DUBLIN’S CULTURE CONNECTS & BUSINESS TO ARTS OFFER COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD FUNDRAISING EXPERTISE
Dublin City Council’s Dublin’s Culture Connects and Business to
Arts are calling on community or small cultural organisations across the city who are interested in building their fundraising capacity to apply for a 12-month training and mentoring programme.
Interested groups can apply for one of four places by completing an application form by 5 PM on MONDAY, 11TH SEPTEMBER. This joint programme between Dublin’s Culture Connects and Business to Arts, the Fundraising Fellowship, Dublin initiative aims to develop the pool of fundraising expertise in cultural organisations.
The four successful groups will receive training and mentorship in the areas of sponsorship and marketing, which will be facilitated under the guidance of Business to Arts by the new Fundraising Fellows Dublin:
Temple Bar Gallery + Studios; Helium Arts; Fishamble: The New Play Company and Dublin Theatre Festival.
Any community group in the city can also book to attend an Introduction to Fundraising Seminar on Tuesday, 14th November at the Wood Quay venue.
Commenting, Dublin’s Culture Connects Project Director, Iseult Byrne said:
“Training in the area of marketing and fundraising in arts and
community organisations is an area that needs support. In an effort to address this, Dublin’s Culture Connects has partnered with Business to Arts on the Fundraising Fellowship, Dublin.This programme aims to develop fundraising expertise, not only in our partner organisations but also in community groups in the city. We are now looking for community organisations to tell us why they should be part of this fundraising expertise-sharing initiative.”
To be eligible to apply for the 12-month programme, organisations must fulfil a number of criteria. These include that the groups must:
- Be located in the Dublin City Council area.
- Be in existence for a minimum of three years.
- Have a future planned programme of activity for at least 12 months.
- Have at least one paid administrator.
- Have an advisory board or steering committee.
Chief Executive of Business to Arts, Andrew Hetherington added:
“I believe this is an appropriate way for community organisations to gain insight and develop their skills to raise funds. This will help to sustain their organisations and build on the community initiative of which they are a driving force. Any group that fits the criteria should strongly consider applying to the programme.”
The Fundraising Fellowship is also developing online resources to help community groups in the area of sponsorship and marketing. The first of these is an animated video that gives an overview of how to develop a marketing plan. Narrated by Dublin City councillor, Rebecca Moynihan the three-minute video is entitled “Writing a Kick-Ass Marketing Plan for your Community Organisation or Cultural Project.”
[tentblogger-youtube 6issZ5J2zBA]
Iseult Byrne said: “Developing a marketing plan can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to start. This animated video explains the various elements in a marketing plan and what should be included. We hope that this simple ‘how to’ video will help cultural organisations and community groups to get the word out on who they are and what they do, and to celebrate their successes.”
Cultural and Community organisations have until Monday, 11th September to sign up to the Fundraising Fellowship Community Mentoring Initiative. The programme will begin in mid-November.
Further details can be found on the Dublin’s Culture Connects
website or by emailing info@dublinscultureconnects.ie.
ABOUT DUBLIN’S CULTURE CONNECTS
Dublin’s Culture Connects, an initiative of Dublin City Council, is a programme of activities and projects that seek to build engagement and connection/re-connection in the city through partnerships that are meaningful to its citizens. These projects include the Fundraising Fellowship, Dublin; The National Neighbourhood; Cultural Map, and the EU Lab.
They focus on creating space for experimentation, modelling new partnerships, and testing ways of working to drive the transformative power of culture and community.
The role of culture has been positioned by Dublin City Council as central to its corporate policy, acknowledging its impact on all aspects of the city, including the economy, education, tourism and community. Dublin’s Culture Connects is mandated with beginning the implementation of Cultural Strategy for Dublin City Council, seeking social change through culture, new relationships and partnerships.
