Recommended Nonprofits for 2011 Holiday Giving
Below are some highlights from our annual list of recommended nonprofits that are working on lead issues to consider for the 2011 holiday giving season. Please let us know if you have any questions. Happy Holidays from the ATC staff!
Support for Artists Raising Money for Causes
In the past fifteen years, ATC’s team has helped artists raise, direct and re-grant over $10 million to social change and social justice organizations. These donations go far beyond fulfilling immediate and dire monetary needs of great organizations. They also, and perhaps more importantly, inject energy and excitement into these organizations and the tireless efforts of their staff and volunteers.
This donation is more energizing to our movement than much bigger donations because of who it came from! –an Executive Director after hearing that a musician was giving her organization a small donation.
U.S. Tornado Relief + Update on Japan Recommendations
Suggested text for sharing on Twitter/Facebook/Band sites – How to help: US tornado relief and Japan aid update http://bit.ly/kDYuSl #disasterrelief
TORNADO RELIEF
ATC has been monitoring response to the recent tornadoes that have ravaged parts of the Midwestern and Southern U.S. After researching what our philanthropy and aid experts advise (including advisers in disaster philanthropy and relief work) we recommend the following organizations. These groups are doing immediate relief and long-term rebuilding in the areas impacted by the flooding and tornadoes.
Music Tech Tools for Causes
There are a number of great online tools that provide a variety of solutions for independent musicians in a post-major label world from direct-to-fan marketing to booking your own gigs to DIY licensing/distribution services. ATC has also started to see an influx of online tools targeted at helping musicians raise money for various charities and causes. Here are a few that are using these new technologies and funding models to connect musicians and their fans directly to the causes they care about.
UPDATE: JAPAN AID & DONATIONS
Since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, ATC has been monitoring the situation and consulting with our philanthropy and aid experts (these include advisors in disaster philanthropy and relief work).
What you should know:
- There are 3 phases to a disaster: 1. Rescue, 2. Relief, and 3. Recovery + Rebuilding. Governments are usually best able to respond to the rescue and relief phases as we have seen in Japan. The phase where experts agree that the international community has the most important role to play is in the recovery and long-term rebuilding work. This is also the phase where musicians and fans can have the biggest impact — helping to keep the spotlight on the path to recovery as the international community turns to other news and disasters — and as ATC has seen happen in New Orleans and Haiti.
URGENT ACTION: JAPAN RELIEF – HOW TO HELP
On March 11, 2011, a 8.9/9.0 earthquake – one of the largest in recorded history- and subsequent tsunami hit Japan, causing extensive damage across a large part of the country. The death toll is high and the number of displaced and homeless is even higher.
Immediate relief and search and rescue efforts are being led by the Japanese government, one of the most prepared in the world for this type of disaster. This makes aid and relief response very different from other recent disasters that took place in developing countries. Numerous countries and relief agencies have pledged support and aid to Japan when they are ready. Suggested organizations and text are noted below for immediate donations. They are mobilized and have presence on the ground in the affected areas.
NEW ORLEANS! ATC + FUTURE OF MUSIC COALITION PRESENT:
DEAR NOLA: A CONCERT FOR NEW ORLEANS” RETURNS TO THE BIG EASY
New Orleans’ own Bonerama with very special guests Cody ChesnuTT, DJ Spooky/That Subliminal Kid, Grammy Nominated Helen Bruner + Terry Jones, Ira Tuton of Yeasayer, Jenny Toomey & Kristin Thomson of Tsunami, M1 of Dead Prez, Mirah, Sage Francis, Shawn King of DeVotchKa, Sunpie Barnes, Vernon Reid, Zach Rogue of Rogue Wave to perform at Blue Nile on February 17, 2011.
Musicians from around the country celebrate New Orleans’ rich musical heritage & the community working to sustain it.
ATC AND TOPSPIN HELP MUSICIANS SUPPORT CHARITIES & NONPROFITS
A recent Topspin blog post highlights how ATC and Topspin having been working in partnership with several musicians to create successful and engaging social change campaigns. The post also notes some of the ways in which ATC can help to support artists in their efforts – helping to identify a beneficiary, collecting & delivering funds, managing compliance paperwork, evaluating the donation’s impact and more. Below is the original post showcasing some of the most successful case studies from the past year.
