Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative Announces Over $1.1 Million to Support and Strengthen 12 Local Organizations

The Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative (PCMI) announced today over $1.1 million to support the management and operations of 12 local arts, culture and heritage organizations. As part of the Fund for Action, these grants will support organizational development initiatives, such as increasing staff, implementing new technology plans, and upgrading financial management systems. The 2008 grants total $1,164,200, an increase of $624,000 from 2007.

 “PCMI recognizes the business challenges arts and culture organizations confront, and we are pleased to have been able to increase both the number of grants given and the amounts of those grants to help them in meeting those challenges,” said Martin Cohen, PCMI's director.  “These grants focus on projects that contribute to strength and sustainability, ranging from core organizational capacity to significant infrastructure investments.”

The 2008 Fund for Action grant recipients are Art–Reach, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Conservation Center for Arts & Historic Artifacts, Painted Bride Arts Center, Penn Museum, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Pig Iron Theatre Company, Please Touch Museum, Preservation Alliance, Rosenbach Museum & Library, Walnut Street Theatre and Wood Turning Center.  

"The 12 grant recipients demonstrate an ability to think creatively about their operations in ways that will strengthen their financial and organizational management and ultimately enable them to deliver effective programs and engage audiences," said Marian Godfrey, Managing Director of Culture and Civic Initiatives at The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Fund for Action is divided into two grant segments, each of which were awarded through a competitive, adjudicated process with panels featuring administrators and experts in organizational development from around the country.

The panel for the Fund for Action One included Richard J. Caples, Executive Director of the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company (New York City, NY); Jeffrey Herrmann, Managing Director of Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (Washington, D. C.), Sara Kellner, Principal of Kellner Consulting (Houston, TX); John L. Moore, III, Principal of JOMA Arts&Consulting, LLC (Charlotte, NC); Rena Zurofsky, Rena Zurofsky Consulting (Stockbridge, MA); and panel chair Eduardo Díaz, Executive Director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center (Albuquerque, NM).  

The panel for the Fund for Action Two included Joseph Carvalho, President and Executive Director of Springfield Museums (Springfield, MA); Susan Franano, Executive Director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra (Tucson, AZ); André Kimo Stone Guess, President of GuessWorks, Inc. (Montclair, NJ); Hope Tschopik, Schneider, Consultant (La Canada, CA); Erica Zielinski, General Manager of Lincoln Center Festival (New York City, NY); and panel chair Gary Egan, Deputy Director of Finance and Administration for Phoenix Museum of Art (Phoenix, AZ).

PCMI is a program of the Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and administered by The University of the Arts.  Created in 2001, PCMI emphasizes self-assessment and utilizing best practices towards organizational health, and offers a broad menu of options for learning through seminars and workshops as well as financial support for targeted organizational development.   Since its inception, PCMI has provided $3,642,450 in organizational development awards and an additional $450,000 in professional development grants.

About the Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage
Opened in November 2005, the Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage (PCAH) houses seven existing initiatives of The Pew Charitable Trusts. These programs are dedicated to assisting cultural organizations in the five-county Southeastern Pennsylvania region in developing high-quality public programs and effective management practices. PCAH is the home of Dance Advance, Heritage Philadelphia Program, Pew Fellowships in the Arts, Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative, Philadelphia Exhibitions Initiative, Philadelphia Music Project, and Philadelphia Theatre Initiative. The Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage is supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts and administered by The University of the Arts. For more information, visit www.pcah.us.

About The Pew Charitable Trusts
The Pew Charitable Trusts (www.pewtrusts.org) is driven by the power of knowledge to solve today's most challenging problems. Pew applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. We partner with a diverse range of donors, public and private organizations and concerned citizens who share a commitment to fact-based solutions and goal-driven investments to improve society.

About The University of the Arts
The University of the Arts is the nation's first and only university dedicated to the visual, performing and communication arts. Its 2,300 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs on its campus in the heart of Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. Its history as a leader in educating creative individuals spans more than 130 years. For further information about The University of the Arts call 215.717.6000, or visit www.uarts.edu.

For additional information on the programs of the Philadelphia Cultural Management Initiative, please call (267) 350-4910 or visit our Web site at www.artshelp.org.
    
2008 GRANT RECIPIENTS: 

Art–Reach - $120,000
PCMI funds will support the design, development, and implementation of a comprehensive program evaluation system.  Art-Reach will work with a leading evaluation consultant to develop a program for measuring the effectiveness of its current programs, as well as creating a system of evaluation tools to be used on an ongoing basis.  Art-Reach plans to share the results of its research into the best practices for accessibility for underserved audiences with the larger Philadelphia community.

Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia - $83,745
PCMI funds will support the salary of a new full-time staff position, Marketing and Box Office Assistant.   This position will be an integral part of a new institutional objective to reach out to new audiences, build audience-member engagement, and expand awareness of the organization.

Conservation Center for Arts & Historic Artifacts - $102,500
PCMI funds will support the establishment of a new position, Manager of Digital Photography.  This position will be responsible for management of all work within a new digital documentation studio, which creates detailed records of objects brought in for treatment at the center, as well as for development of new collaborative and fee-for-service activities

Painted Bride Arts Center - $85,000
PCMI funds will support a two-year project to refine and expand the center's membership and individual giving programs.  Funded activities will include market research, technology updates, new communication tools, cultivation events, and board and staff training.

Penn Museum – $120,000
The Penn Museum will use PCMI funds to assist with the basic costs involved in implementing a Collections Management Database Conversion Project over the next three years.  This project will result in the centralization of all collections data in one flexible user-friendly system; increase productivity and accountability in collections care; and advance Penn Museum's mission of public access and education about the world's cultural heritage.

Philadelphia Theatre Company - $120,000
PCMI funds will support the salary of a new full-time staff position, a Corporate Membership Manager/Special Events Coordinator, to help sustain the growth of the Company's contributed annual operating revenues and extend the reach and services that the Company provides to the region's corporate community.

Pig Iron Theatre Company - $81,500
PCMI funds will support the salary of a new full-time staff position, Business Manager.  As planned, this position will increase the company's ability to efficiently manage and plan its finances and will dramatically expand its fundraising capacity.

Please Touch Museum - $ 76,439
PCMI funds will support the training of all Please Touch employees and volunteers in preparation for their new museum at Memorial Hall. Training areas will include customer service, managing change, team building, leadership, and improving managerial effectiveness.

Preservation Alliance - $85,000
PCMI funds will support the salary of a new full-time staff position, Chief Operating Officer.  The COO will gradually take over responsibility for the leadership of the Alliance's “core” programs, enabling the Executive Director to focus on developing special opportunities.

Rosenbach Museum & Library - $120,000
The Rosenbach will use PCMI funds to upgrade a temporary consulting curatorial position to the new position of Traveling Exhibitions Coordinator, together with funds for developing marketing materials, web pages, and advertising.  The Traveling Exhibitions Coordinator will promote and manage a new traveling exhibitions program, which will bring the Rosenbach's treasures to larger audiences around the world, while serving as a new source of earned revenue.

Walnut Street Theatre - $85,000
PCMI funds will support the salary of a new full-time staff position, Annual Fund Manager.  The position's responsibilities will include supervision of corporate and foundation campaigns, a tele-fundraising campaign, and special events supporting the annual fund.

Wood Turning Center - $85,000
PCMI funds will support the salary of a new full-time staff position, Director of Development.  This position, designed in response to recent fundraising feasibility studies, will design and implement new membership and development plans for the center.