Courtesy Photo / Post Independent File
Carbondale Arts announced this week that the nonprofit organization is a recipient of the national DeVos Grant for Strategic Planning. The grant is to provide as much as $75,000 to help foster artistic endeavors in the community.
Amy Kimberly, executive director of Carbondale Arts, said the organization usually applies for numerous local and state grants each year. But this is the first time it has applied for a national grant.
“This is exciting for sure, because it is a lot harder to get national grants,” Kimberly added.
Based at the University of Maryland, the DeVos Institute of Arts Management provides training, consultation and implementation support for arts managers and their boards.
The grant will serve as an opportunity for the community at large, not just the arts organization, to focus on financial diversification, long-term artistic and educational programming, marketing and communication, community and volunteer engagement, cross-sector collaboration and fundraising and board engagement, according to a statement.
Kimberly says that, with the grant, Carbondale Arts and the Carbondale Creative District, which is now in its third year, will be able to truly focus on the future and economic development.
“We can focus on how the next five to 10 years looks for the district and how it fits into the community, with the chamber, Carbondale tourism, Coventure and more,” Kimberly added.
“So, we are not repeating services and instead are really strengthening what we have here,” she said.
The strategic planning grant will give Carbondale Arts as much as $75,000 in expertise over the next year.
During the year-long process, Carbondale Arts will form three committees, including a task force, planning and advisory committee.
The task force, which is in process of forming, will be comprised of Carbondale Arts staff and board members, Kimberly said. They are looking for townspeople to serve on the planning committee, or the “brain trust,” as Kimberly called it.
“We like to think of them as fun committees,” Kimberly added.
Kimberly said they are looking for people who are interested in the planning and advisory committees, including representatives from the business, arts and tourism sectors.
There will be eight meetings spread over the next year, beginning in late April.
Kimberly said those who are interested can contact her at Carbondale Arts at 970-963-1680 or email amy@carbondalearts.com
“The idea is for us to come up with a sustainable plan that really strengthen not only the creative district and arts, but will also strengthen and clarify how tourism and Coventure and Creative District all work together to facilitate economic development here,” Kimberly said.