Archive for the ‘Nonprofit Management’ Category

Now I Really Am Leaving the Wren’s Nest in September

---

Astute readers of this blog may recall last year’s April Fool’s Day joke. I was all like, “I’m leaving the Wren’s Nest in September. I’ve accepted another job.”

Today I’m pleased to report that some of that statement is now true — I’m leaving the staff of the Wren’s Nest in September 2011. (No, I don’t have a sweet job lined up. No, I haven’t been asked to leave.) You might have already read the notice in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

When I arrived here in 2006, my job was pretty clear — see if you can’t revitalize this all but shuttered Atlanta institution.

Five years later, with the help of an invigorated board, dedicated donors, fantastic volunteers, key partnerships (like our latest collaboration with the Atlanta Opera) and an indispensable staff, we’ve done just that. The museum looks spectacular, and our programming is dynamic, engaging, and growing.

The executive director position at the Wren’s Nest is entirely different than it was in 2006. Our organization is infinitely more viable. We no longer need groundbreaking ideas like, “Let’s get an email address!” or “Let’s consider paying the light bill!”

What the Wren’s Nest needs now is to move from viable to robust.

Starting in September the plan is that I’ll serve as chair of our board of directors. There’s a real opportunity to shake things up there in a way that I can’t do as a staff member. That means we also have the opportunity to hire someone for my position who actually knows what they’re doing. Plus, they’ll have a passionate, knowledgeable advocate for a board chair who’s been through delicate transitions like this before.

Do you want my job? Read up on how to apply.

If you’ve got questions, comments, concerns, or bundles of money you’d like to hand over, please shoot me an email (lain@wrensnestonline.com) or give me a call (404-753-7735), or leave a comment below.

 

Nonprofit Technology Conference 2010 — Free Admission to the Wren’s Nest and a Beer

---

This weekend the Nonprofit Technology Conference has descended upon our fair city. It sounds like something our valiant staff should attend:

"The Nonprofit Technology Network and the Georgia

Center for Nonprofits will come together to provide

an unparalleled meeting ground for drawing on the

expertise and commitment of the nonprofit community."

After all, we use “computers” and “the internet,” and we’re definitely a nonprofit.  Unfortunately, This Nation’s Most Exciting House Museum doesn’t just run itself, and especially not this week.  Bummer.

So, I’m writing to the good people of the #10NTC with a proposal: if you want to play hooky from the conference today or tomorrow, we’ll offer you free admission to the Wren’s Nest + a beer with our staff while we make you fill us in on what we missed.

I think we have Sweetwater and Red Stripe in the fridge. Oh, and our museum is pretty neat too. We have storytelling performances today at 12 and tomorrow at 1 pm.

Just bring your conference ID. We’ll stick around until 5:00 today and 2:30 tomorrow.

Writing (and Righting) History on Wikipedia

---

A few weeks ago I was inspired to start editing the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page when I read an article based on erroneous facts about Harris quite obviously culled from Wikipedia, everyone’s favorite encyclopedic punching bag.

Wren’s Nest Blog Original Gangstas might recall this is not our first encounter with the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page.  Way back in 2007, one ambitious editor included some, uh, fan fiction –

Harris’ page hasn’t been vandalized again, but it has remained far from complete.  The criticism and praise of Harris were irrelevant, and the actual information on his life was minimal.

So, I decided to edit and expand the Joel Chandler Harris Wikipedia page as judiciously as possible, drawing from diverse, respected sources.

For a long time I felt uncomfortable editing Wikipedia on a topic where I have such an inherent, genetic bias.  But, I realized a few things once I started editing:

• Editing Wikipedia is a lot of fun.
• No matter how many times we link to the New Georgia Encyclopedia article and no matter how questionable the source, folks are going to use the Wikipedia page.
• Short of a Disney release of Song of the South and my subsequent interview on Oprah, this is probably the broadest way for us to execute our mission effectively.
• My work is only the start!

Please take a look at the article and let me know what you think.  If you’re feeling limber, I encourage you to help edit the article where you see fit.

I’m not quite done — particularly with the journalism section — but it’s a start at least.

Georgia Theater Accepting Donations for Renovation — Cool or Uncool?

---

One of the AJC’s new blogs, Inside Access, recently featured news about the Georgia Theatre, which was ravaged by a fire in June.

(Photo courtesy of neuftoes)

The theater, located in Athens, is now accepting donations through the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation to help offset construction costs.  If the commenters are to be believed (and given the history of commenters at the AJC, this is at best hazardous), this partnership has gotten some major panties in a bunch.

Recently, there have been a few for-profit businesses (Paste, Wordsmiths (RIP)) that have asked for donations to keep themselves alive.  The mixing of profit with non-profit tactics really ticked some people off.

Yet we, as a non-profit, ask for donations to stay alive all the time.  Really, it’s pretty much all we do.  And to date, not one person has yelped, “Well, I NEVER!” in response.

Now, I know there are inherent differences (like tax-exemption).  But how severe are those differences from the viewpoint of the Average Joe who’s happy to see both the Wren’s Nest and the Georgia Theatre in his neighborhood?  Should he not financially support the theater because it’s for-profit, even though the end result is essentially the same for him?

I know the simple logic is “Well derr, Amelia — you support the theater by giving them money to see shows they put on.  Idiot.”  But that’s hard to do when the theater is all “non-functional” and “charred.”

In the interest of full disclosure, I have donated my hard-earned pennies to for-profits, but not all that asked.  And with a lot more deliberation than when I’ve donated to non-profits.