(Original post by Topspin can be found here: http://www.topspinmedia.com/case-studies-2/musicians-for-charity/)
DAVID MATTHEWS PUTS CHARITABLE GIVING IN FANS HANDS
With the goal of inspiring charitable giving amongst his fans, Dave Matthews played two benefit acoustic shows in Seattle, WA on Dec. 6th & 7th, 2010 where concertgoers were given a full credit back of $150 for each ticket purchased to donate to a charity of their choice. Through a partnership with JustGive, fans were able to pick from the 1.8 million charities featured on the nonprofit organization’s online platform for giving. The two acoustic shows are said to have raised around $1 million dollars.
ATC’S RECOMMENDED NONPROFITS FOR 2010 HOLIDAY GIVING
It’s that time of year again! ATC has compiled a list of recommended nonprofits working on lead issues to consider for the 2010 holiday giving season. The list highlights effective organizations working on a range of issues important to the music community including education, food justice, gay rights, immigration, net neutrality and more. Below is a sample or download the full list here: ATC’S RECOMMENDED NONPROFITS FOR 2010 HOLIDAY GIVING.
GULF RESTORATION NETWORK (GRN) is committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf Region for future generations.
ATC HOSTS INAUGURAL “SUPPER CLUB” WITH THAO NGUYEN
ATC Supper Club is an intimate dinner event series designed with a guest artist with the goal of hosting an evening of music, food and community. Each event features a guest musician who curates and cooks a full dinner menu before giving a private acoustic performance.
ATC developed this idea with Thao Nguyen in the middle of 2010, after she attended one of our Artist-Activism Retreats in New Orleans. Thao piloted the first event, which sold out in a matter of days of its limited announcement and raised over $1200 for ATC and People’s Grocery. Future ATC Supper Clubs will be presented according to artist schedules.
MAKING FUNDRAISING FOR CHARITY EASY + LEGALLY SOUND: PROCESS AND CHECKLIST
Raising money for a charity should be easy for bands. But beyond consideration of the issue or organizations to support, there are also legal issues to think about that differ by state. These laws and regulations are overlooked by bands and their managers.
To streamline the information on this legal compliance, ATC and Joe Voss, a lawyer at Clark Hill’s Entertainment Division, have created a checklist on the process that you can download here. ATC has also created a philanthropic advising program that can provide focus, administrative oversight, identification and vetting of organizations, management of compliance and nonprofit relations, and impact reporting to bands that want to raise funds for charities. For more information about this work, please contact us by emailing tara at atctower dot net.
COMING AUG 24: DEAR NEW ORLEANS – ALBUM MARKS 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE STORM & FLOODS
Album cover artwork for Dear New Orleans
ABOUT DEAR NEW ORLEANS: Air Traffic Control has been hosting artist activism retreats in New Orleans for the last four years. To mark the 5 year anniversary of the storm and floods we thought it appropriate to produce a benefit album. We started by asking the 60 alumni artists who participated in the retreats if they’d be interested in donating a track for a benefit album — we had no idea over half of them would send us music.
We are grateful they did.
BJÖRK + DIRTY PROJECTORS RELEASE “MOUNT WITTENBERG ORCA” BENEFIT ALBUM
ATC can finally tell you about this project we have been working on: Mount Wittenberg Orca. The seven song album can be purchased for a donation of $7, $25, $50 or $100 and all profits will benefit National Geographic Society Oceans Project. Apart from the initial strategizing and research, ATC will receive and re-grant the funds raised by this effort, manage compliance and conduct a thorough evaluation of the project and its impact.
LILITH FAIR: VETTING BENEFICIARY ORGANIZATIONS FOR TICKET SURCHARGE
Lilith Fair will be donating a $1 from every ticket to a local charity in each city the festival stops in.
Vetting the charities can be challenging and Lilith Fair is facing some scrutiny for a few of their choices.
The Chicago Reader reports:
”After becoming a fan of the fest on its official Facebook page, people can vote for which organization in their town they want Lilith’s bucks to benefit. The pulldown menu includes about ten choices for most cities, most of them women’s shelters or health centers for the underserved, with a synopsis of the services each offers.
