MODE Assessment Survey - ALL Applicants & Current Clients
 

1. ORGANIZATIONAL SELF-ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST

 
If you are a Staff or Board of Director of an organization receiving MODE Arts Incubator, Intensive Services Program (ISP), or Stabilization Program funding, please complete the following Assessment Survey.

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1. ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSE

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Concise, written Mission Statement
2. Concise, written Artistic Philosophy Statement
3. Understanding of mission and philosophy by board
4. Understanding of mission and philosophy by staff
5. Understanding of mission and philosophy by constituencies/gen. public
6. Understanding of mission and philosophy by prospective funders
7. Mission statement and philosophy reviewed regularly
8. Concise, written history of the organization

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2. ORGANIZATION PROGRAMS

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Sense of vision and continuity provided by artistic leadership
2. Annual program planning process
3. Written annual program plan
4. Formal communication of annual program plans to staff
5. Formal communication of annual program plans to Board/volunteers
6. Method for review/evaluation of prior year's program
7. Method for determining whether programs meet constituent needs
8. Written multiyear program plan
9. Adequacy of rehearsal/preparation time/equipment
10. System for costing-out program elements
11. Volunteer support of programs
12. Other artistic issues

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3. GOVERNANCE

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Understanding of the responsibilities of the board
2. Written board member job descriptions
3. By-laws: current, functional, used
4. Procedures for evaluating short-term/long-term objectives
5. Procedures for recruiting new board members
6. Procedures for orientation of new board members
7. Procedure for evaluating board members and/or board rotation
8. Structure of board committees
9. Frequency of board meetings
10. Attendance at Board meetings
11. Procedure for meeting notice and preparation
12. Effective use of time at Board meetings
13. Board attendance at performances/exhibits
14. Staff input into Board decision-making
15. Understandable financial reports presented to Board
16. Board's understanding of finances
17. Method of reviewing auditor's report
18. Board represents community served
19. Board's understanding of Board/staff relationships
20. Board's understanding of fundraising
21. Board members make sufficient cash donations annually
22. Board members give time/expertise
23. Board members advocate the organization in the community
24. Board members review/approve long range plan
25. Board members recruitment of new audience members
26. Board members recruitment of new donors
27. Board members sense of involvement
28. Board members sense of accomplishment
29. Role of advisory committees
30. Other Governance issues

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4. STAFF

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Clarity of reporting relationships
2. Current and accurate written job descriptions
3. Administrative leadership
4. Communication among staff members
5. Communication between staff and board
6. Communication among staff, board and artists
7. Staff's understanding of the function and duties of the board
8. Staff participation in planning
9. Appropriateness of staff size re: programming challenge
10. Staff experience in relationship to the job assignment
11. Time available to perform jobs satisfactorily
12. Opportunities for staff training and personal development
13. Systems for recruiting/using/thanking staff & volunteers
14. Written personnel manual and policies
15. System for annual performance reviews
16. Benefit package for staff
17. Benefit package for artists
18. Salary scale for staff
19. Pay scale for artists
20. Employment status of artists (employee or independent contractor)
21. Staff use of consultants/contractors
22. Staff Morale
23. Office Equipment
24. Other personnel Issues

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5. MARKETING

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Understanding of who currently patronizes organization
(e.g. ticket sales, book sales, memberships, etc.)
2. Understanding of who organization wants as patrons (target markets)
3. Understanding of organization competition in your catergory and annual review of their activities
4. Tracking of actual ticket sales/attendance by event & fiscal year
5. Mechanism for regular market research and analysis
6. Annual written marketing plan
6a. Annual written subscription promotion plan
6b. Annual written single ticket/membership promotion plan
6c. Annual written other sales promotion plan
7. Organization's subscription renewal rate (repeat customers)
8. Effective marketing/promotional materials
9. Incorporate a marketing budget into overall Org Budget
10. Analysis of cost-per-unit to sell each product
11. Size of marketing staff in relation to task
12. Experience of marketing staff in relation to task
13. Staff use of marketing consultants
14. Volunteer assistance with marketing/subscription/sales
15. Ability of organization to accurately project earned income goals
16. Ability of organization to consistently meet earned income goals
17. Process for evaluating effectiveness of marketing plan
18. In-house computerized mailing list
18a. In-house mailing list with procedures for updating/purging information
19. Other marketing issues

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6. PUBLIC / COMMUNITY RELATIONS

