Workplace Giving is a huge part of the ArtsKC Campaign; it accounts for about one-third of the total amount raised annually! A workplace giving campaign is an annual fund drive that offers employees the opportunity to make a single financial contribution to a wide range of artists, arts organizations and arts programs across the metropolitan area. It doesn’t matter how big or small your company is, how simple or in-depth you would like your Campaign to be, ArtsKC staff can provide the resources and ideas to help tailor the campaign to fit your needs.
Contact Iván Garnica at IGarnica@ArtsKC.org or 816.994.9240 to learn more!
All Workplace Giving Campaigns must be completed by June 15, 2019.
Workplace Giving Campaigns can be fun, easy ways to get your employees engaged and excited about the creative community in Kansas City!
Effective and imaginative Workplace Giving Campaigns stimulate creativity, build teamwork and generate positive feelings about your company. In addition, employees become more connected to the community, discover ways to enrich personal and family life and derive satisfaction from supporting the arts.
A Workplace Giving Campaign for ArtsKC is also efficient. In one campaign, employees have the opportunity to support a broad base of local arts and cultural offerings with one donation, or designate their contribution to the efforts they most want to support.
You can also leverage your Workplace Campaign as a way to showcase your employees’ individual artistic talents through an employee or family showcase, art auction or other special event.
STEP 1 – Commit
I know you’re excited to start planning your arts campaign but there is a little paperwork we need, first! Before you get going, contact Iván at IGarnica@ArtsKC.org to secure a few necessary documents.
Once that pesky paperwork is out of the way:
Organize a planning committee, gain management support, and select your Campaign dates.
Not all companies organize a Workplace Giving planning committee, but it’s helpful to do particularly if you are in a large company or would like to engage employees in Campaign activities.
Potential Workplace Giving Committee Responsibilities:
- Determine/review Campaign budget.
- Develop and implement Campaign strategy/schedule.
- Plan and promote Campaign events – art shows, employee performances, finger-painting in the breakroom, etc.
- Ensure all employees are made aware of the Campaign and asked to consider making a contribution.
- Develop incentives, in collaboration with ArtsKC.
- Promote the Campaign.
The level of involvement by your CEO or top management sets the tone for the entire effort and is one of the most important aspects of a successful campaign.
Ways management can support the campaign:
- Authorize payroll deduction.
- Authorize a corporate matching gift.
- Be visibly engaged in the campaign.
- Allow company time for campaign training, planning & presentations.
- Send a letter or e-mail message to all employees endorsing the campaign.
- Select a senior manager to conduct a Leadership Campaign. Individual leadership giving begins with an annual gift of $500.
- Send a letter or e-mail message to all executives encouraging a Leadership Gift of $500 or more.
- Attend and speak at the company’s kickoff and closing events.
STEP 2 – Plan
Plan activities!
The most successful ArtsKC Campaigns are the ones that make it about more than ‘just another fundraiser’. These campaigns invite grant recipients to perform in their offices, showcase employee artwork at happy hour receptions, start story chains via email and/or host silent or live auctions for fabulous activities and prizes! You can be as creative or simple with your Campaign activities, but try to make it fun!
Click here to download the ArtsKC Campaign Timeline and Checklist.
STEP 3 – Launch
Launch your campaign with marketing and communications:
- Templates – Posters and Communications Templates
- Campaign Materials – Electronic Pledge forms, Campaign Commitment Form, and End of Campaign Report
- Campaign Examples + Ideas – Samples of successful workplace giving campaigns
- Video Testimonials – from ArtsKC grant recipients
STEP 4 – Profit! (for the arts, of course!)
Distribute pledge forms, collect donations and have fun!
Collection Options
- Payroll Deduction
- Monthly recurring gift
- Quarterly recurring gift
- Check
- Cash
- Pledge
- Online
Giving to ArtsKC is easy and can be done in many ways! We need a record of each donation to accurately give you credit for your campaign success, but we can provide printed pledge forms, electronic forms, or direct employees to our secure online donation page. Employees can make a pledge, sign up for a recurring monthly or quarterly donation, or make a one-time contribution by check, cash, or credit card. Payroll deduction is available at most workplace giving companies and is an easy way to make a big impact on the region’s arts community!
