About Grantmakers in the arts
Grantmakers in the Arts: Empowering Arts and Culture Funders Across the US and Canada
Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) is a national association of arts and culture funders that brings together public and private organizations, foundations, agencies, philanthropies, regrantors, service organizations, and other entities that support arts and culture initiatives across the United States and Canada. GIA is committed to advancing philanthropy for arts funding by providing resources, networking opportunities, advocacy efforts, research studies, professional development programs to its members.
Founded in 1985 as an informal network of grantmakers who shared a common interest in supporting artists' work through grants programs. Today GIA has grown into a robust organization with over 500 members from all corners of North America. The organization's mission is to promote healthy communities by strengthening cultural philanthropy.
GIA's membership includes independent foundations such as Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; family foundations like Ford Foundation; public agencies such as National Endowment for the Arts; community foundations like San Francisco Foundation; corporate philanthropies such as American Express Foundation; nonprofit regrantors like Creative Capital; national service organizations like Americans for the Arts - funders of all shapes and sizes across North America.
The association provides its members with access to valuable resources that help them make informed decisions about their funding priorities. These resources include research reports on trends in arts funding practices across North America; webinars on topics ranging from diversity equity inclusion (DEI) strategies to impact investing models for cultural institutions; conferences where members can connect with peers from other regions or sectors within their field.
One of GIA's most significant contributions has been its leadership role in advocating for increased government support for arts funding at both federal and state levels. The organization has worked tirelessly over many years to build relationships with policymakers at all levels of government so that they understand how important it is to invest in creative expression as part of a healthy society.
GIA's professional development programs are designed to help members stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in arts funding. These programs include workshops, seminars, and online courses that cover topics such as grantmaking strategies, evaluation methods, financial management for cultural institutions, and more.
GIA also provides networking opportunities for its members through regional meetings and conferences. These events allow funders to connect with each other in person and share their experiences working in the field of arts philanthropy. Members can also participate in GIA's affinity groups which focus on specific areas of interest such as public art or rural arts initiatives.
In addition to its work with individual funders, GIA is committed to advancing the field of arts philanthropy as a whole. The organization conducts research studies on topics such as impact investing models for cultural institutions or how technology is changing the way we think about creative expression. It also collaborates with other organizations within the sector to promote best practices and advocate for increased support from government agencies at all levels.
Overall, Grantmakers in the Arts is an essential resource for anyone involved in funding arts and culture initiatives across North America. Its commitment to promoting healthy communities through cultural philanthropy has made it a leader within this field over many years. Whether you are an independent foundation looking to connect with peers from other regions or a public agency seeking guidance on how best to allocate your resources towards creative expression projects - GIA has something valuable offer you!
giarts.org
