ASK ABOUT UNMET NEEDS
Financial support is not the only type of support that organizations may need.
Inquire about opportunities and challenges an organization is experiencing and consider how those opportunities and challenges might align with your organization’s programs or services.
consider this
consider this
Take a moment to think through the below thought starters. Your awareness of these considerations could lead to the identification of possible solutions.
01 / 06
When you ask about unmet needs, there could be a variety of different reactions
Never assume the response will be a positive one. Remember these reactions are rooted in experiences and acknowledge that experience shapes engagement.
Don’t give up.
02/ 06
Intentional listening is a key component of building an authentic relationship
The intention is to hear, to understand, validate, and affirm—not listen to, respond, and “triage.”
03/ 06
Avoid the assumption that you already know exactly what an organization needs
This “savior” mentality can result in disengagement and distrust. Any interaction should start from the premise that the leader of an organization knows what their organization needs.
Especially consider that leaders of color tend to be questioned more than others on their knowledge and skills.
04/ 06
Build in the time to close loops
When you ask about an unmet need, be prepared to receive a response and follow up on the action thereafter.
If you can’t meet the need, work toward finding the organization or person who can.
05/ 06
Your organization can not boil the ocean
One of the only things worse than failing to ask about unmet needs is promising to meet unmet needs before being confident in your organization’s ability and capacity to do so.
Be intentional, transparent, and plan to successfully steward a ne
06/ 06
Celebrate the abundance that exists in a community!
Talking about unmet needs and opportunities should never minimize the great work already happening.
Take time to acknowledge successes and the effort it takes to do the work.
your turn
Let’s start with some buckets. Build out this map and create connections!
During conversations with an organization, listen to its needs and see if you can put them into the buckets below. Use the empty buckets for needs that don’t fit the ones that are already labeled.
This does not have to be a deep dive “needs assessment”—just a space for sharing and dreaming together. Remember, information about your interaction with this workbook is not recorded. You can download a PDF with your answers upon completion.
HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE
Think of how beneficial it could be for a less visible arts organization to sit with a more prominent organization or other major change makers who are open to sharing space and thinking big on behalf of the community. Being together to envision a shared impact and build relationships could be more valuable than a one-time financial grant. These connections can lead to new collaborations, shared audiences among organizations, increased visibility for unknown artists, leadership opportunities to influence decisions, and access to more resources.
Start making connections now. Who are the stakeholders you can lean into to support mutual needs? Using the buckets above, identify stakeholders that can help. You may not be the only source to fill all needs. Make a list of contacts and potential connections. Keep track of what other organizations say to develop a list of mutual needs and identify patterns.
GET CURIOUS: LET’S TAKE A DEEPER DIVE
The following definitions and activities can help you dive into some resources, root causes or drivers, and examples of how this intentional work can be pushed forward to break disconnection, distrust, and disinvestment cycles.
Have you ever had an experience where you intentionally had an event, created a program, or made a suggestion and were frustrated because no one showed up? Was there a lack of engagement or a reaction that shocked or disappointed you? This can happen when the intended attendees are not a part of the process or have been historically excluded.
Giving gifts or being a “life savior” can feel good. It activates 3 out of the 4 happiness hormones. But the “charity” driven support comes from a deficit mindset that can support a supremacy mindset. Saviorism happens when the assumption is made that we think we know better than the people we are giving to, and we disvalue what the real need is based on the assumption.
There have been communities around the nation that have shared moments of engagement with BIPOC and ALAANA organizations that have been less than positive. If your organization perceives a level of anger, distrust, or abruptness during a conversation, progress may have halted in these circumstances. Note that BIPOC and ALAANA organizations may have experienced blatant discriminatory acts or have not been consulted or compensated for their work. It’s possible that these types of experiences have impacted their perception of engagement. Use emotional intelligence and increase engagement through empathy and compassion.
Imagine hearing, “Quick run! A bear is on the loose and they are right behind you”. If this was happening in real time, your brainstem, also known as your survival and emotional brain, would take over the logical part of your brain.
There are three zones of engagement: comfort zone, stretch zone, and stress zone. In the last zone of engagement, the stress zone, the emotional/survival brain takes over and makes connection almost impossible. Based on certain lived experiences, some people of color and the institutions that serve those communities can quickly land in the stress zone. Building authentic connections over time will support comfort levels and the ability to connect outside of the stress zone.
need help?
Check out the resource list below
Maintaining Connections: Ask About Unmet Needs with Monica
https://youtu.be/4X_vp6wM9ws
Maintaining Connections: Ask About Unmet Needs with Elisheba
https://youtu.be/DsHqHzrbSs0
Maintaining Connections: Ask About Unmet Needs with Sally
https://youtu.be/RXi--fdjLBM
Deepening Relationships with Diverse Communities: State Arts Agency Strategies
https://nasaa-arts.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Diverse_Community_Relationships.pdf
CREATIVE ECONOMY:
We envision a country where artistic and cultural creativity is embraced as a human-based, primary driving force towards impact, empowerment, and economic and social justice in lives across the country.
https://www.americansforthearts.org/by-topic/creative-economy
The Happy Brain Chemicals That Make You Feel Good
https://www.mindmypeelings.com/blog/daily-dose-of-happiness-chemicals
Your Brain When You’re Anxious
https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/your-brain-when-youre-anxious
Sympathy vs. Empathy in UX
https://www.nngroup.com/articles/sympathy-vs-empathy-ux/
Emotional Intelligence
https://www.mindtools.com/ab4u682/emotional-intelligence
Seek Solidarity, Not Charity
https://the-ard.com/2020/11/10/seek-solidarity-not-charity-anti-racism-daily-bt62d/
Charity Detox: What Charity Would Look Like If We Cared About Results, (Robert D. Lupton, 2015) Harper One.
The Bias of ‘Professionalism’ Standards
https://ssir.org/articles/entry the_bias_of_professionalism_standards
New Nonprofit Leaders of Color Bring Change but Also Face Hurdles
https://www.philanthropy.com/article/new-nonprofit-leaders-of-color-bring-change-but-also-face-hurdlesThe Black Experience at Work in Charts
Key Takeaways:
Key Takeaways: do
1. Check your assumptions.
2. Listen intentionally.
3. Acknowledge the variety of reactions.
4. Gauge all communication forms as an asset perspective versus a deficit perspective.
download your work…and show it off
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