power2give Tops $100K in its First Month!
IN ITS FIRST MONTH, power2give.org/PugetSound BRINGS $104,271 TO REGIONAL ARTS PROJECTS
Seattle, WA – ArtsFund announced today that as of November 1, 2013, the one month anniversary of power2give.org/PugetSound, the site has generated $104,271 in new funds for the region’s arts and cultural sector. power2give/PugetSound, presented by ArtsFund, is a year-round regional arts crowd funding platform creating a direct link between arts and cultural projects and individuals and broadening the base of support for the arts by engaging and mobilizing new donors and funds. In its first month, the site received 4319 unique site visits, with repeat visitors bringing the total site visits to 6954.
ArtsFund launched power2give/Puget Sound on October 1, 2013 with 36 participating arts and cultural organizations. The site is active and evolving; in one month, 13 projects reached their funding goals, and two new groups joined the roster. 415 individuals have made donations through power2give/PugetSound for a total of $52,135 to date, and the numbers keep growing. The most frequent contributions made have been $50 and $100. All donations made were matched 100%, thanks to the Raynier Institute & Foundation (founding matching sponsor and inaugural lead partner of power2give/PugetSound), as well as matches made by Amazon and by anonymous donors.
“power2give/PugetSound is an ongoing initiative of ArtsFund, and makes giving to the arts even more accessible,” said Mari Horita, ArtsFund President & CEO. “One of the unique features of power2give is its storytelling capacity, allowing arts groups to share personal and project-specific narratives with the community. We’re thrilled that over 4300 people have engaged with the site, accessing both the individual stories and the collective narrative of the breadth and scope of our vibrant cultural sector.”
power2give/PugetSound enables invited arts organizations to post and promote projects in need of funding up to $7500, and invites donors to contribute to those projects most intriguing to them. All donations are tax deductible. Projects are listed on the site for a maximum of 90 days, or until they meet their financial goals. ArtsFund further incentivizes individual donors to contribute by providing matching funds.
“Thanks to The Boeing Company’s administrative sponsorship, posting costs for the arts groups are at a minimum,” Horita continued. “power2give is a cost-efficient opportunity for arts groups to raise new funds while telling their stories in a fun and engaging way connecting them directly with donors.”
Jon Axell, Marketing Director, Jet City Improv, stated, “We were really impressed by the ease and success of our first project on power2give. But perhaps more importantly, power2give gave our donors a chance to be just as impressive, beating our fundraising goals for the project by a full four weeks, and to demonstrate how happy they were with the direction we were going. So everyone came out happy and impressed by everyone else, plus the project was fully funded. What’s not to love?”
Demonstrating how power2give/PugetSound is reaching the next generation of donors, Heather Beasley, Development Manager, Seattle Public Theater, added, “Of our 35 project donors, 11 were new donors for SPT. Four of our new donors were young people whose families have given in the past. They wanted to give their own money to help Seattle Public Theater get new sound equipment!”
Horita furthered, “Gifts made to arts projects on power2give/PugetSound have direct and immediate impact in our community. ArtsFund distributes the funds within 15 days of a project’s completion, reinforcing the immediacy of the connection between donors and projects, and quickly bringing these new funds into the region’s arts and cultural sector.”
John Bradshaw, Managing Director, Seattle Shakespeare Company, reported, “In eight days, we raised $3,000 for new sets and costumes for our touring productions. Each year, these productions perform at more than 50 venues across the state and serve nearly 15,000 people, mostly students. On behalf of the thousands of audience members across the state, we thank ArtsFund for their leadership in creating this opportunity!”
David Wagner, Executive Director, Seattle Choral Company, continued, “power2give can be life blood stuff for smaller organizations.” Seattle Choral Company reached their $3745 goal to purchase performance riser guard rails, and the purchase is underway. Also soon to be acquired as a result of successful campaigns on power2give/PugetSound are: a new server for the Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas; a projector lens for SIFF; and an outdoor bench for Taproot Theatre Company, offering hospitality to neighbors and patrons alike.
Posting groups represent a wide spectrum from King and Pierce Counties, with postings from Kitsap and Snohomish Counties pending. In addition to production costs and equipment upgrades, launch postings included: youth-based programs and outreach; free or reduced access; community programs and outreach; arts education, supplies and transportation; original programming; and artist support and commissions.
Two successful projects highlighting distinct approaches to these themes are Seattle Children’s Theatre’s Get the kids to the theatre! Buses, raising $2600 to transport 500 children to performances at SCT, and Seattle Shakespeare Company’s Bring Shakespeare to life for students across Washington! (referenced above), raising $3000 to bring high-quality, small cast productions to schools throughout the state.
Additional closed projects include:
· Broadway Center for the Performing Arts Bring Hope to Soldiers Through Music, raising $7500 to present two free New Directions Veterans Choir concerts at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
· Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra Keep Jazz4Kids Concerts Free for Kids and Families, raising $7500 to produce three free Jazz4Kids concerts
· Seattle Music Partners Bring a Smile to a Young Musician, raising $1202 to fund SMP’s annual t-shirts, creating a sense of belonging for the students while raising visibility for the program
· Seattle JazzED Girls Play for Free!, raising $7500 to support a free workshop of jazz instruction for young female students and six $500 scholarships providing access to tuition-based programs
· Spectrum Dance Theater The Minstrel Show—Workshop, raising $7500 for dancer salaries during two weeks of rehearsal and research culminating in a public performance and community dialogue
For a full list of completed projects: http://www.power2give.org/PugetSound/Project/ListComplete
To view live projects: http://www.power2give.org/PugetSound/projects
For more information: www.artsfund.org
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ArtsFund’s Mission: ArtsFund strengthens the community by supporting the arts through leadership, advocacy and grant making.
ArtsFund’s Vision: A community with a dynamic and world-class arts and cultural sector where the arts are accessible to all and valued as a central and critical component to a healthy society.
power2give.org was created by the Arts & Science Council (ASC) of Charlotte, North Carolina.