April 25, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Nonprofit leaders have long been discussing the challenges they face seeking out and grooming the next generation of charity administrators as the baby boomers begin heading into retirement. But are some parts of the nonprofit world doing a better job than others in preparing to bring new blood on board?
Barry Hessenius, a charity consultant and former executive director of the California Arts Council, thinks so. He writes in Barry’s Blog that arts organizations in particular are “courting disaster” by failing to make “generational succession issues” a higher priority.
Mr. Hessenius is author of the report, “Involving Youth in Arts Organizaitons: A Call to Action,” commissioned by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and released this month. It examined what, if anything, arts charities in California are doing to attract young people to their causes. The answer: not enough. While many of these charities are doing a good job reaching out to and supporting young artists, many are failing to attract the under-30 set as advocates, donors, and potential new leaders.
There are some bright spots, he writes. Many arts organizations have longstanding relationships with high schools. This connection to teenagers needs to be “better exploited” so as to “move beyond exposing them to our performances and get them involved in our organizations.”
Environmental organizations appear to be more aggressive and innovative in their efforts to engage the next generation, and Mr. Hessenius’ report (available free from his blog) looks at what arts organizations could learn from green groups.
Has your organization succeeded in attracting young supporters and staff members? Share your suggestions about what works by clicking on the link just below this posting.
