HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-500-E-Arts Commission-Hillsborough Arts Council-2022-23 arts grantGRASSROOTS ARTS PROGRAM / ARTIST PROJECT GRANT 2022-23
Grantee Name
Authorizing Official
Project Title
Award
Grant Category ☐Artist Project Grant Program
Funding Source
Date
End Date
OCAC Report Due
☐Grassroots Arts Program
☐North Carolina Arts Council ☐Orange County
July 1, 2022
June 30, 2023
Monday, July 10, 2023
Stipulations ☐Grantee must spend $ on the hiring of multicultural artists specified in
the grant application.
☐Grantee must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission using the proper
logo on all publicity materials for the funded program. Recipients of operations‐related
grants must include the OCAC logo with link to www.artsorange.org on grantee’s
website. Download logos on the OCAC website at
https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee‐resources
☐Grantee must properly credit the Orange County Arts Commission and the N.C. Arts
Council using the proper logos and N.C. Arts Council credit line on all publicity materials
for funded program. Recipients of operations‐related grants must include the OCAC logo
with link to www.artsorange.org and N.C. Arts Council logo, credit line, and link to
www.ncarts.org on grantee’s website. Download logos and view proper credit line
language on the OCAC website at https://artsorange.org/grants/grantee‐resources
☒The Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits, and performances (virtual or in‐
person) open to the public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts
Commission website at www.artsorange.org/events. In addition, the Grant Recipient
must add a link to www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo
preferred) to their main webpage.
Staff Contact Katie Murray, Director
(919)245‐2335 | kmurray@orangecountync.gov
NOTE!
Next year's grant cycle
will evaluate all 2022
grantees on their
adherence to the
stipulations listed on this
sheet. A compliance score
will be incorporated into
all grant applications
beginning in 2023 and
going forward.
Hillsborough Arts Council
Mollie Thomas Executive Director
Salary Support for Hillsborough Arts Council Staff
$7,500.00
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Revised August 2022
ORANGE COUNTY ARTS
COMMISSION 2022-23 GRANT
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, entered into this 24 day of August, 2022, by and between Orange County
("County"), by and through the Orange County Arts Commission ("Arts Commission") and
("Grant Recipient").
WHEREAS, the Arts Commission is a countywide arts agency that ensures the growth of
local arts experiences by providing funding and support for diverse high quality programs and
projects.
WHEREAS, the Arts Commission administers the annual Grants Program to provide
economic opportunities to Orange County artists and non-profit organizations coordinating arts
projects benefiting the citizens of Orange County.
WHEREAS, the annual Arts Grants Program is supported by Arts Commission with
funds from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, a state agency.
WHEREAS, the Grant Recipient was selected by the Arts Commission to receive the
annual Arts Grant through the procedures duly adopted by the Arts Commission; and
WHEREAS, both parties wish to promote and maintain the integrity and clarity of the
Grant Recipient's ideas and statements and delineate the Grant Recipient’s obligations to the
County;
NOW, THEREFORE, the County and the Grant Recipient, for the consideration and
under the conditions hereinafter set forth, agree as follows:
1.Approved Grant Project. Grant funds are provided under this Agreement for the project
(“Project”) described in the Grant Recipient’s Grant Application, attached hereto and
incorporated herein as Exhibit A.
2.Grant Award. Grant funds in an amount not to exceed ($ )
have been awarded by the Arts Commission to the Grant Recipient for the approved
Project. The Recipient shall be required to match funds at least dollar-for-dollar with cash
from the Grant Recipient’s funds not derived from either Orange County appropriations or
the North Carolina Arts Council, as outlined in the attached Exhibit A.
3.Contingency. This grant is contingent on North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots
Program funding to the Arts Commission. Final decisions on Grassroots Program funds
to the North Carolina Arts Council are subject to approval by the North Carolina General
Assembly.
4.Responsibilities of the Grant Recipient
Hillsborough Arts Council
seven thousand five hundred dollars $7,500.00
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Revised August 2022
A.Implementation. The Project implementation shall take place between July 1,
2022 and June 30, 2023. The Project shall be implemented in the manner
described in Exhibit A. Time is of the essence in the implementation of the
Project.
