Shifting Power Through Crowdfunding

Recorded On: 05/19/2020

Overview
Speaker(s)

About this Webinar

Crowdfunding has been a 21st century way of supporting local, community-driven arts and culture projects. With the growth of crowdfunding as a sources for arts and culture funding, it can be hard to know where to start. In this webinar, we will hear from Dan McLaughlin, program manager for the local arts agency Cuyahoga Arts & Culture and Dawn Arrington, Cleveland Action Strategist from the non-profit crowdfunding organization Ioby on how they built their partnership to develop a matching grant program. Maneuvering through government limitations, hear how Dan and Dawn worked together to build a grant program that shifted power dynamics from the municipal fund limitations to providing more financial opportunities for individuals and community groups across Cuyahoga County.

Learning Objectives:

Learn what crowdfunding is and how to use it to support arts and culture in communities
Understand how to build partnerships for successful funding of artist-driven and community-driven art projects

Dawn Arrington

Cleveland Action Strategist, Ioby

Dawn is a born and bred Cleveland with a love for helping others and her community. With several years of experience in community network building, customer service, and project development, Dawn sees her life’s mission as one of service. After obtaining her MBA, Dawn pursued an MA in English and Creative Writing at Southern New Hampshire University, completing her studies in 2015.

In addition to her work as ioby’s Cleveland Action Strategist, Dawn is also the board president of Larchmere PorchFest, a free one-day music festival in the Larchmere neighborhood of Cleveland’s East Side. When she’s not working with community partners or volunteering on a number of projects, Dawn spends her time with her husband, children, and pets.

Website: https://ioby.org/

Dan McLaughlin

Program Manager, Cuyahoga Arts & Culture

Dan McLaughlin is a grant program manager at Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, the local public funder of arts & culture for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. Dan oversees a portfolio of grants to approximately 100 organizations, and manages the agency’s relationships with grassroots funding partners Neighborhood Connections and ioby. He works to build relationships with and provide technical assistance, guidance and support to grant recipients and applicants.

Prior to joining CAC, Dan served as a program officer with Seeds of Literacy, where he oversaw the adult basic education program and curriculum transition to the updated, computerized GED exam. Prior to that, he worked in development with Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland and as a museum educator at the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Dan is a graduate of Kent State University with a degree in secondary education and he lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

Website: https://www.cacgrants.org/

Twitter: @CuyArtsC