From the Top Receives Grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies
BOSTON, MA — SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 — From the Top today announced that it is a grantee recipient of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) program. Through the two-year initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies is providing $30 million across 262 small and mid-sized nonprofit cultural organizations around the country to help strengthen their operational and programming efforts, including training in fundraising, audience development and board member engagement.
We are honored to be among a distinguished group of Boston arts organizations that received this grant. The combination of unrestricted funding and strategic artistic planning is coming at a perfect time for From the Top; they will help us propel our organization into the next phase of growth.”Jennifer Hurley-Wales, co-CEO & Executive Producer
The invitation-only program supports nonprofit cultural organizations based in six cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. All organizations are locally or internationally recognized nonprofits that have been in existence for at least two years. The grantees are required to participate in a management training program; secure matching funds; ensure 100% board participation in fundraising; and maintain up-to-date information in the Cultural Data Project, an online financial & data collection platform that assists arts organizations across the country to collect, learn from, and use data effectively. The grants are unrestricted so that recipients can use them to address their greatest needs.
The generous support of Bloomberg Philanthropies will enable From the Top to launch a major donor program through which we expect to expand our donor base locally and nationally. The grant will help us identify and engage individual donors capable of making gifts of $2,500 or more; and improve our capacity to undertake long-term planning.”Lynne Rutkin, Director of Development
Bloomberg Philanthropies is partnering with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland to develop curricula and conduct trainings for the AIM program in each city. The comprehensive workshops engage organizations around activities that strengthen their long-term health and goals and include consultations and implementation support for arts managers and their boards.
First piloted in New York City, Bloomberg Philanthropies supported 245 grantees through AIM from 2011-2013. Participating organizations reported improvements in audience development, board engagement, and fundraising over the two-year program.
About From the Top
From the Top is America’s largest national platform celebrating the stories, talents, and character of classically-trained young musicians. Operating from Boston’s vibrant music district, From the Top produces nationwide media programs (like NPR’s From the Top Live with Christopher O’Riley), presents inspiring live performances in Boston and around the country, offers scholarships, and helps America’s talented, hard-working, and dedicated young musicians inspire music lovers of all ages.
In addition to support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, From the Top’s programs are made possible with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and corporate underwriting from U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. It is also supported through the generous contributions of individuals and institutions as well as public radio stations. From the Top’s founding partners are New England Conservatory and WGBH. Learn more at www.fromthetop.org.
About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies works to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. We focus on five key areas for creating lasting change: arts, education, the environment, government innovation, and public health. The arts are a valuable way to engage citizens and enhance communities. Through innovative partnerships and bold approaches, the Bloomberg Philanthropies arts program works to increase access to culture using new technologies, empower artists and strengthen cultural organizations to reach broader audiences. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @BloombergDotOrg.
About the DeVos Institute of Arts Management
The DeVos Institute has served more than 1,000 organizations from over 80 countries since Michael M. Kaiser founded it during his tenure as President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The Institute has designed its services to assist a wide range of institutions, from traditional performing and presenting organizations, museums and galleries, arts schools and libraries, to botanical gardens, glass-making studios, public art trusts, and non-profit cinemas, to name a few. The DeVos Institute transferred its activities and offices from the Kennedy Center to the University of Maryland in September 2014. The move enables the Institute to expand its global training and consulting programs, enhance its fellowships for North American and international arts managers within the context of a major educational institution, and create a Master’s program that leverages both University and Institute resources.
Contact: Jodi Beznoska, 617-437-0707 x117, jbeznoska@fromthetop.org