B.Modifications to project. Grant Recipient shall present major changes to the
original proposal, including but not limited to changes in design, implementation
schedule and increase in Project budget by more than 10%, in writing to the Arts
Commission for approval. Arts Commission shall approve or disapprove Grant
Recipient’s request for modifications within seven (7) days of receipt thereof.
Consent to project modifications shall not be unreasonably withheld. Arts
Commission’s decisions shall be in writing. In the event the Arts Commission
fails to approve or disapprove the requested modifications within the time stated
herein, the modifications shall be deemed approved.
C.Non–assignment. The grant cannot be assigned or transferred to a different project
or artist without prior written approval of the Arts Commission.
D.Records. Grant Recipient must maintain records and other evidence pertaining to
costs incurred and revenues acquired during the Project implementation. Grant
Recipient shall maintain financial records pertaining to the Project for three (3)
years from the date of this Agreement, in case of audit.
E.Use of Funds. Grant Recipient shall not use the grant funds to repay outstanding
taxes or other debts of any nature. The grants shall be utilized solely for the
purpose described in the attached Exhibit A.
F.Final Report. Grant Recipient shall submit to the Arts Commission a Final Report
on July 10, 2023. The Final Report shall be in the format required by the North
Carolina Arts Council. Failure to submit the Final Report or late submission of
the Final Report, for any reason, shall be grounds for denial and/or cancellation of
grant funds for the Project and future grant proposals.
5.Responsibilities of the Arts Commission
A.Payment. The Arts Commission shall release the grant funds in the amount of
$ to the Grant Recipient.
6.Publicity
A.Acknowledgement. Credit must be given to the Orange County Arts
Commission and/or the North Carolina Arts Council using the proper logo(s)
and credit line in brochures, news releases, programs, and all other printed and
online publications. Copies of such printed materials must accompany the
evaluation report. Official Orange County Arts Commission and North Carolina
Arts Council logos may be downloaded at www.artsorange.org/grantee-resources
and may not be altered in any way. When no printed information is used, verbal
$7,500.00
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Revised August 2022
credit shall be given. In addition, all print and promotional material must include
the following credit line and logo(s) (check all that apply):
i.County Funds Only. Orange County Arts Commission logo required.
Credit line required for audio projects: “This program is supported by the
Orange County Arts Commission.”
ii.North Carolina Arts Council Funding. The Orange County Arts
Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council logos are required. Credit
line: “This program is supported by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.”
B.The Grant Recipient must enter all events, exhibits, and performances open to the
public and related to this grant award on the Orange County Arts Commission
website at www.artsorange.org/events. In addition, the Grant Recipient must
add a link to www.artsorange.org (Orange County Arts Commission logo
preferred) to their main webpage.
7.Indemnity. The Grant Recipient agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the County, the
Arts Commission and the North Carolina Arts Council and their officers and employees
from any and all claims or actual injury, damage or loss to a person, or real or personal
property that results from or is in any way connected to the use of the grant funds.
8.Independent Contractor. The Grant Recipient is an independent contractor and not an
employee, agent or other representative of the County and/or the Arts Commission.
Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to create the relationship of
principal and agent, or employer and employee, between Grant Recipient and Arts
Commission or Orange County Government. Grant Recipient understands and agrees
that he/she is not authorized to incur any expenses or any liability whatsoever on behalf
of the County or the Arts Commission and has no authority, expressed or implied, to
obligate or make representations on behalf of the County or the Arts Commission. In
addition, Grant Recipient agrees to maintain his or her own worker's compensation
insurance for himself/herself and his or her employees for the duration of the art work's
installation.
9.Termination
A.In the event of any of the circumstances set forth below (hereinafter referred to as
“default”), the Arts Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement:
(i)Any fraudulent representation in any verification required to obtain
payment under this Agreement or other dishonesty on a material matter
relating to the performance of services under this Agreement.
(ii)Nonperformance, incomplete service or performance, or failure to
satisfactorily perform any part of the Project or to comply with any
provision of this Agreement, as determined by the Arts Commission in its
sole discretion.
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Revised August 2022
(iii)Failure to adhere to the terms of applicable county, state or federal laws,
regulations, or stated public policy.
B.In the event of default by the Grant Recipient, the Arts Commission has the
discretion to elect to terminate this Agreement, in whole or in part and/or require
the Grant Recipient to repay the grant funds within seven (7) from written notice
of default or allow the grant recipient the opportunity to cure the default. This
clause shall not be interpreted to limit the County’s or the Arts Commission’s
remedies in law or in equity.
