good/bad on controversial support

[scheherazadesghost]

  

Just now, craiga said:

You are operating under the misconception that this award to Inspire Arts was somehow being hidden as a crack in the armor.  This is factually incorrect, since it was Inspire themselves who released the photo on FB showing the oversized check for $50,000 being held by, among others, a rep from Chick-fil-a,  the Boston CEO, Business Manager, oh and btw, two kids wearing feather boas!  There is no angst here about this.  It is a good chunk of funds going directly to an under-served and quite diverse population.  As for Gen Z, I spoke to 2 of them today while they were waiting for their flights...they both are thrilled at this news.  

I've commented several times in this thread alone that big awards from big funders are generally very publicly visible and cause for celebration, because I've managed similar awards before. This award wasn't hidden. But the potential value misalignment is being actively dismissed in this thread because most people justifiably don't understand the subtleties of nonprofit development work. That's okay. But my experience prompts me to keep things grounded in real world experience and precedence. I'm not dogging BAC here, I'm pointing out risk... for the benefit of all. It's kinda my thing despite personal risk to my already-burnt reputation.

This was a very subtle funding decision that I don't inherently disagree with, and that has obviously yielded great results. Happens all the dang time in the NP world. And it doesn't matter if I agree with it or not; what matters now is how BAC and the funder manage it moving forward. Just seems I've just dug into that subtlety in a way that is upsetting folks in this thread.

Further, two Gen Z examples does not an accurate picture paint, but I'm glad they're happy, funding is funding. Just be forewarned that it only takes one loud opinion to be disruptive. This is the kind of risk NP development professionals manage.

1 minute ago, Boss Anova said:

The biggest issue facing Drum Corps is not who is donating to Corps . 
 It is , instead ….

 Who is not . 

Sustaining a NP on donations alone is a recipe for disaster. That's not to say donor engagement couldn't improve across the board. But many corps, including BAC are obviously improving.

[craiga]

Thank heavens some people here don't shoulder the responsibility of operating the oldest youth activity in the City of Boston.   

[scheherazadesghost]

Especially those with little to no experience in doing so.

(Edit to add clarity: Experience in operating arts nonprofits, specifically in development. Asking questions as an outsider/fan is not the same as being on the ground in operations. What happened to it takes a village?)

Edited January 15, 2023 by scheherazadesghost

[JimF-LowBari]

11 minutes ago, craiga said:

Thank heavens some people here don't shoulder the responsibility of operating the oldest youth activity in the City of Boston.   

Just so we are clear: I started this thread as generic as possible as the issue could affect any corps. And I didn’t mention any corps in the initial post. You and a few others tried to make it about Boston, not me.

Yeah I have a problem with my words and meanings being misunderstood or twisted 

Edited January 15, 2023 by JimF-LowBari

[Boss Anova]

23 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

  

I've commented several times in this thread alone that big awards from big funders are generally very publicly visible and cause for celebration, because I've managed similar awards before. This award wasn't hidden. But the potential value misalignment is being actively dismissed in this thread because most people justifiably don't understand the subtleties of nonprofit development work. That's okay. But my experience prompts me to keep things grounded in real world experience and precedence. I'm not dogging BAC here, I'm pointing out risk... for the benefit of all. It's kinda my thing despite personal risk to my already-burnt reputation.

This was a very subtle funding decision that I don't inherently disagree with, and that has obviously yielded great results. Happens all the dang time in the NP world. And it doesn't matter if I agree with it or not; what matters now is how BAC and the funder manage it moving forward. Just seems I've just dug into that subtlety in a way that is upsetting folks in this thread.

Further, two Gen Z examples does not an accurate picture paint, but I'm glad they're happy, funding is funding. Just be forewarned that it only takes one loud opinion to be disruptive. This is the kind of risk NP development professionals manage.

Sustaining a NP on donations alone is a recipe for disaster. That's not to say donor engagement couldn't improve across the board. But many corps, including BAC are obviously improving.

There is a difference also  between soliciting funds from donors on a regular basis  , and winning a singular contest for a monetary prize  where the recipient winner of the funds was determined by the voting public , and the donor gave the money accordingly on that basis . Chic fil A is not a corporate sponsor of  any DCI Drum Corps , including the Boston Crusaders . The Crusaders were in a voting pool of other possible recipients . The winnner  of the $50, 000 winning prize donation was the vote . They got my vote . Liahona ‘s vote . Other BAC Alums and or Fans of the Crusaders that participated in the contest vote . 
  As such , if a couple of posters on here want to blame someone for the receipt of this $50, 000 winning vote contest donation that helps the inner city youth of Boston , then start with me . I’m at least partially to “blame “for them winning the $50,000 from the fast food Chick - Fil- a ( that I don’t believe I have ever bought anything from ).
 Even the cows are happy though. “Eat mor chikin “😀

 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Boss Anova

[scheherazadesghost]

Where else can we discuss and learn from a potential misalignment between the values of a funder and recipient? Not sure how @JimF-LowBari could have possibly made their opening comment more generic.

