about us
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Arts Action Fund?
The Arts Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit membership organization created by Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. Launched on October 4, 2004, the Arts Action Fund seeks to engage citizens in education and advocacy in support of the arts and arts education. The Arts Action Fund's goal is to enlist and mobilize 100,000 citizen activists who will help ensure that arts-friendly public policies are adopted at the federal, state, and local levels, and that public and private resources are maximized.
Why is the Arts Action Fund needed?
Part of what motivated us to create the Arts Action Fund is that, despite the strong public support that we know exists for the arts in this country, funding for the arts and arts education has been declining.
Over the past two years, 40 percent of funding for state arts agencies has been cut. Several states have practically eliminated arts funding altogether, and the market share of private donations dedicated to the arts has dropped by more than 40 percent in the last decade. In 1992, the arts received 8.4 percent of all charitable giving. By 2003, that share had dropped to 5.4 percent. If the arts had maintained their 8.4 percent share of total giving in 2003, they would have received $20 billion instead of $13 billion in support—that's a $7 billion difference.
Many arts organizations have had to make cutbacks in hours, stage more commercial productions, and hold fewer productions overall. Art programs in schools are being cut back or eliminated.
The arts are especially important for our children. Students with an education rich in the arts have better grade point averages, score better on standardized tests in reading and math, and have lower dropout rates. Yet sadly, funding for arts education programs is being cut at an alarming rate. The Arts Action Fund is intended in part to help reverse these trends.
What kinds of activities will the Arts Action Fund initiate?
Our work involves four primary components:
First, educating elected officials, candidates, the media, and citizens about why the arts not only enrich us—they also create better students, better schools, and better communities.
Second, providing advocacy training at the federal, state, and local levels—involving our extensive arts advocacy infrastructure and network to help educate and train individual arts advocates and local organizations.
Third, evaluating Members of Congress—assessing and rating their voting records on high-priority arts issues and holding them accountable to their constituencies of arts supporters.
Fourth, providing a voice for the public—aggressively petitioning to shape public policy for the arts and arts education.
What is the difference between a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4) organization?
A tax-exempt nonprofit charitable organization, as defined in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, is legally limited in the amount of activity and funds it can spend on lobbying. It is also prohibited from engaging in electoral activities (campaign fundraising, electioneering, and endorsing candidates). As a 501(c)(4) organization, the Arts Action Fund has no legal spending cap on lobbying and significantly fewer legal restrictions on expressing its voice in an election cycle, allowing it to make quantum leaps in lobbying and political activities on behalf of the arts.
Are contributions to the Arts Action Fund tax deductible?
No. Because the Arts Action Fund is a 501(c)(4) organization, contributions are not tax deductible.
Who can join the Arts Action Fund?
Anyone can join the Arts Action Fund: individuals, nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies (subject to local regulations), and corporations. Help us recruit citizen advocates, including board members, co-workers, colleagues, friends, and family. Membership contributions start as low as $20 per year. Join today at www.ArtsActionFund.org.
What is the difference between a citizen member of the Arts Action Fund and a professional member of Americans for the Arts?
As a citizen member of the Arts Action Fund, you will be one of many activists who will help ensure that arts-friendly public policies are adopted at the federal, state, and local levels, and that public and private resources are maximized. For the Arts Action Fund to mobilize citizens to take action on legislative and especially political matters, federal law limits our communications only to dues-paying members of the Arts Action Fund.
Americans for the Arts has more than 5,000 arts organizations, arts managers, arts educators, and artists as professional members. Professional members receive valuable member benefits and technical services that help them promote the arts in their communities. Base membership in Americans for the Arts starts at $50.
Is it possible to be a member of both the Arts Action Fund and Americans for the Arts?
Yes. You can become a member of both the Arts Action Fund and Americans for the Arts.
Can a donor write one check to become both a citizen member of the Arts Action Fund and a professional member of Americans for the Arts?
Yes. However, the check must clearly state how much money is being given to each organization. And remember, contributions to the Arts Action Fund are not tax deductible.
Does the Arts Action Fund make grants to individual artists or local arts programs?
No. The Arts Action Fund is working to increase public funding for the arts at all levels of government for the benefit of everyone across the nation, including nonprofit arts organizations, artists, and the general public. The National Endowment for the Arts and state and local arts agencies do make grants. The Arts Action Fund seeks to educate elected officials about the importance of funding these programs and to mobilize individual citizens to support public arts funding. If you are seeking arts funding, you should first contact your local and state arts councils for technical assistance, grants, and connections with others doing similar work in your community.
