Interview with Morrie Warshawski, Consultant, and Vivienne Verdon-Roe, Filmmaker

In the best of economic times, fundraising is challenging for individual artists. This spring, the Foundation Center had a “virtual” sit-down with noted fundraising consultant and author Morrie Warshawski and Academy Award winning independent filmmaker Vivienne Verdon-Roe to talk about their experiences developing financial resources for artistic purposes.

Morrie Warshawski http://warshawski.com has spent more than 25 years specializing in the arts subsector of the nonprofit world. His clients represent an eclectic mix of agencies large and small, throughout the United States, and in all artistic disciplines. His writing credits include the creation of Lessons Learned: A Planning Toolsite for the National Endowment for the Arts  http://arts.endow.gov/pub/Lessons; Shaking the Money Tree: How to Get Grants and Donations for Film and Video; and The Fundraising Houseparty: How to Get Charitable Donations from Individuals in a Houseparty Setting.

Vivienne Verdon-Roe has earned an honorary doctorate and more than 20 film festival awards, including an Academy Award (Women for America, For the World) for her work as an advocate for people living in harmony with each other and our environment.  She has successfully used fundraising houseparties to secure financial support for grassroots activities. Vivienne is the co-founder of Seaflow www.seaflow.org.

Foundation Center (FC): Morrie, tell us a little bit about your background, and how you learned the art of fundraising?

Morrie: I have a crazy quilt background and never ever intended to be doing what I am doing now as a professional.  I received my BA and MA degrees in English at the University of Southern California and attended the Graduate Writers’ Workshop in Poetry at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.  Through a fluke I was chosen to be an intern at the National Endowment for the Arts one summer.  I got hooked on the nonprofit sector and decided that I would leave the life of academe and work with artists.  During my tenure as the executive director of three different nonprofit arts organizations – each one larger than the one before, each with bigger staffs and bigger budgets – I learned the art of fundraising the hard way.  I’d say that 90% of my time was spent fundraising, so basically I learned on the job.  Every week I would try to write at least one grant proposal and make some type of contact with a person or foundation that could make a donation to my organization.  There’s no better way to get an education in fundraising than having to do it yourself, and having your organization very dependent on your results.

FC: Vivienne, winning an Academy Award for something you are quite passionate about and for which you spent many tireless hours fundraising must be exhilarating. Tell us about that.

Vivenne: My film was nominated for an Academy Award, and when I heard the announcers Mathew Broderick and Helena Bonham Carter declare, "And the winner is Women for America, For the World,” I could have sworn I heard a great shout echoing throughout the theater.  During the days that followed, I got phone calls and letters from many, many people who'd supported my film.  Often they'd tell me that they were watching the Oscars on TV, and when they heard Women had won, they leapt out of their chairs and shouted for joy.  

FC: Morrie, In Shaking the Money Tree: How to Get Grants and Donations for Film and Video, you write, “when funders embark on the path of supporting a filmmaker, they enter into a relationship based on a tremendous dose of trust.” How can individual artists without long track records, with no public financial disclosure documents like the IRS Form 990, and without boards of directors, build that trust?

Morrie: The entire issue of building trust is central to the art of fundraising in every venue.  That is why emerging artists and young organizations need to begin thinking long term and start laying the groundwork for trust in every interaction they have with funders and the community at large. Very smart grantseekers understand that marketing and public relations are joined at the hip with fundraising.  So, how can an artist begin to engender this trust?  There are many tools the artist can employ.  One is to garner awards from professional competitions.  Another is to get public recognition – especially in the press – for any and all activities.  Positive critical response to an artist’s work is very important.   I recommend that artists as part of their normal modus operandi secure kudo letters from anyone and everyone who ever says anything positive about their work.  I highly recommend becoming very conscious of the key people in an artist’s field – the opinion makers – and trying to make contact with them, or at the very least to include these people in a press list that receives regular notices about the artist’s work.  Network as much as possible, and whenever there is an opportunity to meet funders at receptions or seminars, be sure to show up and introduce yourself.  Climbing the ladder of credibility in order to gain trust takes time, but the effort is well worth the reward.

FC: Do you think the end product--the actual film, video or other completed work—is proof enough of responsible stewardship of donor dollars? Or should artists consider other ways to report back to their donors on the progress of the project?

