This spring, students in Dr. Wen Guo’s Development and Grant Writing in the Arts class learned how their in-class training can lead to real impacts for arts organizations in the community.
Dr. Guo’s class prepares students to become effective, strategic fundraisers. As part of their coursework, students partnered with Tallahassee’s LeMoyne Arts for a collaborative strategic planning project. The assignment tasked students with acting as development consultants responsible for researching context, programs, and funding opportunities. They then used these findings to develop informed recommendations for the nonprofit.
“Development is more than just raising money. Tomorrow’s arts leaders need to master the technical skills needed to write and win grants, but it is crucial that they also understand these are only part of what it takes to create a financially sustainable arts organization,” says Guo. “In class, we frame these skills as part of a larger strategy that deepens connections between these organizations and their patrons. Building relationships is what ensures that groups like LeMoyne can continue to enrich the cultural life of their communities.”
The students’ final report emphasized LeMoyne’s deep roots in the Tallahassee community. Recommendations drew on interviews with donors and other patrons, as well as a comprehensive audit of the organization’s fundraising materials and online presence. Students provided these suggestions to LeMoyne in support of its ongoing donor and volunteer engagement initiatives.
“We’re grateful for this partnership with FSU’s Arts Administration program, which equips students with real-world insight while strengthening organizations like ours,” says Arielle Raff, Executive Director of LeMoyne Arts. “We are proud to help cultivate the next generation of arts professionals who will shape the future of our field.”
In addition to this project, Dr. Guo’s class emphasizes practical applications in crafting grant proposals, including creating statements of need, writing evaluation plans, and organizing budgets. It also explores other broad fundraising principles relevant to nonprofit arts organizations.
Dr. Guo’s class is part of the core curriculum in the Department of Art Education’s Arts Administration program. As home to one of the oldest graduate programs in Arts Administration in the country, Florida State University has a longstanding commitment to preparing future arts leaders through meaningful engagement with the communities they will serve. Students blend theory and practice through courses in community engagement, cultural policy, and other topics that prepare them to serve and lead contemporary arts organizations. Students interested in learning more can visit the program’s web page.
Located in downtown Tallahassee, LeMoyne Arts promotes and advances education, interest, and participation in the contemporary visual arts. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, LeMoyne sustains its mission through community support in the form of memberships, donations, art sales, classes, venue rentals, sponsorships, grants, and legacy giving.