Indianapolis Art Center on wed 20 may 98
Well, this is an interesting thread. I have to agree a bit with all the
points, but I also want to clarify some other points.
First, the nature of not for profit is that it does not exist to make a
profit. That does not mean that it should be in the red and losing
money, but that it must re-use it's profits to fund it's mission. The
profits cannot be paid out as dividends or stocks to it's employees,
members or board of directors.
Secondly, there are many not-for-profit organizations which do appear to
have mass quantities of money to the outside eye, but upon examination of
their accounts, you would discover that this is not the case. Please
keep in mind that there are salaries being paid to employees, yet there
are not many employees who are lining their coat pockets with the high
salaries they are earning. Speaking as an employee of an art center and
for my husband, who is also an arts administrator, we are barely able to
set up a savings account. We work 50-60 hours a week (on the average)
and there is still work to be done. Most of the departments here at the
Indianapolis Art Center are understaffed, and we all share in duties that
are not in our job description (I change lightbulbs, paint the walls,
clean bathrooms, etc. I am the Exhibitions Assistant.) Two of our
newest employees took paycuts of over $10,000 in the corporate world to
work here.
Now, why would people come to work for a not-for-profit organization?
Well, I love our mission and believe in it- "to engage, enhance and
enlighten our communities through art education, participation and
observation." My husband was a hospital administrator in the Navy who
decided he needed more in his life than a job, and volunteered with a
small community theatre. It changed his life (and not just with a pay
cut). He left a high paying job to go back to school and work for a
producing theatre. We love our jobs, even in the most hectic of weeks.
And a good not-for-profit will affect a community, it's members and it's
audience in a positive way. yes, one should be careful and really study
the NFP that you are thinking about donating time or money to, but just
because one may appear to be rolling in the big bucks, dig a little
deeper and you will find the real scoop on the financial situation.
Stephanie Robertson
Exhibitions Assistant at the Indianapolis Art Center
and fabric artist
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