2016 Diverse Communities Conference Scholarship Application

Transcription

1 2016 Diverse Communities Conference Scholarship Application Submission Date :15:47 Name: Title: Organization: Address: City State: Jonathan DH Kitt Senior Development Associate Creative Capital 15 Maiden Lane, 18thy Floor New York City NY Zip: Business Phone Number: Home Phone Number: Address: Eligible Diverse Community Membership in AFP is not required, but if you are a member, please provide your AFP Member #: Years in the Fundraising Profession Previous Training in Fundraising (please specify courses, seminars, conferences attended for prior two years): jonathan.kitt@gmail.com African-American/Black M.S. in Arts Administration (includes numerous courses in Fundraising) - Drexel University 2014 Social Theory, Politics, and the Arts Conference (Ottawa, Canada) 2015 AFP Fundraising Day in NYC AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising Course Please check one: Please check all below: I am a fundraising professional who self identifies as coming from an eligible diverse community as defined by AFP (African-American/Black Asian Faith-based GLBT Hispanic Jewish or Rural) I am employed as a full-time fundraising professional or spend at least fifty percent of my time fundraising for my employer. I have never attended an NSFRE/AFP International Conference on Fundraising. I understand that this may be a partial scholarship (conference fees and some travel stipend only) and that I may be required to find additional funds needed to attend this conference (such as travel expenses). I understand that my name as the AFP Diverse Communities Conference Scholar may be listed/promoted in AFP communications

2 By clicking this box, I certify that this application is true and my supervisor approves my attendance to the 2016 International Conference in Boston, MA March 20-22, Executive Director or Immediate Supervisor Phone/ 1. Please tell us about your level of engagement with AFP. We are interested to know about your recent involvement with AFP, (such as the Mentor Program, National Philanthropy Day, Fundraising Day, monthly programs, committees of the Board of Directors and the like). Describe your roles, attendance frequency, etc. Organization s Operating Budget ($) true Ruby Lerner ruby@creative-capital.org After receiving a 2015 Maurice Gurin Scholarship from the NYC chapter of AFP, I attended Fundraising Day in New York, completed the Fundamentals of Fundraising course, and became a Young Professional member of AFP. While I ve not attended any live events, I continue to access the resources on the AFP site, namely the AFP Blog and archived editions of Kaleidoscope. I have also actively continued my communications with both my class of scholarship recipients and many of the vendors I met at the conference. 8,600,000 Total # of Staff 34 Organization s Development Department Budget ($) 416,000 Total # of Fundraising Staff 6 3. What types of actions/experiences have you participated in that can reflect your own dedication to the cause of inclusion, particularly with people who are not like you? I am especially interested in engaging traditionally underserved minority groups in formalized philanthropy. I composed my master s thesis on the individual giving patterns of African-Americans and other traditionally underserved minorities at large, non-profit performing arts organizations in New York City, and was selected to present my findings at the 2014 Social Theory, Politics, and the Arts Conference. Having worked in predominately White performing arts organizations my whole career, I ve had the opportunity to spearhead initiatives aimed at reducing barriers to entry, which engaged previously untapped donors, many of them people of color. I am very proud to have facilitated the creation of genuine, mutually beneficial relationships between these communities and the organizations, and I see this commitment to inclusion as an integral part of my practice. In addition to advocating for diversity within the nonprofit sector, I actively participate in social justice activism, particularly as it relates to mass incarceration and police brutality.

3 4. How will your attendance at the AFP International Conference benefit the organization where you work? 5. Please make your case as to why you believe you should be chosen as our 2015 AFP Diverse Communities Conference Scholar. I think my attendance at the AFP International Conference would be an ideal opportunity to connect with fundraisers in other facets of the sector and to explore diversification strategies used organizations outside of arts/culture and beyond the borders of the United States. Creative Capital is currently having conversations about actively increasing diversity in all facets of our organization staff, Board, grant awards, artists, donors, etc. I see this as an opportunity to infuse the organization with the most cutting edge ideas, and hope to further expand the conversation of diversity as it pertains to donor solicitation. I d like to return from the conference with fresh ideas and concepts. As a national funder of artistic projects ranging from visual art to literature, performing arts to emerging fields, I think an internal shift at Creative Capital could help catalyze a larger shift within the arts/culture sector. Based on my attendance at 2015 Fundraising Day in New York, I think the information gleaned from workshops, interest sessions and casual conversations will be very useful in developing strategies to do just that. As a young man of African-American descent, I have traditionally worked in predominately White Development departments within predominately White arts organizations, many of whom have been inclusive in theory but much less so in practice. I am extremely passionate about engaging constituents whose interest and giving potential have traditionally been overlooked by professional fundraisers. As our nation s demographics shift, I foresee the contributions of traditionally underserved minorities becoming increasingly vital to the continued sustainability of American arts/culture organizations. I intend to be on the frontline of the efforts to make this shift. A scholarship to the AFT International Conference would allow me to meet fellow practitioners from a diverse array of backgrounds. Not only do I see this as a potentially synergistic brainstorming exercise; I see it as a chance to connect with a likeminded mentor and to strengthen my acumen as a fundraiser. Creative Capital is quite unique in its model as a venture-capital inspired funder of artists of all disciplines. Risk is built into the DNA of the organization. As such, I think Creative Capital is well positioned as a trendsetter that can influence the narrative of inclusion in the arts and culture field. This scholarship would allow me to add to that conversation in an informed manner and from a broader perspective. Receiving this scholarship would mean the WORLD to me and I promise to maximize the impact of this opportunity if selected. Your Current Resume Copy of your organization s 501(c)(3) ID number or Registered Charity Number Personal/Professional Letter(s) of Recommendation (optional) Jonathan Kitt - RESUME (Fall 15).pdf Creative Capital IRS Determination Letter.pdf Jonathan Kitt Reference Letter.pdf