If the BAC community can't take feedback when its clearly in one of the strongest positions in the industry, then its community is restricting info sharing. Wouldn't be the first time in the industry so whatevs. I would know.

If drum corps NPs didn't want their funding sources scrutinized, they shouldn't have become NPs. It's kinda the whole thing....

[TOC]

On one hand, it seems like some can't see how the BAC accepted a nice amount of legally earned money from a national chain company that doesn't fit how others want them to run their company.  Then there's the possibility that some are envious of I&AM success of raising money.  Can't forget those who might never like the corps .  

Edited January 15, 2023 by TOC

[cixelsyd]

15 minutes ago, scheherazadesghost said:

I kept it generic knowing that no one on this forum knows who I've worked for in the past. None of my examples in this thread are referring to the drum corps community.

The gun shops values didn't align with the NP's mission according to the leadership of the NP. I didn't have a hand in the decision, it was made before I got there.

The org probably felt that a business selling guns probably doesn't reflect well on a youth non profit arts organization. Or perhaps other donors didn't want to be associated with gun sales. Perhaps a student or teacher didn't either. I wasn't there in the board meeting. What do you think? I don't often see gun retailers or manufacturers on the donor/funding lists of many small youth arts education NPs.

What do I think?  Thanks for asking.

1.  First and foremost, I think there is a lot going on in modern non-profit management that I am not familiar with, judging from the points you bring forth.  So remember this as I continue. 

2.  Among those things, I tend to think of "donations" as sincere and private acts of charity.  The idea of that information being public to begin with, much less shared with other potential donors, is foreign to me.

3.  I guess what is really being discussed here is a special class of "donation" with accompanying publicity.  That strikes me as something different, more like sponsorships or endorsements.  In that case, the donor and recipient are being associated with one another, publicly and purposely.  And I could understand how other similar donors seeking a public relations (PR) benefit from their donations would want to know the portfolio of the recipient.

Of course, if the publicity is a mandatory part of the donation package, then I guess it is fair to say there is a string attached to that donation. 

4.  The gun shop thing still bothers me, though. 

Before our time, all kinds of youth activities accepting charity were publicly sponsored by all sorts of businesses.  Some of them were types of businesses that do not evoke the imagery you want to hear while involved with your youth activity.  Nevertheless, there was a day when people probably did not flinch at their local youth group carrying the name of a perfectly respectable local mortuary, septic tank service, etc. as one of their sponsors.  (The Warriors of Oshkosh, WI, had dual sponsorship from the Kiwanis Club and the YMCA, and thus identified themselves as the K-Y Warriors.)

The optimist in me would like to think that this is just about imagery.  The pessimist in me thinks that the PR/donor class is playing a political chess game with their recipients as the pawns.

 

[scheherazadesghost]

2 minutes ago, Boss Anova said:

There is a difference also  between soliciting funds from donors on a regular basis  , and winning a singular contest for a monetary prize  where the recipient winner of the funds was determined by the voting public , and the donor gave the money accordingly on that basis .

I'm aware. And I wish BAC all the best, as again, I've never said I disagreed with it. It's totally up to any recipient how they leverage new relationships moving forward though, as they could influence future funding opportunities.

2 minutes ago, Boss Anova said:

Chic fil A is a corporate sponsor of no DCI Drum Corps , including the Boston Crusaders . The Crusaders were in a voting pool of other possible recipients . The winnner  of the $50, 000 winning prize donation was the vote . They got my vote . Liahona vote . Other BAC Alums and or Fans of the Crusaders that participated in the contest vote . 
  As such , if a couple of posters on here want to blame someone for the receipt of this $50, 000 winning vote contest donation that helps the inner city youth of Boston , then start with me . I’m at least partially to “blame “for them winning the $50,000 from the fast food joint . 
 Even the cows are happy though. “Eat mor chikin “😀

Great. All I'm pointing out is that there may be other funders, educators, admin, or even members who may not like it. That's the (minimal?) risk BAC as will to take. I dig it. I've worked for struggling NPs before.

I don't eat chicken or cows so, I don't have a horse in this race. (Don't eat horse either, to be clear.)

[JimF-LowBari]

Actually just sent my money in for a fund raiser for a DCI show a few hours from me. It’s a gun raffle that’s been going on for a few years. Guess if you don’t like them you don’t buy a ticket. 
Goes with the no matter what you do to raise money there might be complaints.