Operating Support Grant

The Ely Folk School is highly oriented to the community. In our recent strategic planning sessions (in which we worked with a consultant to develop a three-year strategic plan), we utilized feedback from a 2021 survey of all our constituents. This survey informed what program areas we plan to focus on and what facility needs are most pressing. When the pandemic hit, we listened to community voices and moved to online programming as early as April 2020. The Ely Folk School, buoyed by high enrollment and demand, expanded our program schedule to be year-round. Previously, classes were not scheduled during the slower tourist months (January, March, and April). Prior to moving forward with our new stained glass department, we surveyed local stained glass artists. They were critical to shaping the equipment which stocks the stained glass studio. Our class schedules are highly informed by what students are interested in learning, taken from class evaluations and personal conversations. Every person who participates in one of our programs receives an evaluation form they may fill out anonymously. This allows us on the programmatic and day-to-day level to receive feedback about our facilities, communications, instructors, and classes. We use this information to improve our email messaging to registered students and find classes that our students would like to see. We also take relevant feedback and relay it to each instructor, so that they may continue to develop their teaching philosophy and material. Our staff work from the Ely Folk School classrooms and are available to the public during their work hours. People often stop by to ask about our classes and programs, inquire about the studio, and pitch new classes. The accessibility of both our staff and board to the public is an important way for us to gauge how our community uses our programs. Feedback of particular interest is discussed at monthly Team (staff + board) meetings. In 2021, the board of directors implemented a survey designed to gauge opinions and desires for EFS to be sent to all students and donors and a survey to be sent to all instructors once every two years. The survey was also posted on social media in an attempt to reach folks who have not been able to take classes recently, but may be impacted by EFS programs. Feedback from the 2021 surveys were taken into consideration as staff designed the 2022 program calendar. A similar survey will be sent in spring of 2023.As an organization, the Ely Folk School serves three main populations: locals; cabin owners; and tourists. It's notable that almost half of Ely Folk School participants live locally year-round. Many community members have told us that the Ely Folk School was a welcoming institution when they first moved into the area. A recent applicant for the Program Coordinator position on our staff wrote in their cover letter: ?Since my move, I've been trying to find ways to get involved with my new community, and the best thing I've found has been the [Ely] Folk School.? Our board chairperson has a similar story, saying that when she moved to town without knowing anyone, the first few social things she found solace in were Ely Folk School classes. We're proud of our innate ability to bring together diverse groups of people. Our small classes often consist of students from many generations and a variety of zip codes. In tourist towns like Ely, there can grow a sentiment of frustration amongst locals, directed at the crowds of visitors. Each summer, and increasingly each winter, people flood Ely's restaurants, hiking trails, and parking spots. There is a dearth of opportunities for tourists to engage meaningfully with locals - to tell stories and build relationships. The Ely Folk School is one of the few venues that aims to foster that communication and connection. Folk schools are inherently intergenerational and non-competitive with no grades and no credits, which encourage learning for life instead of for exams. In