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Making Exact Change
How U.S. arts-based programs have made a significant and sustained impact on their communities
A Report from the Community Arts Network
By William Cleveland
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Making Exact Change
How U.S. arts-based programs have made a significant and sustained impact on their communities
By William Cleveland
Appendix B: Questions for Study Sites
Questions for Study Sites
January 10, 2005
Making Exact Change
Questions for Study Sites
Thank you for considering participation in Making Exact Change. Through this project Art in the Public Interest and the Center for the Study of Art & Community will be working together to document arts-based programs that have produced significant and sustained positive impact on their respective communities. For the purposes of this inquiry, “significant and sustained positive impact” is defined as change leading to the long term advancement of human dignity, health and/or productivity. “Long-term,” in this context, is defined as a minimum of ten years. We are particularly interested in learning how programs such as yours define and measure your “change-making” efforts, and the program factors, history and environmental conditions that contribute to your those successes. Our ultimate aim is to help the growing, but largely disconnected community arts field, learn from its most venerable and successful colleagues.
We recognize that participating in this study will take time away from your ongoing work. Many of the questions that follow can probably be addressed with existing materials. Other information might be best passed on via interview or e-mail. After you have time to review these questions, we will be contacting you to discuss your interest in participating and the best way for us to collect the needed information.
1. Mission/Values
- What is your current mission?
- What ideas, values, and standards, have influenced the design, policies and delivery of your programs?
- What assumptions and expectations have informed your efforts?
2. Success/Change
- As the organization has evolved over time, how have you defined and redefined success?
- What projects or initiatives have been most representative of that definition? (Please describe).
- Has making positive community change been a specific intention of your work? If, so how has that change been defined?
- hat unanticipated impact has your program had on the community(s) you work with?
3. Outcomes/Impact
- How have you measured and learned from your work?
- Which of your program’s characteristics have most contribute to the program’s significant and sustained positive community impact?
- What specific documentary, research or evaluation methods have been used to measure your community impact?
- What significant outcomes, particularly those related to community change, have emerged from your assessment efforts?
4. Environment
- What external conditions, situations or events have most impacted your efforts? How? Why?
5. Leadership
- What leadership practices and behaviors have characterized the program over the years?
6. Resources
- What is the current annual budget?
- How have the organization’s finances changed the life time of your organization?
- Generally, what are the organizations sources of support?
- How has that changed over the lifetime of the organization?
- What support strategies have been critical to the program’s positive community impact and sustainability?
- What non-financial support strategies (volunteers, technical assistance, etc.) have contributed most to the program’s success?
7. Governance
- How is the organization governed?
- If you have a board of directors, what are its roles?
- How has the organization’s governance contributed to, or limited your ability to provoke positive community change?
8. Partnerships
- What, if any, are the significant organizational partnerships, outside of funders, that have emerged in support your community efforts?
9. Training
- What preparation, orientation, or training is provided for staff, artists and/or nonarts personnel in support of your goals?
10. Constraints
- What have been the bumps in the road? What persistent issues, conditions or problems have limited or constrained your ability to fulfill your mission.
11. Advice to Funders
- What advice or reflections do you have to share with funders or other supporters about funder behaviors and attitudes that can advance or limit your program’s efforts?
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