For Immediate Release
October 4, 2016
Information: Sarah Sidman | 206-788-3051 | sarahsidman@artsfund.org
ArtsFund, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Communications
ARTSFUND DISTRIBUTES OVER $1.2M TO 100 ORGANIZATIONS IN THREE YEARS WITH ITS CROWDFUNDING INITIATIVE POWER2GIVE
Seattle, WA –ArtsFund’s regional arts crowdfunding initiative, power2give/PugetSound, concluded a successful three year run on September 30, 2016. ArtsFund launched power2give.org/PugetSound on October 1, 2013. Since then, power2give expanded into a network of 100 arts and cultural organizations from throughout the Central Puget Sound. Organizations were invited to post projects in need of support on the year-round online fundraising platform hosted by ArtsFund. All dollars raised by organizations and donated to projects on the site were matched by ArtsFund’s matching funds.
Over the course of three years, ArtsFund’s power2give platform generated $1,224,849 in support of 228 projects throughout King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties. Over 4,700 donations were made by 3,665 individuals. On average, 40% of the donors were first time donors to the organization whose project they were supporting, with some projects reaching more than 60% new donors. The most frequent gifts were $50 and $100. Donations from individuals made up 55% of the funds distributed, with ArtsFund providing the additional $545,824 in incentivizing matching funds.
Mari Horita, ArtsFund President & CEO, stated, “We launched this initiative to help arts groups build capacity, explore new fundraising techniques and tools to engage new donors, and ultimately expand their base of support. Distributing more than $1 Million dollars to fund organizations large and small, with a significant amount of the funding coming from first time donors to the organizations, power2give has exceeded all our goals. Thank you to all our sponsors and matching donors, as well as to the 3665 individuals who joined ArtsFund in turning the power to give into action and impact.”
ArtsFund’s power2give contributed to original programming, brought art to stages and venues throughout the state, and provided greater access and unique experiences for both youth and adults. In addition, the platform supported arts education programs, funded artists commissions and residencies, enabled facilities improvements and enhancements to the audience experience, and much more.
Sarah Sidman, ArtsFund Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Communications, added, “One of the greatest successes of power2give has been the breadth of the projects it supported. The 228 projects posted are great examples of the diverse ways in which arts and culture are strengthening communities across our region.” Posting organizations and projects included:
- Arts Corps, sending five young poets from the Seattle area to an international poetry competition and connecting them with other youth artists at the forefront of social change movements
- Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, presenting two free New Directions Veterans Choir concerts for soldiers and families at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
- Deaf Spotlight, funding artist and venue costs for Deaf Drama Camp, a three week summer theater camp
- Eastside Nihon Matsuri Association, bringing Japanese guest artists to Bellevue for the annual Japan Fair celebrating and promoting the traditional and modern cultural art of Japan
- Khambatta Dance Company, funding events, production personnel, and international artist support for the Seattle International Dance Festival, a ten-day celebration of local and international dance artists
- On The Boards, recording a live contemporary arts performance for OntheBoards.tv, providing access to more than 15,000 registered users and 44 universities
- Pratidhwani, building scenery and period costumes for multiple theatrical productions
- Seattle JazzED, offering a free workshop of jazz instruction for young female students and scholarships providing access to tuition-based programs
- Schack Art Center, providing free after-hours events for teens to explore their creative potential through hands on art projects
- Seattle Shakespeare Company, fueling 20 free Shakespeare workshops reaching 600 students in Puget Sound Schools
- Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, providing music supplies for beginning string students in seven public schools in underserved communities through the Southwest Seattle String Project
- Ted Brown Music Outreach, repairing donated string instruments to provide underprivileged and low-income students access to music education in Pierce County
- Teen Tix, cultivating the next generation of arts leaders, advocates and change-makers through The New Guard, a teen arts leadership society
- Youth in Focus, providing materials and supplies enabling at-risk youth to literally develop negatives into positives through the youth development photography program
Horita continued, “We look forward to building upon the momentum and network generated through power2give, and to finding innovative ways to connect our cultural partners with donors and patrons throughout the Central Puget Sound.”
The Raynier Institute & Foundation was the founding matching sponsor and inaugural lead partner of power2give/PugetSound. Additional matching funds were provided by: Amazon, The Bamford Foundation, The Estate of Jean Pringle Swanson, Little Big Show (KEXP, STG & Starbucks), Neiman Marcus, RD Merrill Co, Swedish Medical Center, Vijay and Sita Vashee, and a number of anonymous donors. Start-up and administrative sponsorship for power2give/PugetSound was provided by The Boeing Company.
power2give.org was created by the Arts & Science Council of Charlotte, North Carolina as a nationwide platform for United Arts Funds to host locally. On October 1, 2016, ownership and management of the platform transferred to Fractured Atlas, who will retire the power2give brand and platform in early 2017.
For more information and a full list of participating organizations, donors, and matching donors: www.artsfund.org/p2g
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ArtsFund’s Mission: ArtsFund strengthens the community by supporting the arts through leadership, advocacy and grant making.