Since 2002, the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center has provided free training and technical support for executive, artistic and board leadership of arts organizations worldwide. Recognizing the challenges facing arts organizations in Grand Rapids, The Dick and Betsy DeVos Family Foundation and the DeVos Institute of Arts Management have partnered on a new initiative designed to serve the city’s vital arts community—which, like many others, was seriously affected by the current recession. The program begins in November 2010 and will facilitate the candid exchange of ideas and information between senior arts leaders and DeVos Institute faculty.

Apply Online
(You will be asked to login or register an account.)

The application deadline is Monday, September 27, 2010

The program is free of charge to participants and consists of:

Symposia

Six half-day symposia gather senior staff and board members from participating organizations for workshops led by Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser and DeVos Institute faculty. The symposia cover:

• Artistic Planning
• Board Development
• Fundraising
• Institutional Marketing
• Programmatic Marketing
• Strategic Planning

Web-chats

Periodic web-chats are led by DeVos Institute faculty and serve an intermediary role: to continue and deepen dialogue on specific subjects introduced at the quarterly symposia. The web-chat format was chosen in observance of the need for sustained, detailed dialogue on key areas of arts management concern.

Consultative services

Consultative services are available on request to each participating organization by phone, email, or in-person.

Eligibility

The competitive application process will identify up to 50 arts organizations in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area (including Muskegon, Holland, and Grand Valley). The following guidelines will determine eligibility:

• Participants must be not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organizations.
• Organizations should have an annual operating budget of between $100,000 and $5 million. (Organizations outside this budget range may be considered at the discretion of the program’s management).
• Organizations must have full time staff and a functional Board of Directors.
• The Chief Executive must attend all program activities. Participation by the Board Chair or other senior Board member will be expected throughout the program. Participation of the chief artistic administrator is expected at the first seminar, but is not required at subsequent sessions.

Applications will be reviewed by the DeVos Institute for thoughtfulness of response to key questions asking applicants to identify 3-5 organizational challenges, their goals and need for participation, and the impact on their organization of any prior capacity building or strategic planning processes.

Tentative Seminar Schedule (subject to change)

Apply Online for Capacity Building: Grand Rapids
(You will be asked to login or register an account.)

The application deadline is Monday, September 27, 2010

If you have questions or comments, please contact:
[email protected] or (202) 416-8861.