NEFA Announces Data Updates to CultureCount

Unique regional creative economy site updates financial tool and grants data

New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) announced the most recent data updates to CultureCount. CultureCount, NEFA’s online creative economy database, brings visibility and growth to New England’s cultural assets by providing a free, centralized data source on New England’s cultural nonprofits, businesses, and professionals. 

CultureCount's Financial Tool, which shows trends over time and is the only such tool exclusively for arts nonprofits in New England, now features the most current nonprofit financial data available from IRS Form 990. The Cultural Grants data from NEFA, the National Endowment for the Arts and the New England state arts agencies are also now up to date. This tool is helpful to researchers, grant writers, and others interested in understanding how public funds have been allocated in various communities and organizations, and is an indication of the health of the sector.

“Going forward, these updates will be completed annually as the data becomes available”, said NEFA research manager Dee Schneidman. “The data is particularly valuable now as we begin to assess the impact of the economic crisis on the sector.”

Since organizations only recently filed taxes for 2008, the most recent financial data available is from 2007, The IRS verifies the financial information which is then digitized by the National Center for Charitable Statistics. The 2008 data will be available in the winter of 09/10.

With over 30,000 directory entries -- nearly 3,000 added since January -- there is no better time for artists, cultural nonprofits, creative businesses, journalists, researchers and policy makers to be a part of NEFA's creative economy database.

About NEFA
The New England Foundation for the Arts creatively supports the movement of people, ideas, and resources in the arts within New England and beyond, makes vital connections between artists and communities and builds the strength, knowledge, and leadership of the region's creative sector. NEFA is a 501 (c) 3 organization that operates with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England state arts agencies, and from corporations, foundations, and individuals.

NEFA administers grantmaking programs that support the performing arts, public art, and Native American artists. NEFA also leads projects and initiatives that range from the analysis of the impact of the creative economy to the creation of online tools which link and advance the regional, national, and international cultural community. For more information, please visit www.nefa.org or call 617.951.0010.

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