Last week the Fund for the Arts unveiled a new revenue stream for non-profit arts groups in the community. I say, “Way to think outside of the box!” and “Thank you!” I had the pleasure of going to one of the first demos for the Louisville site Power2give.org.
We have to give kudos to Charlotte, North Carolina’s Arts and Science Council for their brainchild, Power2give.org. Charlotte unveiled their site in late August and has seen successful results with funding in their area.
What is power2give.org? In a nutshell it is “an online cultural marketplace designed to connect donors with projects they are passionate about. Specifically, the site allows cultural organizations to post and promote projects in need of funding and invites donors to contribute directly to the projects that are most intriguing to them. “ This site is similar to others already in the market such as Kickstarter.com, however, this one is specifically targeted to the arts community.
I appreciate the Fund for the Arts listening to the results from the survey they sent out earlier this summer. Barbara Sexton Smith, current interim director for the Fund, indicated 800 people had responded. The survey pointed toward the desperate funding needs of the smaller arts organizations in the community which was recognized by the Fund, action was taken and a possible solution has been found.
Power2give.org is scheduled to launch in early December. I’m anxious to see all the creative projects our arts community comes up with but more importantly to see how our community supports them.