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Consistency and clarity of organizational image communicated to public
2. Mechanism for handling of public queries, complaints, etc.
3. Currently incorporates an annual public relations plan:
3a. Effectiveness in representing the organization: to its constituencies TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
3b. Effectiveness in representing the organization: to its constituencies TO THE PRESS
3c. Effectiveness in representing the organization: to its constituencies TO THE CRITICS
4. Mechanisms for receiving and evaluating feedback from various sources
5. Possess organization publication(s) for awareness/outreach
6. Size of staff in relation to PR tasks
7. Experience of staff in relation to PR assignments
8. Budget for public relations
9. Understanding of difference between marketing and public relations
10. Other Public/Community Relations issues

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7. FUNDRAISING

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Process for setting annual fundraising goals
2. Mechanism for providing development staff input into fundraising goals
3. Mechanism for providing Board input into fundraising goals
4. Ability of organization to consistently meet fundraising goals
5. Written development plan for annual operating support
6. Plan indicates secured, renewable and speculative contributed income
7. Size of development staff in relation to task
8. Experience of staff in relation to job assignment
9. Grantwriting expertise
10. Staff's Individual donor research capacity
11. Staff's Corporate, foundation, govt. grants research capacity
12. Special events, consistently net at least 50% of income as profit
13. Impact on organization of producing special events
14. Leadership of Board in special events
15. Involvement of Board in prospect identification
16. Involvement of Board in individual donor solicitation
17. Non-Board volunteer support of fundraising effort
18A. Solicitor training conducted with board of directors
18B. Solicitor training conducted with staff
19. Earned income/contributed income mix
20A. Organization's ability to attract: individual donations, gifts
20B. Organization's ability to attract: corporate and corporate foundation gifts
20C. Organization's ability to attract: private foundation funding
21. Level of local government grants (arts & non-arts)
22. Level of state government funding
23. Level of national government funding
24. Development materials
25. Computer support for fundraising
26. Gift recording system
27. Gift acknowledgment system
28. Systematized information about donors/prospects
29. Mechanism for systematic renewal of past/lapsed donors
30. Systematic plan for expanding donor base
31. Budget for fundraising expenses
32. Other Fundraising Issues

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8. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Annual budgeting process conducted by staff & Board
2. Computerized accounting/budgeting/reporting systems
3. Board mechanism for reviewing monthly statements
4. System for regular cash flow projections and monitoring
5. Ability of organization to manage cash flow
6. Formalized cost controls
7. Ability of organization to pay accounts payable within 30 days
8. Annual financial audit (with management letter) by CPA
9., Board system for reviewing audit
10. System of internal controls
11. Payroll tax deposits made when due
12. Ability of org. to manage debt repayment of notes/loans outstanding
13. Line of credit for the organization
14. Investment and endowment returns
15. Formal policy that maintains integrity of cash reserve or endowment
16. System for segregating pre-payments in restricted accounts
17. Size of staff in relation to tasks
18. Experience of staff in relation to job assignments
19. Staff's understanding of financial systems
20. Board's understanding of financial statements
21. Other Financial Management issues

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9. FACILITIES

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Space for productions/exhibits/activities at present level
2. Space for expanded productions/exhibits/activities
3. Space for current administrative staff
4. Space for expanded administrative staff
5. Space for current production staff
6. Space for expanded production staff
7. Storage facilities
8. Image facility communicates to constituents
9. Ambience of space for staff and volunteers
10. Degree of organization's control of facility
11. Length of lease agreement
12. Other Facilities issues

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10. PLANNING

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1. Multi-year plan in place and in use
2. Plan reviewed and updated annually with board and staff
3. Evaluation of previous year activities in relation to plan
4. Other Planning issues

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11. EXTERNAL ENVIORNMENT

 STRONGADEQUATEWEAKN/A
1A. Understanding of local/regional ECONOMIC CLIMATE
1B. Understanding of local/regional GIVING TO THE ARTS
1C. Understanding of local/regional ATTENDANCE OF THE ARTS
2. Organization's knowledge of/relationship to arts community
3. Organization's knowledge of/relationship to non-arts community

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12. Which MODE Program is your organization applying for/participating in?

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13. Choose the name of the organization you are affiliated with. If you do not see your organization name, choose "Not listed" and write your org name in the box below.

 Organization Name
HAA Grantee Organization

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14. Are you a STAFF MEMBER or BOARD OF DIRECTOR

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15. Please indicate your full name on the space below. All members of the Leadership Team listed on the MODE Application are required to fill out this survey.