Morrie: Of course, donors are pleased when the end product is complete and of high quality.  But completion of the work does not necessarily mean that the donor’s dollars were responsibly used.  There are some general rules to keep in mind with donors.  The first is to be sure only to spend the dollars they donate for the items and activities they have specifically targeted.  When dealing with a foundation, go over the grant notification letter carefully, and follow all instructions for reporting that the foundation requires, including quarterly reports, final accounting, etc. With individuals, if you are not getting “general operating support” to use any way you want, then be sure to send a follow-up thank you letter to the donor that reiterates your understanding of how the donation may be used.  The main thing to remember is that a donation is the beginning of a relationship.  The artist should stay in touch with the funder throughout the process of creation.  This can be done with short e-mails, an official newsletter, occasional phone calls, or even a work-in-progress session or an invitation to visit the set or studio.  Savvy artists know that every opportunity for interacting with donors helps to deepen the relationship, and set the stage for future involvement.

FC: Some of the artists that we have helped at the Foundation Center have difficulty translating their particular project into something that a prospective donor can understand, get excited about, and buy into.  What motivates an artist to create can be very different from what motivates a donor to give. What advice do you have for artists about how to talk to funders? 

Morrie: My best advice to artists who want grants and donations is to step into the shoes of the funder – to try and see things from the funder’s perspective.  This must be done with each and every funder, no matter what the venue, if the artist is going to be successful in consistently finding support.  The artist must speak the same language as the funder if there is going to be a conversation.  That means finding out what excites the funder, what is the mission and purpose of the foundation, and who are they trying to serve.  Then the artist can ask herself, “Does my project fit within the mission of the funder, and is there some way I can position my project that the funder will find exciting?”  Artists cannot expect every funder to be excited about their projects.  The range of appropriate funders for any project will always be small. For artists who are having difficulty articulating (or “pitching”) their projects, I highly recommend role-playing with friends.  I also recommend putting together a small “brain trust” of colleagues or advisors who can encourage the artist to think outside the box, and help the artist develop the right spin to their appeals.  It is also extremely important that artists get honest feedback from funders themselves – especially when a proposal is rejected.  This feedback can be incredibly helpful in understanding where an artist’s approach is going wrong.

FC: You have had the unique opportunity to talk to many funders.  What advice have they given you about how individual artists can be more effective at obtaining grant support?

Morrie: Over the years, I have heard many things from funders about the proposals they receive and how those proposals could be improved.  The first thing many funders complain about is obfuscation. Funders prefer very clear, precise language presented in a highly organized manner, with information that is easy to find.  Funders also like to see very early on in a proposal exactly what the artist wants from them – right in the first paragraph – so they don’t have to waste time flipping through pages just to find out if they are on the same plate with the artist.  One thing many funders have told me, almost word for word, is that, “The artists who are persistent, and keep contacting me in a pleasant and professional manner, tend to be the ones who succeed.”  In other words, be persistent without being obnoxious. 

FC: Vivienne, have you received any support from institutional funders? Tell us about your experiences speaking with them.

Vivienne: The only foundation funding I got for my film Women for America, For the World was a $10,000 grant from the Gund Foundation, after I met with its director.  I could have papered my bathroom with the rejections I got from all the other proposals I sent out trying to raise money for that film.  I agree with Morrie, if you are passionate about your project and you can meet your funders face to face, you stand a much better chance of being funded. 

FC: Morrie, the cocktail-party-as-fundraiser as outlined in your new book The Fundraising Houseparty: How to Get Charitable Donations from Individuals in a Houseparty Setting, has the potential to be fun as well as an effective strategy for some artists. Tell us how you came up with this idea and about some of your successes using this technique.

Morrie: I first learned about this method of fundraising from Vivienne, who used the technique very successfully in a grassroots campaign to get lots of small and medium-sized donations for Women For America, For the World.  It turns out that political parties have used this technique with great success for decades.  The clients I have worked with who have thrown parties have always had success.  The average party usually garners from $3,000 to $7,000.  I lectured about this topic once in South Carolina, and one of the attendees told me a year later that she had thrown a party to get capital campaign support from very wealthy individuals, and raised $90,000 in one evening!

FC: So tell us, Vivienne, about your successful houseparties for the film project http://www.videoproject.net/about_TVP.html.

