Nebraska: Winding Down Workshop Series

Many arts organizations have experienced significant setbacks from the pandemic. While some organizations will be able to bounce back, others must grapple with existential questions related to their financial stability, mission impact and ultimate survival. Numerous nonprofit organizations will be closing their doors for good, and cultural groups are among the most vulnerable.

With a commitment to providing realistic and respectful guidance to help arts and cultural organizations examine their position and make these hard choices, the Nebraska Arts Council (NAC) offered a series of webinars titled the Winding Down Workshop. Designed for board members and staff, each session focused on different steps in the process: first, working with the Board to make decisions; second, planning and tackling the legal and financial aspects of dissolution, mergers and dormancy; and third, identifying ways the mission can continue to serve the community. The workshops introduced Steve Zimmerman and Jeanne Bell’s “Dual Bottom Line Matrix” to help organizations assess their mission impact and financial stability. The curriculum also covered tips for conducting difficult conversations with sensitivity and considerations for building an organization’s community legacy.

Winding Down Workshops were led by NAC staff and nonprofit and legal professionals. Recordings of the sessions are available, as is a booklet that includes workshop slides, resources and documents that can help introduce organizations to the process of examining their stability and developing a path forward. To learn more about this initiative, contact Nebraska Arts Council Program Coordinator Stephanie Plummer.