Solicitation Letter from CEO to Employees
Solicitation Letter from CEO to Executives
2017 Calendar .pdf– Johnson County Government
2017 T-Shirts – Johnson County Government
2017 Poster .pdf – Johnson County Government
ArtsKC Logo Available By Emailing Iván Garnica at igarnica@ArtsKC.org)
- Invite artists and representatives from local arts organizations to speak and/or give performances.
- Share your CEO/Senior Manager’s endorsement of the campaign with all employees.
- Provide a corporate match of employee gifts.
- Recruit campaign committee members from ALL levels and departments within your organization.
- Establish friendly competitions.
- Find an employee to perform and/or talk about the positive impact of the arts.
- Personalize pledge forms and collect them from ALL employees regardless of whether or not they make a contribution.
- Identify a campaign theme and plan fun and creative activities throughout your campaign.
- Offer incentives for giving…raffles, additional PTO days, etc.
Sample Campaign: 15 Minutes
| Presentation/Performance | Presenter | Minutes |
| Welcome | ECM | 1 minute |
| Comments/Endorsement | CEO or Sr. Manager | 3 minutes |
| Speaker/Performer | Artist, Arts Organization, or ArtsKC | 5 minutes |
| Solicit Contributions
Announce goal Explain incentives Make case for giving ASK for donations |
ECM and/or Campaign Committee Members | 5 minutes |
| Closing | ECM | 1 minute |
Have an extra 5 or even 10 minutes? Include a fun game or hands-on art activity.
Sample Campaign: Five Days
One to four weeks before the Campaign begins:
- Announce your campaign schedule including theme, performances and any special events.
Monday: Kickoff
- Hold a kickoff event, announce goals and distribute pledge forms and brochures to all employees.
- Have your CEO or senior management encourage participation and personally endorse the campaign.
Tuesday: Educate
- Send an e-mail or letter to each employee explaining the importance of ArtsKC Grants and Programs.
- Invite an ArtsKC speaker or grant recipient to address your employees. Contact Iván Garnica at igarnica@ArtsKC.org to schedule a presentation.
Wednesday: Entertain
- Provide entertainment and talent. Contact Iván Garnica at igarnica@ArtsKC.org to schedule a performance or artist.
- Showcase the arts by holding creative and fun events and/or contests.
- Feature performances by your own talented staff members.
Thursday: Remind
- Report campaign progress.
- Announce early-bird raffle specials.
- Remind everyone to turn in their pledge forms on time.
- Host an afternoon arts event.
Friday: Celebrate
- Host a closing arts event to announce results.
- Thank all participants.
Jeffie Mussman
ArtsKC Donor and Community Arts Volunteer
“Throughout history, the arts have required patrons. Arts don’t exist without patrons. [Through ArtsKC] we have a chance to contribute. You don’t have to be a big multi-million dollar corporation in order to be a patron. We can give what we can, and it can have a true impact.”
Jessica Ann
ArtsKC Donor
“Supporting the arts is fundamental to creating a thriving and diverse community. Having grown up and greatly benefited from the arts and cultural organizations in KC, I feel that it’s my responsibility to support those organizations and new ones to come well into the future. Donating to ArtsKC is one of the small ways I can do that.”
Bob Regnier
President, Bank of Blue Valley, Former ArtsKC Campaign Cabinet Member
ArtsKC Donor Since 1999
“I give because I believe a healthy, vibrant arts environment is a critical element for the Kansas City region to achieve success and growth in the future. The ArtsKC Grantmaking program helps me contribute to expanding the arts landscape in our region.”
Rob Vetter
Director of Grants, Synergy Services, Inc.
ArtsKC Grant Recipient
“Synergy’s Youth Resiliency Arts Program fills a major gap in services for teens at great risk for HIV infection, pregnancy, substance abuse, suicide attempts, gang affiliation, and learning difficulties by providing access to high-quality arts programming. Art is one of the best tools available to help a young person’s inner conversation shift from deficits to assets. The most traumatized youth gain confidence when engaging in artistic endeavors made possible through grants from community partners like ArtsKC.”
