SpeakEasy Stage Company Receives Bloomberg Philanthropies' Arts Innovation and Management Grant

SpeakEasy Stage Company Founder and Producing Artistic Director Paul Daigneault announced today that SpeakEasy Stage is a grantee recipient of Bloomberg Philanthropies' Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) program. Through the two-year initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies is providing $30 million across 262 small and mid-sized nonprofit cultural organizations around the country to help strengthen their operational and programming efforts, including training in fundraising, audience development and board member engagement.

"We are honored to have been selected for this incredible opportunity," said Daigneault in announcing the award, "and want to thank Bloomberg Philanthropies for their generosity and investment, not only in SpeakEasy Stage, but also in the future of the American Theatre."

The invitation-only program supports nonprofit cultural organizations based in six cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco. All organizations are locally or internationally recognized nonprofits that have been in existence for at least two years. The grantees are required to participate in a management training program; secure matching funds; ensure 100% board participation in fundraising; and maintain up-to-date information in the Cultural Data Project, an online financial & data collection platform that assists arts organizations across the country to collect, learn from, and use data effectively. The grants are unrestricted so that recipients can use them to address their greatest needs.

Now celebrating its 25th Season, SpeakEasy plans to use the resources from the grant to solidify the company's future by completing a rigorous strategic planning process and then implementing its findings as regards changes in the company leadership structure and management systems.

Bloomberg Philanthropies is partnering with the DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland to develop curricula and conduct trainings for the AIM program in each city. The comprehensive workshops engage organizations around activities that strengthen their long-term health and goals and include consultations and implementation support for arts managers and their boards.

First piloted in New York City, Bloomberg Philanthropies supported 245 grantees through AIM from 2011-2013. Participating organizations reported improvements in audience development, board engagement and fundraising over the two-year program.