We suggest another way to think of Provincial Funding Cuts to Nonprofit Volunteer Organizations

As you have heard on the news, non-profit volunteer organizations have had their provincial funding support cut to drastic levels.

What's often stated in these discussions is that "organizations didn't get their grants" and the general populace shrugs and says to themselves "what's their problem, money's tight and hard choices have to be made."

What's missed in these discussions is the perspective that over many decades governments have fostered the creation of the non-profit volunteer sector to do the grass roots work of creating a healthy, civil society, work that is crucial to that society's sustainability.

Governments know well that $20,000 to a non-profit volunteer organization will leverage the passion and commitment of professionals who will volunteer their time to work in their way and in their sector of expertise and passion to deliver a program of activity that will help create that healthy, livable society.

Investing $20,000 annually probably leverages 10 to 20 times that amount in cash and thousands more in volunteer effort. Cash that otherwise would have to be found in government coffers to pay professional staff to do the same work to create and deliver those programs. Non-profit volunteer organizations work to support the aims, goals and objectives of the government at a fraction of the cost. That's why they’re given the grants: they satisfy the criteria that the funder has set out to fulfill the funder’s needs

Governments have fostered the system of the professional non-profit volunteer sector to support government's own goals and objectives as well as fill those program gaps that government does not have the resources for. This is a wonderful thing and appeals to the generosity of spirit and the enrichment that comes for both the volunteer and the recipient of those efforts.

The non-profit sector is a partner with government not a petitioner looking for a handout. When governments cut grants to the non-profit volunteer sector - whether it be arts, health, social, sports & rec, you name it - they are cutting support to all of us, the beneficiaries of the passionate work of our neighbours who volunteer their time and passion to make our communities healthy places to live.

Invite to communities and arts orgs all around the province:

All you need is a white board and a digital camera and a Flickr account via Yahoo (it's free).

1. Take the photos at your events. Our audience loved it!

2. Export the images from your camera into your photo software program... we're using iPhoto.

3. iPhoto links directly to Flickr. With other software, just follow Flickr's FAQ to upload.

4. That's it!

May we suggest thay you name your Flickr account "Face of the arts in (your town name here) BC" That way, when one does a search in Flickr, it will be very evident how many communities have joined in.

- - - - -

Please feel free to borrow and modify any of this info we are providing to our community.

Here’s what Goldenites can do:

Put your face to the arts in Golden. We’ll give you a ‘dime’ to squeeze. We’ll upload all the
photos to Flickr and then let communities all around the province know to come join us.
This is your way to tell our provincially elected officials that the nonprofit volunteer
organizations in our community are crucial to you and to the heart of community.

- - - - -

Put a Face to the Arts in Golden, B.C.

Like all arts organizations around the province, Kicking Horse Culture is facing a 40% cut to 100% cut on our provincial funding. If the provincial government continues with this budget plan, KHC will no longer be able to deliver the level of programming and excellence that you expect.

Yes, these are hard times in the economy and when it’s hard times, we need hope, inspiration, and hard work, not despair. Cuts to the arts volunteer groups all over the province who deliver this hope and inspiration is near sighted.

Enlightened societies aspire to happy citizens who love their communities. Non profit volunteer groups deliver that hope with their passion, their professional skills and their dedication to delivering the programs and activities that a community needs. Cut the funding to those volunteer community groups and the heart of ‘community’ is torn out.

At times like these, stabilizing and increasing support to non profit volunteer groups in arts and culture, health, environment, social, sports and rec will increase hope and inspire a community to
work harder and pull through the tough times.
Given the massive scale of the provincial budget, the investment amount to create and sustain these community programs is ‘nickels and dimes’.

That’s OK because volunteer organizations know how to squeeze a dime so it spends like a
dollar. Put your faith in the community volunteer because they are our neighbours who do the work that make communities run.

www.kickinghorseculture.ca