We have decided not to participate in GiveBIG this year.

It is a privilege to be able to opt out, and we know that many organizations depend on the revenue generated on this day, and we will continue to support them and the community, with whom they work. However, the most visibility goes to nonprofits that are large institutions and have dedicated development and marketing staff. Additionally, the new fees imposed on nonprofits to participate in GiveBIG are cost prohibitive to many smaller organizations, so Arts Corps has decided to step back and shine a light on others.

Vu Le wrote a piece about the Nonprofit Hunger Games, that highlights the fight for survival that many nonprofits have to undergo, just to exist. Nonprofits are forced to compete with each other for funding, so that their programs can keep running. Often, these organizations are doing similar work, but those that have the most resources, generally come out on top. This leads to further siloization, and sometimes the demise of smaller organizations that do great work, but have not found the means to stay open.

May is Arts Education Month, and we shouldn’t relegate the support of the arts to a single day. According to new U.S. government data released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the arts and cultural sector contributed more than the agriculture, transportation, or warehousing sectors, to the US economy. The power and impact of the arts, in the region, can only be maintained if we work together to amplify our collective vision. Nancy Chang, ED of Reel Grrls once said, “nonprofits make up the cultural fabric of the region,” and for that to happen, we must weave that ‘fabric’ collaboratively.

In the spirit of collective impact, if you plan on giving during GiveBIG, I urge you to look for other organizations that have a budget less than $500,000 (you can find this info for free on Guidestar.org). For the sake of the region, we should feel compelled to support these organizations all year round, in order to maintain the cultural fabric of our area.

If you feel compelled to support Arts Corps, you can do so via our secure online donation form, or simply text “GIVE” to 206.472.1235 at any time, all-year round, fee-free.