Think your nonprofit counts?

Nonprofit Financial Survey to Highlight Impact of “Embedded” Organizations

(Boston, MA – March 9, 2009) The New England Foundation for the Arts and the six state arts agencies of New England need your help with an updated nonprofit financial survey! NEFA’s research has shown that nonprofit cultural organizations have accounted for as much $3.7 billion in economic impact in the region. What is the impact today? Nonprofit cultural organizations should respond to the 2009 nonprofit financial survey. Visit www.culturecount.org and click on the “Annual Nonprofit Survey” link on the left; the survey closes on May 15, 2009.

Small organizations (those who are not required to fill out the IRS form 990), and embedded organizations (such as libraries, arts councils, and university museums) are strongly encouraged to participate in the survey along with larger cultural nonprofits in order to make these numbers more precise and, consequently, more potent in cultural advocacy efforts to policy makers and funders.

“Federal data is no substitute for talking to real people about what their organizations are doing,” said NEFA research manager Dee Schneidman. “This survey enhances our reports with a more personal level of information. Of course cultural assets make more than just financial impact - the survey allows us to capture the entire range of cultural activity in a community.”

As an incentive, respondents will have immediate access to CultureCount’s Media Contact Tool to download contact information for media outlets by type and geography. Those who respond by April 15 will also be entered in a drawing for a free 30-day trial of CultureCount’s Data Download Tool. With this tool, valued at $100 per use, users may download lists of financial, grants, and census data - highly valuable tools for your nonprofit’s research and planning.

A paper survey is available for those who do not have consistent internet access; contact NEFA at survey@nefa.org or call [617] 951-00101 ext. 529. To access the reports compiling previous survey results, visit /pubs.

About CultureCount
CultureCount, NEFA’s online creative economy database, actively supports the growth of New England’s cultural assets. This is a free, centralized data source on New England’s cultural nonprofits, businesses, and professionals. Arts and culture advocates can use CultureCount search features and research tools to foster greater awareness of New England’s cultural vitality and the economic impact of the creative sector.

Constantly expanding, CultureCount adds local information to the federal data analyzed in NEFA’s research on the creative sector. Cultural organizations, businesses, and professionals found in CultureCount fit within the definition outlined in the most recent addition to NEFA’s long history of economic impact research, The Creative Economy: A New Definition (2007). Visit CultureCount.org for more details.

About NEFA
NEFA 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 that operates with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New England state arts agencies, and from corporations, foundations, and individuals.

Founded in 1976, the New England Foundation for the Arts administers nine 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.