Two-Year Operating Support Grant

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$14,700
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Twin Ports Choral Project
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
February 2016
End Date
January 2018
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
St. Louis
Anoka
Hennepin
Ramsey
St. Louis
Anoka
Hennepin
Ramsey
Project Overview
Two-Year Operating Support Grant
Project Details
Twin Ports Choral Project position, and marketing support.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Erling Ellison: jewelry designer and creator, speech coach and judge, director of Garrison Art Fair; Ken Bloom: Director of Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota-Duluth; Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist; Kate Fitzgerald: Program Director for North Shore Music Association, writer; David Beard: Assistant Professor of writing studies, University of Minnesota-Duluth; Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; John Gregor: photographer, art educator, community art advocate; Ann Russ: music performer, community song leader, choir director, workshop leader, past director and founder of North Shore Music Association; Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Dana Mattice: Development and Communications Director of The Art Institute Duluth; Moira Villiard: visual artist and student of arts and communication at University of Wisconsin-Superior; Jeanne Doty: Retired Associate Professor of music, University of Minnesota-Duluth, pianist; Candace LaCosse: North House Folk School instructor, leatherwork designer and crafter.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Erling Ellison: jewelry designer and creator, speech coach and judge, director of Garrison Art Fair; Ken Bloom: Director of Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota-Duluth; Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist; David Beard: Assistant Professor of writing studies, University of Minnesota-Duluth; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; John Gregor: photographer, art educator, community art advocate; Ann Russ: music performer, community song leader, choir director, workshop leader, past director and founder of North Shore Music Association; Jeanne Doty: Retired Associate Professor of music, University of Minnesota-Duluth, pianist.
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2015 Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$14,700
Other Funds Leveraged
$300
Direct expenses
$15,000
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

With the support of this grant, Twin Ports Choral Project will: 1) create a sustainable organizational structure, including paid artistic director and choir manager positions, 2) create a funding calendar for the organization, including an annual fund and a fundraising dinner/concert, 3) create a payment structure for the Twin Ports Choral Project singers, and 4) create a more robust outreach program. Twin Ports Choral Project will: 1) assess the artistic director and choir manager positions to ensure sustainability within the funding structure created by analyzing the time put in to the organization by these positions and leverage this against a competitive salary, 2) assess the organization’s funding calendar to better understand which fundraising/grant efforts proved to be most successful and what this means for future funding efforts, 3) using assessment 1 and 2 as a guide, decide how best to move forward in creating a singer payment structure, and 4) work to reach at least 2 high school choral programs per year. Additionally, Twin Ports Choral Project will evaluate the success of this project by the increase in audience and donor membership, as well as grant funding. Additionally, website and Facebook usage and usefulness will be monitored and assessed through Google analytics.

Measurable Outcome(s)

With the support of this grant, Twin Ports Choral Project has: 1) Created a sustainable organizational structure, including becoming a 501(c)3. We had a hope to pay the artistic director and one administrative staff person. At this point, it is not in the budget to make this happen in a full-time employee capacity. Right now, our concert tickets range from "free will" to $10. Twin Ports Choral Project wants to encourage audience commitment and a higher ticket price is difficult for many of our patrons to handle. As an organization, we've realized over the past two years that the most important part of our mission is to share our music with the Twin Ports Community. 2) Created a funding calendar for the organization, including an annual fund and a fundraising event. Our fundraising event will begin in Fall 2018 as a collaboration between local restaurant and Twin Ports Choral Project. We have initiated an annual fund through Give to the Max. 3) Created a more robust outreach program. Each year, TPCP choral project has connected with Minnesota High Schools to perform concerts and clinics. Over the past two years, TPCP has worked and performed with Saint Michael-Albertville High School, Duluth East High School, Robbinsdale Cooper High School, Southwest Minneapolis High School, Madison High School, Angelica Cantanti, Shokopee High School, and the Hmong Prep Academy.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Bret Amundson, Jennifer Campbell, Jefferson Campbell, Alex Loch, Tasha Turk
Project Manager
First Name
Bret
Last Name
Amundson
Organization Name
Twin Ports Choral Project
Street Address
4301 Superior St E
City
Duluth
State
MN
Zip Code
55804
Phone
(206) 660-6300
Email
bamundson@css.edu
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

424 West Superior Street, Suite 104
Duluth, MN 55802

Phone
Project Manager: Rebecca Graves
218-722-0952
Email the Agency