10.Miscellaneous.
A.Entire Agreement. This Agreement and the attachments contain the final and
entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this
Agreement. All modifications and amendments to this Agreement shall be in
writing. This Agreement shall be binding upon the parties, their heirs, successors
and assigns.
B.Governing Law. Governing Law and Priority: Both parties agree that this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina and
Orange County. Grant Recipient shall at all times remain in compliance with all
applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations including but not
limited to all state and federal anti-discrimination laws, policies, rules, and
regulations and the Orange County Non-Discrimination Policy and Orange
County Living Wage Policy (each policy is incorporated herein by reference and
may be viewed at
http://www.orangecountync.gov/departments/purchasing_division/contracts.php.).
Any violation of this requirement is a breach of this Agreement and Arts
Commission may immediately terminate this Agreement without further
obligation on the part of the Arts Commission. This paragraph is not intended to
limit and does not limit the definition of breach to discrimination. By executing
this Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and
has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list
created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.58. By executing this
Agreement the Grant Recipient certifies that they has not been identified, and has
not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list
created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.81. By executing this
Agreement Grant Recipient affirms they are and shall remain in compliance with
Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the North Carolina General Statutes. In determining
the basic services to be provided, should any documents be referenced in or
attached to this Agreement, the terms herein shall have priority in any conflict
between the terms of referenced documents and the terms of this Agreement.
C.Dispute Resolution: Neither party may initiate binding arbitration. Any disputes
shall be resolved by nonbinding mediation. If such mediation fails either party
may initiate litigation to resolve the dispute. Should either party initiate litigation
to settle any dispute involving the terms of this Agreement such litigation shall be
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Revised August 2022
initiated in the General Court of Justice of North Carolina seated in Orange
County, North Carolina.
D.Signatures. This Agreement together with any amendments or modifications may
be executed electronically. All electronic signatures affixed hereto evidence the
intent of the Parties to comply with Article 11A and Article 40 of North Carolina
General Statute Chapter 66.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Orange County and the Grant Recipient have signed this Grant
Agreement, effective on the last date this Agreement is signed by both parties as indicated by the
dates set forth under signatures below.
For and on behalf of the Grant Recipient
Date
For and on behalf of Orange County Government
Bonnie Hammersley, County Manager Date
Mollie Thomas Executive Director
DocuSign Envelope ID: 0B43D06C-8E1E-4753-BFB2-294143F7C0EE
9/6/2022
9/26/2022
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Revised August 2022
ORANGE COUNTY—DEPARTMENT USE ONLY
Department
Party/Vendor Name: Party/Vendor Contact Person: Contact Phone: Party/Vendor Address:
City State: NC Zip: Department: COUNTYMGR/Arts Commission Amount:
Purpose: 2022-23 Arts Grants Budget Code(s): 37290050-630000 Vendor # (N/A if new vendor) Vendor
is a BOCC consultant? Yes No Contract Type: (Check one) New Renewal Amendment Effective
No Date 8-31-2022 Approved by Board Yes Agenda Date:
This agreement is approved as to technical form and content:
Department Director’s Signature Date:
Information Technologies
(Applicable only to hardware/software purchases or related services) This agreement has been reviewed and is
approved as to information technology content and specifications:
Office of the Chief Information Officer Date:
Risk Management
This agreement is approved for sufficiency of insurance standards, specifications, and requirements:
Office of the Risk Management Officer Date:
Financial Services
This instrument has been pre-audited in the manner required by the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control
Act:
Office of the Chief Financial Officer Date:
Legal Services
This agreement is approved as to legal form and sufficiency:
Office of the County Attorney Date:
Clerk to the Board
Received for record retention:
All Docusign contracts must be copied to Laura Jensen upon completion @ljensen@orangecountync.gov
The following signature block is for hard copies only and is not required for Docusign contracts:
Office of the Clerk to the Board _Date:_
Hillsborough Arts Council Mollie Thomas 919-643-2500
102 N. Churton St. Hillsborough 27278 $7,500.00
19946
DocuSign Envelope ID: 0B43D06C-8E1E-4753-BFB2-294143F7C0EE
9/6/2022
9/6/2022
9/7/2022
9/26/2022
Orange County Arts Commission Powered by Submittable
Title Hi l l sborough Arts Counci l
by Mollie Thomas in 2022-23 Grassroots Arts
Program Grant Application
102 N. Churton St.
Hillsborough, North Carolina
27278
NC
United States
9196432500
director@hillsboroughartscouncil.org
06/03/2022
id. 26357908
Original Submission 06/17/2022
APPLICANT
INFORMATION
Please tell us about your organization.
