can now shift to providing more resources to our communities.”

Click here to learn more about the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation!

FROM ARTS AMERICA…NEA AWARDS GRANTS TO SIX BERKSHIRE CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS

Published: December 22, 2009Posted in: FEATURES 1, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETINTags: Berkshire County, Berkshire Creatives, Cultural Organizations, Funding, Government, Grants, NEA, non-profit, Rocco Landesman

Both the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) have completed a new round of funding. The NEA has selected six organizations in the Berkshires, while the NEH looked, but came up empty.

As might be expected, large, well known Berkshire based organizations like Tanglewood, Jacob’s Pillow and The Clark Art Institute were among those blessed, and so was the feisty Barrington Stage Company – for its Musical Theatre Lab project. It runs each summer under the watchful eye of composer William Finn (he of Spelling Bee fame).

But two smaller, literary organizations were also selected, the Orion Society based in Great Barrington, and the Tupelo Press, recently arrived in North Adams and headquartered at the Eclipse Mill. While the Berkshires have long been home to visual and performing artists, the tradition of literary lights living here is also well established, going back to Herman Melville whose home in Pittsfield was named Arrowhead and Nathaniel Hawthorne who had a small cottage in Lenox.

The NEA grants were made under the Access to Artistic Excellence program and chosen from more than 1,600 applications. Access grants “support the creation and presentation of work in the disciplines of dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, media arts, museums, music, musical theater, opera, presenting, theater, and visual arts.”

Click here to read the full storyon Arts America!

Local Creative Uses Crowdfunding Site Kickstarter.org to Fund Publishing of 15 year Retrospective of Design

Published: December 18, 2009Posted in: FEATURES 1, FOR PROFIT RESOURCES, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, NON PROFIT RESOURCES, RESOURCES, UncategorizedTags: Artists, Berkshire Creatives, Entrepeneurs, Filmakers, For-Profit, Funding, Musicians, Networking, non-profit, Resource, Website, Writers

In September 2009, local photographer and Studio Two Creative Director, Kevin Sprague began a campaign to fund the production of “Imagining Shakespeare”- a comprehensive look at 15 years of his award-winning photography, design, and imaging work for Shakespeare & CO. On December 15, Kevin successfully completed his campaign, raising over $15,000, and he did it all with Kickstarter.

Kevin says “Kickstarter was a great tool to put this kind of project together and make it possible.” So what exactly is it? Kickstarter is a web-based ‘crowdfunding’ platform, launched in Spring of 2009, “for artists, writers, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, athletes, adventurers, inventors, bloggers, comic book creators, explorers, curators, promoters, performers, and lots of others.” Kickstarter is part of the growing community of crowdfunding websites, like artistshare.com, kickstart.org, and kiva.org, applying a fresh perspective and web 2.0 technology to age old funding scenarios. Kickstarter also seems to work best in conjunction with other web 2.0 promotion. “I found twitter and facebook great tools to both get my invitation and promote the project throughout the 90 day cycle” Kevin states, “that being said, it is a new service, and has a few bumps in the system, including an occasionally difficult-to-navigate pledging system.” Currently, creation of a project on Kickstarter is by invitation only, which Kevin indicates “are few and far between and available from people with current, active projects.” Still, Kickstarter may be the resource you are looking for, for your creative, innovative endeavors. Kevin says “It was a lot of work, but very heartening to see people from near and far come out to support my ideas.”

Click here to learn more about Kickstarter, how it works and how to request an invitation!

Open Information Session on New Fund in Support of Increased Census Participation

Published: November 12, 2009Posted in: FEATURES 1, HAPPENINGS + EVENTS, LOCAL NEWS, NATIONAL NEWS, NEWS BULLETIN, STATE NEWS, UncategorizedTags: Advocacy, Event, Funding, Government, Participate

The 2010 Census is coming up and the results will have a serious impact on Massachusetts residents and nonprofits. If all residents are not counted, Massachusetts stands to lose a Congressional seat and the millions of dollars of federal funding. The Women’s Fund will hold an open information session about the 2010 Census and a new funding opportunity intended to help increase the number of “mail back” Census returns in the state by 5%.

