Kansas: Organizational Mentorship for the Arts

David Justin from Kansas City Ballet works with dancers and staff from Wichita. Photo courtesy of Ballet Wichita

State and federal arts funding often is restricted to organizations holding 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service. Many arts groups worthy of public support, however, exist outside of the formal 501(c)(3) business model. The Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC) has developed an innovative way to assist such organizations by creating purposeful partnerships between established arts nonprofits and smaller emerging groups.

KCAIC launched the Organizational Mentorship program in 2020. The program helps established arts organizations provide mentorship and related services to emerging arts organizations, emerging local arts councils, artist spaces or creative collectives. Through the mentorship program, KCAIC aims to help groups with nontraditional organizational structures, encourage professional and organizational development, establish peer networks, and nurture the growth of new organizations rooted in underserved communities.

Established arts nonprofits serving as mentor organizations must demonstrate a meaningful partnership with an emerging mentee or partner group, with organizational development activities designed to benefit the partner. The collaboration must result in a sustainability plan by the partner organization. Awards of $7,500, managed by the mentor organization, can be used to cover various mentee expenses such as general operating costs, artist fees, materials, venue rental or travel. Applicants provide a dollar-for-dollar match, but in-kind nonmonetary donations may be counted as 100% of the required match.

This model cultivates deeper relationships than are typically possible using a standard fiscal sponsorship model. To learn more about the strategy, contact Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission Director Peter Jasso.