Organization Name Hillsborough Arts Council
Mailing Address of
Organization
102 N Churton Street
Hillsborough, NC 27278
How did you hear
about our grant
program?
W ord of mouth
Did you or a
representative of
your orgnanization
attend one of our
grants training
sessions?
Yes
Nature of
Organization
Arts Organization
Organization
Description
The Hillsborough Arts Council (HAC) is a community-building
nonprofit arts organization that has been serv ing neighbors, artists,
and v isitors of Hillsborough, North Carolina for 35 years. HAC is
committed to prov iding access to the arts for educational
engagement, community dev elopment, and economic prosperity
through its mission of enriching community through the arts.
Located in historic downtown Hillsborough, HAC’s headquarters
known as the Gallery & Gift Shop prov ides a creativ e env ironment for
55+ local artists to market and share their work. In addition to
operating the Gallery & Gift shop year-round, the Hillsborough Arts
Council is well-known for presenting signature ev ents such as Last
Fridays & the Art W alk, the Solstice Lantern W alk, the Handmade
Parade, and v arious art markets, workshops, poetry showcases, and
DocuSign Envelope ID: 0B43D06C-8E1E-4753-BFB2-294143F7C0EE
concerts. HAC programs are designed to enhance the liv es of
residents in the Triangle by offering accessible, meaningful, and
div erse connections with art for all demographics. W ith the support
of more than 40 v olunteers and collaborations with ov er 25 local
businesses and cultural organizations, the Hillsborough Arts Council
is truly a community of artists, staff, board members, and friends
working to ensure the creativ e future of Hillsborough and Orange
County, North Carolina.
HAC's Board of Directors is comprised of local leaders with v arying
backgrounds, including business, marketing, and law professionals;
artists, authors, musicians, and poets; retired adults and young
professionals. HAC's staff currently includes a full-time Executiv e
Director, a full-time Marketing Director, a part-time Gallery & Gift Shop
Manager, and a part-time Bookkeeper. Each staff member is uniquely
qualified and experienced to fulfill best practices in arts
administration. These employees currently share the responsibilities
of signature ev ent coordination and collaborate with board members
and lead v olunteers as needed. HAC aims to expand staff within the
next two fiscal years to include a part-time Volunteer & Program
Coordinator, as consistent and skilled support for programs has
declined since the onset of the pandemic. This will allow HAC
leadership to focus on building organizational capacity through
strategic fundraising efforts.
HAC serv es ov er 30,000 v isitors annually through public programs,
special ev ents, and the Gallery & Gift Shop. Geographically, 25% of
HAC's audience are from Hillsborough, with 75% from other North
Carolina towns, other US States, and other Countries. Of the 75% of
v isitors from outside of Hillsborough, 40% are from other towns in
Orange County, thus the Hillsborough Arts Council plays a significant
role in prov iding arts programming and education serv ices for
Orange County residents. HAC is committed to adopting best
practices in nonprofit data analysis, and is collecting additional
demographic information to better understand the audiences
currently serv ed, as well as determine which audiences HAC needs to
focus on reaching. Through performance contracts and Gallery & Gift
Shop commissions, HAC prov ided ov er $75,000 in income to local
artists in calendar year 2021. Demand for HAC's serv ices and
support is constant and rapidly growing. Fiscal year 2022-2023
strategic goals include a focus on program quality ov er quantity, and
aim to expand impact & physical footprint while improv ing
organizational sustainability.
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Has your
organization
undergone any
Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion (DEI)
training? If so,
please explain. If not,
please explain any
barriers that have
prevented you from
receiving this
training.
HAC has not had the opportunity to undergo Div ersity, Equity, and
Inclusion training as an organization. Sev eral members of HAC's
Board and Staff hav e undergone DEI training independently, through
other work or serv ice opportunities. Barriers that hav e prev ented
HAC from receiv ing this training collectiv ely include turnov er,
uncertainty about the best av ailable serv ices, and a limited budget
for pursuing this training across all board and staff. HAC leadership
aspires to dev elop clear policies for ensuring all practices, programs,
and serv ices are conducted with DEI in the forefront, as a
consideration of ev ery committee and gov erning decision.