Daniel Silva
Executive Director, KCK Chamber
ArtsKC Donor Since 2014
“I give because I believe in a Greater KC. The ArtsKC Grantmaking program provides me the platform to meaningfully contribute to arts and culture – critical pillars of any thriving city.”
Steven Murray
Executive Director, Youth Symphony of Kansas City
ArtsKC Grant Recipient
“Our involvement with ArtsKC has increased awareness of the Youth Symphony program, which in turn increases access to the program. We are dedicated to community-wide access to classical music. With the support of ArtsKC…we are able to ensure access to live classical music in parts of the city otherwise devoid of such performances.”
Linda Haney
ArtsKC Donor Since 2012
“On a personal level, I love that ArtsKC supports artists, musicians, writers and other creative people at all levels in many and varied ways. A small grant can make a huge difference to someone’s ability to continue to create.
In the big picture of the global world, we have achieved much in the information age. For our civilization to continue to grow, we need to be creative and innovative, too. I believe initiatives such as ArtsKC Grants provide our people, our businesses and our city with the ability to continue to be creative and innovative. By nurturing the arts and creative people, we will grow our population, our economy and our businesses. As we become known as a creative arts community, businesses will benefit from the creative process and the innovative ideas creative people bring.”
Lyn Elliot
Short Film Maker
ArtsKC Grant Recipient
“The ArtsKC grant helped me afford professional post-production elements for my short film, A Good Match. The high post-production quality helped my film land a spot in a very competitive film festival, LunaFest, which accepts eight entries out of 900 submissions. These are then screened at 150 venues in the U.S. and Canada. The film was shot in Kansas City, features Kansas City actors and the majority of the crew is from Kansas City. As the film travels this coming year, it will draw attention to Kansas City as a place with the resources and talent to support independent filmmaking.”
Workplace Giving FAQ’s
How do I start a workplace campaign at my company?
Contact Iván Garnica at IGarnica@ArtsKC.org or call 816-994-9240.
What does the Employee Campaign Manager do?
The Employee Campaign Manger (ECM) is the leader of the Campaign at a company. They are the person who selects Campaign dates, communicates with ArtsKC staff to secure materials and plan presentations or performances, organizes activities, distributes pledge forms, and collects donations and/or pledges to report back to ArtsKC.
Do I have to have payroll deduction set up at my company in order to do a campaign?
No! Payroll deduction is a great way for employees to make a pre-tax contribution, but you don’t have to offer this option in order to conduct a workplace campaign at your company. ArtsKC offers many other donation options to make it easy for you and your HR department, including recurring contributions!
ArtsKC Grantmaking FAQ’s
Why should I donate to the ArtsKC Grantmaking program?
Our community has been greatly enriched by the contribution of artists and arts organizations. ArtsKC Grants are a way to support more music, art and theater for everyone in our community. But don’t just take our word for it, click here to see why others in the Kansas City area support Grants. And check out the Testimonials tab for even more reasons!
Who decides where the money from ArtsKC Grantmaking goes?
Panels comprised of community volunteers, arts experts, Board members and others review all applications for grants. Criteria for each of the three categories of ArtsKC Grantmaking can be found here. Once applications pass the panel review process, recommendations for funding are submitted to the ArtsKC Board of Directors, which has final approval of all panel recommendations.
Is ArtsKC Grantmaking an endowed fund?
No. ArtsKC conducts an annual fundraising campaign to raise money to make grants. There is no guaranteed reserve. Funds must be raised each and every year to fulfill grant requests.
Do ArtsKC Grants serve the entire metropolitan region?
Yes! Arts audiences are drawn from both sides of the state line in almost equal numbers, with 52% of the audience members living in Missouri and 48% living Kansas. So, ArtsKC grants are awarded to recipients in five counties (Jackson, Johnson, Wyandotte, Clay and Platte) and on both sides of the state line.
How much of my money goes directly to the arts organizations?
A minimum of 85% of funds raised go directly to grant recipients; up to 15% is used for administrative and fundraising costs.
Do the grant recipients change from year to year?
Yes and no. Inspiration and Catalyst Grant recipients must apply for funding each year so the list of recipients expands and changes. Ovation Grant recipients receive funding annually and new organizations may apply and be added each year.
Is my contribution tax-deductible?
Yes! Contributions to ArtsKC are fully tax deductible.