November 18, 2009 from 4:00-5:00 PM

The Women’s Fund, Eastworks Building, Suite 358, 116 Pleasant Street, Easthampton, MA

Representatives from the Massachusetts Equity Fund and the United States Census 2010 will be at the Women’s Fund office on to meet with interested nonprofit organizations and individuals. The meeting is free and open to the public, but seating is limited.

RSVP required. Call Julie Kumble, Director of Grants and Programs at the Women’s Fund, 529-0087 x 12 or email juliek@womensfund.net

More info about the Massachusetts Census Equity Fund

The Massachusetts Census Equity Fund is seeking proposals from nonprofits across Massachusetts to carry out projects to promote the 2010 Census and to ensure fair representation in hard-to-count communities in Massachusetts. The Fund is a short term project supported by Access Strategies Fund, Barr Foundation, The Herman and Frieda L. Miller Foundation, Hyams Foundation, Theodore Edson Parker Foundation, Roxbury Trust Fund, Solidago Foundation, and United Way of Mass Bay. Additional funders may join the Fund over the next few months.

Proposal deadline via email is Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 5:00 pm to Suzanne Maas at smaasconsulting@verizon.net.

The results of the census impact:

Distribution of over $400 billion a year in federal funds to state and local governments—$4 trillion over a ten-year period. In FY ’08, Massachusetts received $13 billion in federal funds through over 100 government programs, based in whole or in part on data from the census. The state may lose more than $2,000 in federal funding for each person per year if they are not counted on the census.
The number of seats Massachusetts has in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the Electoral College.
“Redistricting,” how lines are drawn for legislative districts, and whether historically underserved communities receive the representation they deserve.
Plans to help local communities locate services for the elderly, job training centers, new schools and recreation centers, health clinics, businesses, and more.
Enforcement of civil rights laws in employment, housing, voting, lending, and education.

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Tricks of the Trade 2009-2010!

Published: November 3, 2009Posted in: HAPPENINGS ARCHIVETags: Artists, Berkshire Creatives, Creativity, Economic Development, Education, For-Profit, Funding, Jobs, Professional Development, Resource, seminars, Small Business

Tricks of the Trade is back!

This eighteen part seminar series is produced by MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center in collaboration with Berkshire Creative, Pittsfield Office of Cultural Development and IS183 Art School to keep our Creatives in the know!

Each month, Tricks of the Trade seminars will focus on a different area of creative professional development. Seminars will be held throughout the county, ensuring outr creative workers can easily connect with these resource. See below for upcoming November Tricks of the Trade seminars!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

December: BRANDING

How does one artist stick out in a crowd?… and how does the artist find the crowd to stick out in?
In this age of information and advertisement overload, savvy companies understand the importance of targeting their market and creating a strong brand. A good brand appeals to all the senses, through all channels and yet continues to deliver the same message. Artists, too, must meet the challenge of branding and promoting themselves.

Jonathan Secor, MCLA’s Director of Special Programs, will interview some of the Berkshire’s branding gurus to explore the key components of a good brand and the most effective methods of delivering that brand.

Tuesday, December 8th, 6:30 p.m. @ MCLA Gallery 51 with
David Carriere, Author of ‘Publicity: 7 Steps to Publicize Just About Anything’ with a focus on publicity

Wednesday, December 9th, 6:30 p.m. @ Lichtenstein Center for Arts with
Kevin Sprague, Photographer, Owner of Studio Two with a focus on target market

Thursday, December 10th, 6:30 p.m. @ IS183 Art School with
Mitch and Seth Nash, Co-owners of Blue Q with a focus on branding

All workshops are 630:830pm and free, but do require pre-registration. For more information on the workshops and/or to pre-register, please call MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center program coordinator, Jessica Conzo at 413.663.5253. Full calendar (November-April) coming soon!

Thank you to our sponsors: