SMART Growth Evaluation Report
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SMART Growth Evaluation Report May 2010 Lisa Tylke, Evaluator Rob Paral, Associate SMART Growth Participating Grantees 2006-2009 African American Arts Alliance of Chicago Jump Rhythm Jazz Project Albany Park Theater Project Lifeline Theatre American Theater Company Links Hall Anchor Graphics Luna Negra Dance Theater Barrel of Monkeys Muntu Dance Theatre Changing Worlds Natya Dance Theatre Chicago Chamber Musicians Neighborhood Writing Alliance Chicago Dramatists Neo-Futurists Chicago Human Rhythm Project Next Theatre Chicago Jazz Ensemble Puerto Rican Arts Alliance Chicago Jazz Orchestra Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Chicago Public Art Group Rush Hour Concerts at St. James Cathedral Congo Square Theatre Shanti Foundation for Peace Emerald City Theatre Company ShawChicago Theatre Company House Theatre Silk Road Theatre Project Hypocrites Theatre South Chicago Art Center Independent Feature Project Teatro Vista Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art TimeLine Theatre Company Jazz Institute of Chicago TUTA: The Utopian Theatre Asylum Joel Hall Dancers and Center Young Chicago Authors SMART Growth Evaluation Report Table of Contents Executive Summary SMART Growth/Evaluation Process Overview ........................................................................... 1 Summary Findings ....................................................................................................................... 2 Summary Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 5 Summary of Progress toward Common Outcomes and Measures ............................................. 8 Evaluation Report Background ................................................................................................................................ 12 Evaluation Overview.................................................................................................................. 13 SMART Growth Program History ............................................................................................... 13 Qualitative Analysis ................................................................................................................... 15 Grantee Progress Toward SMART Growth Common Outcomes and Measures....................... 26 Findings ..................................................................................................................................... 35 Recommendations .................................................................................................................... 39 Appendices I SMART Growth Grantee Survey Instrument ........................................................................ 42 II Grantee List........................................................................................................................... 60 III Interview List ........................................................................................................................ 61 IV SMART Growth Common Outcomes and Measures ............................................................ 62 V SMART Growth Evaluation Comprehensive Results ............................................................ 64 VI Recommended Data Collection Guide ................................................................................. 75 Executive Summary SMART Growth Overview In 2005, the Chicago Community Trust (Trust) launched the SMART Growth program for arts and culture, marking a new approach to funding very small and small arts and culture organizations in Chicago. SMART Growth was developed as a capacity-building program founded on the smARTscope® philosophy developed by the Arts & Business Council of Chicago (A&BC). SmARTscope defines six developmental phases (from budding organization to major institution) charting seven distinct management areas including: Concept Development and Planning, Staffing and Structure, Board Governance, Income Generation, Financial Management, Facilities and Audience Development and Marketing. Its fundamental premise is that balanced growth across all seven management areas is essential in order to ensure stability and resilience while progressing from Phase 1 through subsequent phases. The goal of SMART Growth was to guide 40 participating arts and culture organizations toward balanced growth that ensured their sustainability and resilience in the face of economic shifts and organizational transitions. The methodology coupled small general operating grants of $10,000 to $40,000 annually and an initial organizational assessment (smARTscope) that identified areas of strength and provided recommended strategies to address the lagging areas. FY2009 was the final year of this three-year demonstration model. Evaluation Process Overview The purpose of this evaluation has been to assist the Trust in determining the value of the SMART Growth methodology and three-year program cycle to the participating grantee organizations. The evaluation process focused on identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the program, the degree to which the program’s approach was embraced and executed by the grantees, the program’s impact as perceived and measured by the individual SMART Growth grantees, whether or not the actual data related to relevant factors supports the impact as perceived by the grantees, and the program’s potential areas for improvement in the event of future deployment by the Trust. The evaluation process included information gathering via a range of methodologies including document review (original smARTscope assessment reports and all SMART Growth grant documents and financial reports), an electronic survey of all grantees (98% response rate) (Appendices I and II), analysis of the Trust’s SMART Growth data tables, and historic SMART Growth program documentation. To provide further qualitative data a series of one-on-one interviews was conducted with a subset of grant recipients and all programmatic staff members (Appendix III). The following narrative briefly summarizes the findings of the research and offers recommendations for the Trust to consider in any re-deployment of the program in the future. 1 Summary Findings I. The SMART Growth program had a positive impact on the majority of groups involved. Two thirds of the SMART Growth grantees reported that the experience changed their understanding of how to manage an arts organization. Eighty-eight percent (88%) reported that the SMART Growth experience made them more sustainable and resilient and 86% said they would continue to use the model going forward. Grantee quotes: - The SMART Growth process absolutely helped us to think more strategically about our priority areas. SMART Growth helped us to develop those tools by breaking down our problem areas and developing a step by step plan in addressing them. - I think it gave us time to plan and to have room to make mistakes. II. The SMART Growth program works well for a diversity of groups. The SMART Growth program has a strong potential to work well for any small arts organization, regardless of artistic genre, age, ethnic affiliation, or budget size (< $1 million). In a cross comparison of common indicators no particular type of organization thrived or failed on average. SMART Growth’s nine “top achievers” (organizations who achieved 75% or more of their measures all three years) represented a diversity of organizational profiles. Top achievers represented 23% of the grantee cohort and ranged in age (9 to 27 years), budget size ($80,000 to $850,000), board size (5 to 22 members), staff size (1 to 7) and in their earned/contributed revenue ratios (0/100 to 96/4). Organizations that were less successful at achieving their outcomes/measures (achieving 25% or less of their measures all three years) represented 10% of the grantee cohort. They too represented a range of profiles, age (8-21 years), budget size ($20,000 to $420,000), board size (9 to 15 members), staff size (0 to 2.5) and earned/contributed revenue (0/100 to 50/50). III. SMART Growth had a positive impact on organizational sustainability as demonstrated by cohort growth across six management areas. Moderate to significant progress was made by the grantee cohort toward achievement of the SMART Growth Common Outcomes and Measures in six out of the seven management areas. Ninety-two percent (92%) of the grantees thought SMART Growth would continue to affect their organizations in the future. 2 Grantee quotes: - This [sustainability] is one of the most critical impact areas for us. It [SMART Growth] enabled us to build foundational elements, as well as develop a succession plan, strengthen our board and fundraising capacity and refocus our efforts around board development and growth. IV. SMART Growth had its most significant impact on the area of Board Governance. The quantitative data as well as the qualitative information gathered shows a significantly positive impact on the development of board governance among grantees. - All indicators (other than the number of total board members) within the Board Governance Common Outcomes and Measures demonstrated the strongest trends in growth (between 93% and 250% growth) among the grantee cohort when compared to the other management areas. - The majority of groups (86%) stated that the SMART Growth experience was helpful to their board, citing their board’s involvement in SMART Growth sponsored governance outcomes, improved focus and strategic thinking among members of their boards, better quality of board engagement/practice,