Accessibility is also an important v alue of HAC and would be a key
component of these plans. HAC would be grateful for the opportunity
to access DEI training and tools alongside other Orange County arts
organizations and groups.
During FY22-23, will
your organization
receive operational
support funding from
the North Carolina
Arts Council or the
North Carolina
Department of
Natural and Cultural
Resources?
No
Organization's EIN 562163979.0
Organization
W ebsite
www.hillsboroughartscouncil.org
Authorizing Official's
Name
Mollie Thomas
Authorizing Official's
Title
Executiv e Director
Authorizing Official's
Phone
919-643-2500
Authorizing Official's
Email
director@hillsboroughartscouncil.org
Applicant Race W hite
Financial Overview
FinancialOv erv iew_Submittable.xlsx
Organizational Financial Statements
Income_Expense_Statement_Last_FY_HAC_PL_FY21_total.pdf
HAC_FY2021_Form_990_-_Rev 2.pdf
DRAFT_FY23_HAC_Operating_Budget_-_Sheet1.pdf
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HAC_Budget_FY22_all_programs_operating.pdf
Deficit/Surplus The current deficit for fiscal year 2021-2022 reflects a cashflow lag as
Hillsborough Arts Council awaits Q4 funding from multiple granting
agencies. Expenditures are also ov erstated this fiscal year due to
HAC's release of an incubator program, the Riv er Park Concert,
which has outgrown our operations and will no longer be organized
through HAC or be a part of our budget. Additionally, the Riv er Parch
Arch project was expected to be completed in 2020, but due to
challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, was just completed in
March 2022. HAC retained the artist funds for that project until
completion, so the deficit includes this ov erdue expense. W e expect
to close the deficit gap by end of this Fiscal Year with our late spring
and summer fundraising efforts.
Are you an entity of
UNC-Chapel Hill or
another unit of state
government?
No
PROJECT/PROGRAM
INFORMATION
Tell us about your project or program
Title of Grant
Request
Salary Support for Hillsborough Arts Council Staff
Grant Amount
Requested
$8,000
Is the person in
charge of this
program or project
different from the
Authorizing Official?
No
W hat are you
requesting funding
for?
Operational expense (arts organizations ONLY)
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Request Summary Prior to 2021, the Hillsborough Arts Council (HAC) hosted up to 12
different programs, which were often passion projects organized by
v olunteer program chairs with limited support from a single full-time
employee. This ev entually resulted in silo effects and challenges
from turnov er, especially as the pandemic effected program
sustainability. In order for HAC to continue serv ing the community
amidst these difficulties and increased demand, HAC's Board
expanded and restructured staff to the current model described
abov e, while also inv esting in operational improv ements. This
courageous decision resulted in unprecedented growth in artist
commissions, new donors, and program stability.
Ov er the past Fiscal Year, HAC's Board and staff hav e acted quickly
to prioritize and consolidate programs into four signature focus
areas: Gallery & Gift Shop (year-round), Last Fridays Art W alks
(monthly), Handmade Parade and Market (bi-annually), and Solstice
Lantern W alk (annually). Together, they form the core of our public
programming, requiring intensiv e logistical planning, fundraising,
marketing, and v olunteer management. HAC also operates ArtCycle
with local schools and is exploring ways to re-inv igorate
Hillsborough's Poet Laureate program.
The Grassroots Grant will be used to support the cost of staff
salaries, which are crucial for continuing this momentum and
ensuring steady, professionalized operations. For the past sev eral
years, HAC has been grateful to receiv e up to $16,000 total in general
operating support from OCAC Grassroots + Orange County Outside
Agencies Grant as separate funding sources. HAC programs can no
longer be sustained without multi-staff support, so we are
respectfully requesting the max allotted.
Organizational Goals HAC goals for FY2022-2023 include:
-Implement an updated list of strategic annual goals in support of a
rev ised 3 year strategic plan. This process has been underway since
January 2022 and will mov e forward for Board approv al and adoption
by the end of June 2022.
-Div ersify membership among HAC’s Board of Directors to improv e
representation and inclusion of the many different indiv iduals,
communities, neighborhoods, and artists who make up Hillsborough.
