This article by Dela Murphy provides some great insight into how one dance community effectively ran a fundraising campaign for their series.
From the CDSS News
Downloadable Excel Spreadsheets
Sample spreadsheets to help organizers create a budget for their dance series, weekend, or tour!
From Erik Erhardt, Ron Nieman, and Glenn Manuel, Southwest Regional Organizers Conference 2014
Non-Profit Management: Updating and strengthening our administrative foundation
Non-profit governance and administrative systems require routine updating as organizations evolve. This workshop is designed to help organizers of any committee—old or new—strengthen their administrative platform. Topics include: the pluses and minuses of incorporating and registering as a non-profit; the steps that a group must take to incorporate and/or register as a non-profit; and the roles that bylaws and articles of incorporation play to define the organization’s purpose and how the organization is governed. This workshop will be particularly helpful to groups that are not formalized as incorporated non-profits who are thinking about taking these steps, or for members of formalized committees who want to better understand governance systems. We’ll share some decisions that were addressed at our dances to generate discussion, clarify how CDSS is prepared to assist, and open up the floor to any governance/administrative issues that you might be tackling in your own dance community.
From Catherine Burns, Rima Dael, & Nancy Turner, Puttin’ On The Dance 2015
Creating a Happy, Healthy Volunteer Base: Ways to engage and retain volunteers to sustain our dances
Volunteers are crucial to the healthy sustainability of our dances, as much to build community as to get the job done. These workshop notes talk about the importance of volunteers, different kinds of volunteers, recruitment, engagement and retention. We’ll also work to address some specific volunteer challenges, useful whether you’re a committee of one or part of a large organizing team.
from Tara Bolker & Maxine Louie, Puttin’ On The Dance 2015
This article by, Tom Siess, including a follow up by Bruce Hamilton explores the role of a board as well as ideas regarding good governance.
From the CDSS News
How to Structure Your Organization
This two page document provides some basic considerations on how to structure your organization
From CDSS
Reference Contra Dance Sound System
In this series of blog posts, Jeff Kaufman describes various aspects of sound engineering at a contra dance, from the system itself to mic placement and more.
How Should BIDA Finance a Sound System?
Contra Dance Sound: Microphones
Simple Contra Speaker Placement
Fiddle Clip-on Microphone Placement
In this post, Jeff explores some of his thinking behind musician booking for the BIDA dance series. Community discussion follows.
From Jeff Kaufman
Example of a performer info sheet that can be sent to people hired for a dance to clarify any confusion beforehand!
From Nancy Turner, Queen City Contra, Puttin’ On The Dance, 2011
Hiring Dance Camp Staff—Guidelines For Organizers
An excellent set of guidelines and tips from Lisa Greenleaf on hiring staff for a weekend or week, diving into all aspects of hiring and scheduling.
From the CDSS News
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.