What do y’all think?  Would you donate to the Georgia Theatre?

Arborguard and the Wren’s Nest — Scratchin’ Backs

---

For a while now we’ve been in cahoots (dropped some terminology, sorry) with several local businesses.  In exchange for their services — at a free or discounted price because we’re a wee and adorable non-profit — we put their logo on all sorts of things: our brochure, our t-shirts, our… brochure!

Please help us welcome our newest friend to the party.

Arborguard, a tree specialist company “For people who love trees” (me!  I love trees!), has generously offered to do greatly discounted work on our yard, which is pretty darn nice.  It’s also important because oh man, with two and quarter acres, we have a lot of trees, and many of them are terrifying.  It’s a race against the clock — one in particular is just aching to fall on some sweet old blue hair.

This is similar to what Rentokil does for us and our pest control, and we all know how much we need that service.

So thanks, Arborguard.  This is the beginning of a beautiful working business relationship.

2008 Wren’s Nest 990 and Statement of Review Online

---

2008 was a good year.

The IRS doesn’t just take our word for it though, so we completed a 990 like usual.  The accountant threw in a Statement of Review for good measure and a few grand.

Our ever-popular About page has the goods, financially speaking.

New Board Chair for the Joel Chandler Harris Association

---

On Wednesday Harold Yudelson was elected as the chairman of the Wren’s Nest’s governing body, the Joel Chandler Harris Association.

Harold, retired from the shoe business, succeeds Marshall Thomas, who has been the board chair of the Wren’s Nest for the past five years (and change).  The term limit is 2 years, but it took us that long to dupe someone into replacing him.

That’s Marshall and me, just after tricking Harold into accepting the position.

Please, do not worry about Marshall.  We are not throwing him out on the street.  Oh no, he will chair our fledgling advisory board.

Harold has graciously agreed to serve a one-year term.  We’re lucky to have someone with his expertise, creativity, and sense of humor.

Plus, Harold is all about storytelling.  His own arsenal includes 542 war stories, 319 anecdotes about the good ole days, 47 instances where his wife outsmarts him, and 1 dirty joke involving parrots.  Board meetings will be a blast.

Wren’s Nest in the Atlanta Business Chronicle and Other Notes

---

Three things today:

1. The Wren’s Nest is featured in the Atlanta Business Chronicle because we do things like “blog” and “tweet.”

The highlight is definitely this photo of Lain and his all-child posse.  Since it’s an understandable question based on the photo — no, he did not father all of them.

I’m going to assume that most of you rubes don’t have subscriptions to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, so you can read the first couple paragraphs online or you can glance at this .pdf that we just stumbled across.

2. It’s Ms. Nannie‘s birthday today!

Ms. Nannie’s daughter called to remind us of this special day (it’s totally on the calendar, derr) and to let us know that Ms. Nannie didn’t want anyone to pay her any mind. Too late, Ms. Nannie.  Help us wish Ms. Nannie a happy birthday!  Fan mail and comments are encouraged.

3. Our plea for Wren’s Nest Publishing Company students is featured in Creative Loafing’s excellent blog, Fresh Loaf!  Thanks to Thomas Wheatley for that one.  Who knew Twitter could be used for good?

MAACC Suggestions and Comments — Take Two

---

We’ve gotten slightly side-tracked in the comments section of our last post, so we wanted to start anew.

The goal is to use this space — well, technically the space below — to continue the discussion of successful practices in the current economy that began at Monday’s Town Hall meeting.

For example, Alex Trouteuad of Spry PR highlighted a great marketing trick that had worked well for the brain geniuses at Synchronicity Theatre.

The main questions we’re looking to answer are:

• Which specific strategies work for your arts organization in this economy?
• Which strategies don’t work?
• What can the Atlanta community do to help your organization?
  
• Did you think that the MAACC event was helpful?
  

Hopefully, these answers will create an ongoing dialogue for members of the arts and culture community.  It’s so great to be able to learn from everyone else’s experiences, and I would love for the discussion to continue.  (Here.)

And, if you’re bored enough, you can even read other posts on our blog.  Let’s just hope things don’t get that bad.

Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition — Keep The Dream Alive

---

On Monday night Lain and I attended a Town Hall meeting at 7 Stages Theatre to discuss “Survival Strategies for Arts & Culture Organizations in the Current Economy.”

The event was hosted by the Metro Atlanta Arts and Culture Coalition.

Over 160 representatives from arts and culture organizations attended.  A panel of experts spoke about how cultural groups can use more strategery in current economic times.*

Big-time speakers included –

Karen Beavor, President & CEO
Georgia Center for Nonprofits

Mary Pat Crouch, Vice President
Coxe Curry & Associates

Penny McPhee, President & Trustee
Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

Shirley Mitchell, Senior VP, Market Development
Bank of America

All of the speakers were effective, encouraging, and (very importantly) concise.

The audience then shared their own success stories (following one man who, apparently after wandering into the wrong meeting and tuning out the entire presentation, spoke about traffic issues and asked us to make a change.  Buddy, I’m flattered you think I have that kind of pull!).

Not everything was applicable to the Wren’s Nest (our HR department is actually a squirrel out back), but what didn’t apply to us was made up for by the $1 beers, which always apply to us.  And let me tell you, arts and culture folks really know how to knock 1 or 2 back.

But enough about us.  We want to hear from you.  Please, choose a question below and answer it in the comments.

• Which strategies work for your arts organization in this economy?
• Which strategies don’t work?
• What did you think of the event?

Don’t be shy!  We’re waiting with bated breath.

*They stink.