-Dev elop meaningful relationships with BIPOC artists and
communities in order to elev ate their work and equitably partner on
HAC programs; securing resources necessary to follow DEIA best
practices is crucial to this.
-Continue to strategically improv e HAC’s public ev ents through the
consolidation of efforts where sharing resources among programs is
feasible and in the best interest of maximizing ev ent v isitation,
audience impact, financial support, and staff/v olunteer time.
-Continued focus on quality of program deliv ery, rather than quantity,
through the ongoing ev aluation of ROI for each program and making
adjustments to focus areas to ensure alignment with HAC mission
and the needs of the community.
-Stabilize the management of HAC’s ongoing serv ices by exploring
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opportunities to hire a part-time Program/Volunteer Coordinator to
support the two existing full-time employees who are currently
carrying the burden of all program & v olunteer ov ersight.
-Ongoing adoption and updating of best practices in arts
administration, including v olunteer recruitment, training, and
engagement, as well as fundraising, marketing, and arts education.
-Explore opportunities for expanded physical footprint, which is
already underway through HAC’s lease of office space at C3
Hillsborough.
-W ork with local organizations, schools, leaders, and community
groups to build an inclusiv e and accessible outreach program to
encourage participation and arts engagement, especially from
populations of Northern Orange County and others residing outside
of the immediate downtown Hillsborough area.
-Expand collaborations with other local non-profits, arts agencies,
and cultural organizations, such as Orange County Historical
Museum, Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, Burwell School, Eno Arts
Mill/Orange County Arts Commission, and more, to streamline efforts
and reduce duplication of serv ices where ov erlap may be most
strategic.
-Rev ise and implement a strategic marketing plan to raise ov erall
awareness of HAC’s mission, brand, and programs through a v ariety
of channels and opportunities. HAC has had incredible success since
2021 through organic efforts and the inv estment in a dedicated full-
time Marketing Director, so expanding to include paid adv ertising
strategies is a key goal.
-Continue adjusting methods for thoroughly tracking audience and
demographic data for internal analysis and use by HAC for planning,
reporting, and fund dev elopment.
-Identify and secure new rev enue streams to ensure financial
sustainability of our expanded operations, including the ongoing
launch of our new Sponsorship Program and Sustainer Giv ing
Program.
-Explore additional partnerships and funding sources through
foundations with grants applicable to our mission and v ision.
Grassroots operational support will help HAC retain the professional
staff necessary to achiev e these goals during this piv otal moment of
growth. HAC's programs hav e made great strides in the past fiscal
year primarily because of the inv estment in multiple staff and
expanded operations.
How will you
evaluate whether or
not your goals have
been met?
HAC is committed to adopting best practices with nonprofit data
collection and ev aluation in an ongoing way. Program and impact
ev aluation is a collaborativ e process among HAC staff and board
who maintain strong relationships with the artists, schools, families,
and neighborhoods that HAC serv es. Polls and surv eys are used to
solicit feedback from ev ent participants, donors, v olunteers, and
community partners. During planning months, collected data helps to
modify and improv e programming for future ev ents. Financial impact
is analyzed on a monthly basis with profit and loss reports, and
progress towards strategic goals are rev iewed at quarterly board
meetings. Sustained demand and support for HAC programs and
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serv ices will be a strong indicator of progress towards goals.
As a community-oriented nonprofit, HAC knows that the arts a driv er
of economy and tourism, and when local businesses and residents
are thriv ing, more support and resources are av ailable to further
artistic mission. Thus, HAC often analyzes economic and v isitation
statistics to help determine impact. Statistics collected in 2021
indicate that partnering artists, v enues, and restaurants rely heav ily
on HAC programs to hit their monthly goals. Through HAC's Last
Fridays & the Art W alk (LFAW ) participating v enue poll at the end of
2021, the first full season under HAC's expanded model, local
restaurants & bars reported at least 35% av erage increase in sales
during LFAW compared to normal Fridays. Many restaurants hav e
had to expand outdoor dining and reserv ation times to
accommodate the spike in demand they experience during LFAW .
Additionally, Art W alk v enues reported up to 80% av erage increase in
v isitation during LFAW compared to normal Fridays.