Vivienne: My film only cost $50,000. All this took place years ago, and at that time I was in the fortunate position of being able to work for free. My editor took a big pay cut because I married him. I had the $10,000 Gund grant, but that still left $40,000 to raise. 

Since I was desperate for funding, I turned to my friends, none of whom had much cash to rub together. They offered to do fundraising parties for me.  These parties were wonderfully encouraging.  I'd arrive at a friend's home to find a dozen or so folks gathered in the living room.  I'd show my five minute "demo" tape, which consisted of a number of what I thought were sensational statements from the women who appeared in my film, and then I'd talk passionately--the passion thing is important--about what I wanted to do with this film -- empower women, change the world, etc. And I'd ask people to please help me by contributing to its production.  Someone would count the money and we'd announce how much was raised, give ourselves a hearty slap on the back, and then I'd ask if there was anyone who'd volunteer to have me come to their home and do the same thing with their friends. This last effort made the parties self-sustaining.  Eventually I hired a houseparty coordinator, and we trained six women who volunteered to make the presentations.  Over a two-year period, we held hundreds of parties.  Two thousand people attended those parties, and we raised the $40,000 we needed.

FC: What pitfalls, if any, should artists think about before planning their own fundraising houseparties?

Morrie: Fundraising houseparties have very few downsides, but there are some things to watch out for.  The first is that the party takes a good deal of pre-planning and preparation work.  Even though items like invitations, postage, and refreshments will usually be covered by the host, the artist must be prepared to shoulder these costs if the host does not offer to pay.  Artists giving houseparties must be sure not to leave out any of the crucial elements.  They should be sure to throw the party in someone’s home and not in a gallery or commercial space; have the host invite her friends and acquaintances; rehearse an appropriate peer – someone known and respected by the attendees – who will make an impassioned and direct appeal for support; have a highly engaging piece of work to show--a videotape, slideshow, short theatrical scene.  I saw one great party fail to garner donations only because the artist was too shy to get a peer to make an ask that evening. Everyone had a lovely time, but no one gave any money because they were never asked!

Vivienne: I learned not to pre-judge the houseparty crowd.  Once I arrived for a party, arranged by a student.  There were four people present, wearing particularly off-beat attire, in a tiny studio apartment.  I nearly skipped the fundraising pitch.  At the end when I was handed a couple of checks, I didn't even look at them or announce how much was raised, since I thought it might be embarrassing.  When I got home, I saw one of the checks was for $500.  Stunned, I called the donor and asked if it was a mistake.  No, it wasn't.  Wow!

I soon realized that not only was I raising money for my film, but we were raising consciousness too.   People had a chance to talk about how they felt about the arms race, about the waste of money and energy, about what didn't get funded, about what we could do as "ordinary citizens.” The fact that all the people in the room cared about these issues created a bond among us and there was a feeling of safety.  By the end of the evening, there was such a sense of camaraderie and we're-all-in-this-together, people would report feeling excited and empowered.  I always provided literature about local organizations working for peace, and many people who attended the houseparties went on to become activists. 

FC: What final advice can you offer artists who are trying to raise money to support their individual projects?

Morrie: First and foremost, raise your own level of self-awareness, so that you can understand where your own weaknesses and strengths lie as an artist who must engage in fundraising.  This is the most important advice I can give any artist who wants grants and donations. 

After that, I would counsel:

• Party, party, party – networking is incredibly important in this field.  Meet as many people as you can as often as you can.



• Learn how to listen – fundraising works best when you engage donors in a dialogue and not a monologue.



• Write a mission statement – this helps the artist articulate to funders (and to herself) why her work is important, and why her work is different from that of other artists.
  


• Open yourself up! – Invite support, emotional and intellectual, from colleagues and friends.
  


• Keep it personal – Try to individualize each and every request for support so that funders feel you really understand them.



• Think long term – In this business you have to make many short-term sacrifices that will, hopefully, pay off in the long run. 

Vivienne: One of the major benefits of grassroots activity is that while you raise money and consciousness, you also build community.  In today's world, so many people are feeling isolated and are longing for a sense of belonging.  We're providing our communities with a real gift by creating opportunities for people to come together to talk about the important issues of the day, to celebrate art, and to give others a chance to contribute. 

FC: Thank you both for talking with us.