​​Business Development Grant Helps 25th Street Theatre Build Successful Fundraising Strategy​​​

25th Street Theatre (Anita Smith) was successful in applying for a Business Capacity Grant to help make their organization more sustainable.

Anita Smith needed to build her donor base at the 25th Street Theatre to remain financially stable. “We knew we required professional support to achieve our goal, but as a result of the pandemic we did not have additional money to hire the support of fundraising professionals which we definitely needed,” says Smith. “The Business Capacity grant allowed us to double the impact of the funds that we had available and work with well-connected and invested fundraising professionals.”

The 25th Street Theatre, helmed by Smith, was successful in applying for a Business Capacity Grant to help make their organization more sustainable. As Saskatoon’s oldest theatre company, 25th Street Theatre serves as a vital contributor to the vibrant theatre ecosystem in our province by creating safe and sustainable spaces to develop new Canadian theatre, amplify underrepresented voices, and connect the public to the arts.

“We used the funds to hire DCG Philanthropic who helped us create a fundraising strategy, policies, presentation documents, and connected us with potential donors,” explains Smith. “Because of our project, not only did our staff and board gain fundraising skills that we will be able to take forward to help finance our future activities, but we are able to produce three productions in our next season which means we will be able to hire over 50 Saskatchewan theatre artists, and we will be renting venues, and purchasing goods here in Saskatchewan in order to bring our productions to the stage. Not to mention, two of our productions are going on tour, so our impact will truly be felt throughout the province.”

When considering why 25th Street Theatre was successful in applying for the Business Capacity Grant, Smith says, “When we apply for funds, we try to give the jury a clear and concise picture of what we are going to do, and why it is important not only to the development of our organization, but also to the community we are seeking to serve.  When it comes to submitting budgets, I always show my work so the people evaluating our application know how we reached our totals.  And for what it’s worth, I think testimonials and reviews of your work give the jury an idea of how your organization and your work is received by the community.”

While some might feel that art and business may seem to be at odds, Smith disagrees. “In the same way that engineering students need to take English 100 as part of their degrees, I would like to see business training become a greater part of the training artists receive.  It isn’t enough to be a great artist, you also need to be able to navigate the business of your industry in order to build a sustainable livelihood. Artists should have the right to fair compensation for their work and the contributions we make to the overall quality of life in our communities as well as the economy.”