HAC’s Gallery & Gift Shop (G&GS) serv es as a year-round point-of-
entry for HAC and the Northern Orange County arts community as a
whole. During major public programs, the G&GS is an essential
information hub and tourism resource. As such, HAC is committed to
closely tracking the impact of arts programming on our own brick-
and-mortar v enue as well. In 2021, av erage retail sales at the G&GS
during LFAW experienced a 277% increase compared to av erage
daily sales not occurring during LFAW . Av erage v isitation to the
G&GS during the 2021 season of LFAW experienced a 469% increase
compared to av erage daily v isitation not occurring during LFAW .
Throughout 2021, v isitation and rev enue generated by the G&GS
soared, setting records and surpassing stretch goals for the year.
The G&GS is currently operating at maximum capacity, representing
ov er 55 local artists with new applications receiv ed nearly ev ery
week.
Results from quantitativ e data tracked through in-person polls,
responses to registration forms, and surv eys from partners
consistently align with HAC's digital marketing analytics. Since spring
2021, when HAC began making significant marketing inv estments
and programmatic changes, social media followers hav e increased
by at least 20%. Most web traffic is directed from manual input,
Google, and social media. HAC has hundreds of Google searches
and thousands of profile v iews each month. These positiv e results
hav e reassured HAC that inv esting in multiple staff allows for much
greater impact and must be prioritized to sustain programs.
How do you promote
and publicize the
work of your
organization?
HAC’s programs are designed to be accessible, div erse, inclusiv e,
and offer something appealing for ev eryone. Hillsborough is a socio-
economically, racially, and culturally div erse community with strong
rural-agricultural roots, a large population of retired adults, and a
growing population of young families and urban professionals. Like
many communities in North Carolina, we hav e experienced
exponential growth ov er the past decade. HAC’s programming has
become essential to Hillsborough’s cultural identity, helping to break
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barriers and build bridges within our communities. All marketing
efforts take into consideration this unique landscape of audiences
and are intended to ensure the organization is a known resource and
trusted arts partner within Hillsborough and Orange County.
Since hiring experienced marketing & dev elopment staff in 2021, HAC
has engaged audiences in a highly strategic manner, while lev eraging
the impact of grassroots marketing. Nearly all current marketing
efforts are organic, low-cost adv ertising strategies, helping stretch
the budget for greater programmatic impact. Staff and board hav e
fostered relationships with Hillsborough’s business and arts
community to ensure broad inv olv ement in programs, and HAC
features content submissions from partnering arts & culture v enues
on website and social media pages. For Last Fridays in particular,
HAC has seen a significant increase in engagement and artist
representation by dev eloping a strong marketing platform for
showcasing the collectiv e efforts of HAC and partnering
artists/v enues.
For the current fiscal year, HAC has been committed to a highly
sustainable approach to marketing and adv ertising, in order to meet
the increased demand for serv ices while strategically allocating
limited financial resources. By extending marketing efforts to include
more paid channels in the upcoming fiscal year, HAC will be able to
re-engage audiences that are not as activ e on social media or other
modern digital platforms.
Marketing strategies employed by HAC include:
-Driv ing traffic to HAC website & ensuring relev ant content with
regular updates (10,000+ v iews/year)
-Posting on HAC social media (40,000+ av erage reach/year; primarily
utilizing Facebook & Instagram)
-HAC monthly e-newsletter (5,300+ distribution list with 45% open
rate)
-HAC quarterly donor e-newsletter (100+ highly engaged distribution
list)
-On-site marketing at HAC ev ents and at the Gallery & Gift Shop
(30,000-40,0000+ v isitors/year)
-Activ ation of HAC Info Booths at signature HAC programs and other
community ev ents
-Printed signage, rack cards, flyers, and yard signs
-Press packages with high-quality photography and announcements
to extensiv e list of media outlets
-Postings to 20+ community calendars to ensure inclusion &
awareness of tourism-driv ing ev ents
-Cross-promotions with local businesses/community groups
-Artistic inspiration boards & educational content shared through
Pinterest and Youtube
-Radio and/or TV adv ertising
-Print adv ertising or features in print publications, including
newspapers and magazines
-Paid social media adv ertising
-Partnering with local photographers and v ideographers to produce
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high-quality promotional v ideos and photos to capture the essence
of HAC programs
Please describe
efforts by your
organization to
generate revenue.
HAC holds sev eral community fundraising campaigns throughout the
year, with major direct appeals in Late Spring and Late Autumn.
