By Megan Strawther, Development & Communications Associate
Once a month, our staff holds “Study Sessions” where we meet to discuss topics pertaining to nonprofits, arts education, or other relevant fields in our line of work. During a recent study session, we discussed “Fundraising: Top Ten Funding Models” featured in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and my coworkers and I questioned each other on what motivates us to contribute to certain charities. Some said they prefer to give when they know someone who will directly benefit from that charity’s services. Others said they are likely to make a donation when the charity’s mission hits close to home. And then there were those that said they were more likely to give when they were confident in the strength of the organization’s operations.
One thing that we all agreed upon: whomever we decide to give to, we want to make sure that the contributions we make have a positive impact.
This conversation resonated with me because, as the Development & Communications Associate, one of my main responsibilities and personal goals is to communicate to our supporters the great work that our organization does week after week. From sharing the growing success of our programs to highlighting achievements made in both the classroom and at the administrative level, I want those who endorse us and believe in our cause to know that their contributions are valued and help us accomplish so much.
I am currently going on three years strong having worked on the P.S. ARTS Annual Report, and it has been so enjoyable (and very rewarding) to see how far our organization has come since I first started working here in 2011 (you can check out all of our annual reports on our P.S. ARTS Publications page). In that time, the number of students we serve every week has increased by more than 30% and the number of school districts we are located in has nearly doubled. Our organization is a leader in arts education advocacy efforts locally and nationally, and our program models have been featured in highly reputable publications across the country (most notably, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities Report, “Reinvesting in Arts Education” in 2011, the PBS documentary, Arts & The Mind in 2012, and the Next Generation Creativity Survey conducted by James Catterall in 2012-2013). And all throughout, I have had the privilege of sharing these successes with all of you.
The Annual Report for the 2012-2013 school year includes everything you need to know about our organization – the schools we serve, the demographics of our students, the different programs we offer, our dedicated board and staff, our fundraising events, our financial information, and the significant achievements of P.S. ARTS in the last school year. The report is a testament to all that we have accomplished with your ongoing support, and a glimpse into the promising future of our organization.
My hope is that through this annual report, you are left feeling inspired by the work we do. It is through your generous contributions that we are able to have a positive impact on our community, and for that we are truly grateful. Thank you for continuing to support P.S. ARTS – cheers to another school year of creativity and success!
