daac Swiki
111welcome dudes, jenn and i have started this wiki (with the immense help of paul wittenbraker) to better facilitate a conversation about the board structure of the Division Ave. Arts Cooperative.
We are using the DAAC as a case study for the evaluation of small grassroots arts-based nonprofit governance and would appreciate your feedback on its current structure.
we are also interested in what you think the organization (the DAAC) does well and what it does not. we believe the strengths and weakness of the DAAC can be incorporated into a new governance model. general feelings about the organization are encouraged as well.
you can add your comments and opinions by clicking the 'edit' button to the left.
♥ george and jenn. -
I have had discussions about the DAAC with several people. A perception we all generally shared was that the DAAC is too cliquey. Personally I would not feel comfortable going to a show unless I was in the "in crowd". Along with the cliquey feel, the types of shows that are booked seem limited to 2 genres. Indie rock and Grind. That leaves a lot of people out that may want to support local venues. I have spoke with George about the DAAC membership policy, which seems pretty open and accepting, but some people may not know that the possibility of becoming a member exists. Also, if they did know they could inquire about membership, they may feel intimidated by the cliquey-ness of the members, and thus be afraid to inquire about membership.
- justin.
This is from my DAAC assessment based on the results of a survey distributed in Winter 2004:
GOVERNANCE:
Most of the board members are under 30 and do not have experience in governance or board service. However, board members do tend to have a significant amount of arts experience – most are artists or musicians; many have affiliations with other community arts and culture entities such as the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Vertigo music, and Recoil magazine.
Despite the wealth of arts knowledge represented by the board, DAAC would benefit from recruiting community members that have experience and training in board leadership, management, and development, in addition to interest in and dedication to the arts. As DAAC does not have any paid staff members, board members with nonprofit or arts management experience would be a great asset. In order to protect the viability of the agency, DAACs current board must be expanded to include members with practical expertise in the nonprofit arts sector.
MISSION STATEMENT
The original DAAC mission statement was developed by board members and is presented on the organization’s website on the “About Us” page. Its format differs significantly from that typically used by nonprofit organizations. It does not say what DAAC actual does, although it does relay DAAC values and vision to the reader. It is not “speakable,” nor is it concise enough to include in marketing and promotional materials.
The mission statement does not accurately present programs and services, nor does it demarcate the target population. These are elements that the IRS, grantors, and donors typically require in strong mission statements. The tone of the statement may also serve to alienate potential foundation, individual, and, especially, corporate donors, as well as prospective audiences with less politicized arts and cultural interest.
PLANNING
DAAC has no formal strategic plan and no methods for evaluating the board, volunteers, agency performance, or programs. Without an official plan regulating programs and services, it will be impossible to prove to the IRS the necessity of awarding tax-exempt status to DAAC. Additionally, potential funders are unable to see whether the organization’s projects are worthy of their donation if there is no strategic plan outlining them.
OVERALL STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
DAAC’s main strengths are the passion and vision of its volunteers and members, as well as the ability to promote events through limited marketing and word-of-mouth. DAAC is very strong in the area of human resources. Also, DAAC’s audience is young enough that simple marketing with t-shirts, buttons, and positive word-of-mouth feedback continues to attract new audiences.
DAAC’s main weaknesses seem to be in the areas of strategic planning, mission, financial accountability, and fund development. There is no strategic, work, or business plan guiding the operations of the organization. This will be a significant hindrance to the agency when they apply for 501(c)3 nonprofit status or begin requesting funds from foundation or individual donors. Any strategic plan must include a strong, compelling mission statement written in the language understood by those whose help DAAC intends to solicit.
Fiscal responsibility is another serious concern. Financial accountability must start with record maintenance. It is imperative that DAAC compile accurate records that are available for the IRS, donors, and members. Finally, a fund development plan including techniques such as a direct mail campaigns, the solicitation of individuals, and grantwriting must be designed and implemented in order to ensure the sustainability of the organization.
- Ruth
I also want to agree with Justin's post above. The DAAC is very clique-y, and I don't feel that there is very much diversity at all. Programming does not appeal to a wide variety of tastes at all. I think this is, in part, an unfortunate by-product of being a cooperative. There is a core group of people with certain artistic and creative values that control all the programming because they are the only people involved. Unfortunately, other people are unlikely to get involved because they don't see their personalities and tastes reflected in the DAAC's membership, programming, or aesthetics. Human and financial resources are so limited (a situation no one seems to really want to change, possibly for fear of "selling out") that it is impossible to actively recruit people into the DAAC that might bring new and fresh ideas to the table.
Ok, I could go on but I imagine this is sufficient for now...
- Ruth