These efforts can raise up to $20,000 per campaign, but fluctuate
depending on other activ e fundraising strategies. In Fall 2021, HAC
purchased a subscription to its first-ev er CRM (donor database) and
launched a new Sustainer Giv ing Program for indiv idual donors. This
program offers v arying giv ing lev els and benefits to ensure best
practices with stewardship and ongoing donor engagement.
Currently, HAC has 67 Monthly/Annual Sustainers and has secured
an additional $6,000 from one-off donors in support of HAC’s
programs this fiscal year, through a "suggested donation" initiativ e
at free/public ev ents. In January 2022, HAC activ ated a new Annual
Sponsorship strategy that is designed to prov ide stable cash flow,
while offering businesses an opportunity to market themselv es in the
context of HAC's highly v isible programs. These major improv ements
within HAC's approach to fundraising are a result of collaborativ e
efforts between the Executiv e Director, Marketing Director, and
sev eral board members.
Other strategies include 1-2 artwork raffles per year, as well as a
"round-up" option at HAC's Gallery & Gift Shop (G&GS) that offers
customers the opportunity to collectiv ely make a big difference with
just a few cents. Since March 2021, funds raised from the "round-up"
initiativ e total ov er $1,300 to date. HAC's G&GS is primarily a v enue
intended to promote and generate steady income for local artists
through sales of original artwork on consignment. Through the
consignment partnership agreements, HAC retains a portion of each
sale of artwork, which helps to off-set the costs of operating the
G&GS, as well as the ongoing maintenance and improv ement of the
v enue so that sales may continue to flourish. In calendar year 2021,
the HAC G&GS had its most successful year to date, exceeding
rev enue and v isitation goals that had been set as stretch goals for
the year. This is largely due to HAC's inv estment in hiring a paid
Gallery & Gift Shop Manager to stabilize operations for consistent
ov ersight and marketing growth.
Vendors and partnering v enues/businesses help off-set program
costs through participation and application fees. W orkshops are paid
for by suggested donation or small fees, ensuring financial
accessibility for all audiences. HAC maintains relationships with local
agencies, such as the Town of Hillsborough and its Tourism Board,
to negotiate contract serv ices that benefit the community.
As a result of the Board’s decision to employ multiple staff, HAC is
poised to manage a robust fundraising program. This team of
experienced arts administrators work together to identify top funding
needs and create strategic cases for support that inv ite the
community to play an activ e role and become inv ested in the arts
ev ents they so deeply cherish. W ith Grassroots general operating
support to ensure staff retention, HAC leadership will be able to focus
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on leading the organization towards a more sustainable future by
building upon the momentum of Sponsorship and Sustainer
programs, fostering relationships with new foundations, and growing
rev enue-driv ing program strategies.
Resumes of artists/administrators
Mollie_C._Thomas_Comprehensiv e_Resume_June_2022.pdf
Iv ana_Bev eridge_Resume.pdf
Board of Directors List
FY21-22_Hillsborough_Arts_Council_Board_List_for_Grants_Updated_6.2.22.pdf
IRS Tax Exemption
501-c3_Determination_-_HAC.pdf
Publicity Samples
2022_LFAW _Rack_Card.pdf
FY22_LFAW _OnePager_JUNE24.pdf.pdf
HAC_-_Press_Release_-_2022_Last_Fridays_the_Art_W alk.pdf
FY22_Dec21_SolsticeLanternW alk_OnePager.pdf
W oASplash_GGOnePager_Register.pdf
W ork Samples
W illiam_Dav is_2021_Our_Arts_Poem.pdf
Liv ing_Arts_Dancewav e.pdf
Blue_Muse_Timothy_Duffy_Music_Maker_Foundation.png
School_of_Rock_Chapel_Hill_House_Band.png
123_Puppetry_Solstice_Lantern_W alk.JPG
Video Sample:
External Link 1
https://v imeo.com/693756541
Video Sample:
External Link 2
https://youtu.be/DM2Oy4acjj8
Video Sample:
External Link 3
https://v imeo.com/692676123
Letters of support (optional)
The_Colonial_Inn_Letter_of_Support_-_HAC_May_2022.pdf
Letter_of_Support_Tom_Stev ens_2022.pdf
Letter_of_Support_W illiam_Dav is_signed_1.pdf
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