4 Jonathan D. H. Kitt 203 MacDonough Street, Apt. #2 Brooklyn, NY Experience Creative Capital Foundation New York City, NY Senior Development Associate [Sept. 15 present] Database management for the entire Development Department; works with IT Manager to design new functions and reports Assists in the preparation of development materials for current and prospective funders. Develops solicitation materials, blog posts and social media around events, quarterly newsletters and donor recognition. Coordination of cultivation events throughout the year, including list management, RSVP tracking, on-site coordination and catering Coordinates regular donor outreach and tracking as well as maintenance of donor list and donor crediting on all materials Assists with Annual Benefit, including all tasks mentioned above, plus coordination with participating artists and venue Assists with board meetings, including the preparation of materials, planning and logistics Execution of direct mail and online fundraising appeals Gift processing and acknowledgement letters for department Assisting the institutional giving team with compiling data and reporting MAPP International Productions New York City, NY [Apr. 13 Sept. 15] Development Assistant Developed artist salons, donor cultivation activities, and humanities-focused events; responsibilities included management of invitations, tracking RSVPs/attendees, onsite management, and post-event acknowledgement. Coordinated mass digital and direct mailings for annual appeal and artist fundraising campaigns. Lead process of copywriting, editing, and design for public and internal communications, including a quarterly newsletter and regional event announcements/updates. Maintained institutional grants calendar; compiles supplementary materials for grant proposals and reports. Oversaw entry and management of all donor and event attendance data. Researched prospective individual and institutional funding streams and tools to identify such prospects. Secured organizations first corporate event and product sponsorships. Revonnae Natural Spa Gifts Apex, NC [Sept. 12 Jul 13] Webmaster/Graphic Designer Designed and maintained company s online presence, including social media and web-store. The Public Theater New York City, NY [Jan. 12 May 12] Fund Development Intern Individual Giving Plays and Players Theatre Philadelphia, PA [Nov. 10 Aug. 11] Front-of-House Manger The Road Company New York City, NY [Dec. 09 Apr. 10] Administrative Assistant (Temp) Education Drexel University University City Campus M.S. Arts Administration Graduated: June 2014 Penn State University University Park Campus B.A. Integrative Arts: Multicultural Performance Studies Graduated: May 2009 Skills Mac and PC proficient Microsoft Office Suite proficient (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Experienced in database management and development (Tessitura, Sugar CRM, FileMaker Pro and WealthEngine) Working knowledge of Photoshop, InDesign, WordPress Constant Contact, and GIMP Proficient in multiple social media platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Vimeo) Excellent verbal and written communication skills

5 October 30, 2015 Association of Fundraising Professionals Diverse Communities Scholarship Program To Whom It May Concern: I d like to recommend Jonathan Kitt for the Association of Fundraising Professionals Diverse Communities Scholarship Program. Jonathan is passionate about both the arts and fundraising and has been a wonderful addition to our Development team. He brings an energy and creativity to his work that is often difficult to find among fundraising professionals. Jonathan joined our staff this summer, after working with MAPP International Productions, The Public Theater, and Plays & Players Theatre, and completing a Masters Degree in Arts Administration from Drexel University. We were particularly excited by Jonathan s master s thesis, which focused on the individual giving patterns of African-Americans and other traditionally underserved minorities at large non-profit performing arts organizations. In addition, his optimistic attitude toward donor diversification and his track record of tapping into under-solicited communities makes him an asset to our organization, as we are currently working on increasing the diversity of our stakeholders and constituents. Creative Capital supports groundbreaking artists nationwide through funding, professional development and advisory services. We are constantly seeking ways integrate the best existing and emerging practices in our fundraising, and to engage diverse populations in all facets of our organization. I believe Jonathan s presence at AFP s International Fundraising Conference would not only foster his own professional development, but would also be a great benefit to Creative Capital. I cannot recommend Jonathan highly enough for this scholarship. I speak for everyone at Creative Capital when I say that he is a smart and creative colleague who will not only significantly impact our fundraising practices, but will also be a great asset to the field. We look forward to Jonathan s participation in the AFP Conference and we are certain that we will have a lot to contribute to the conversation. Please let me know if I can provide any further information. Sincerely, Meg Miles Director of Partnerships & Development Creative Capital

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