Thirteen years ago, Larry Quick realized there was a growing need for a place where young black men in his Washington, D.C., neighborhood could go to receive after-school academic tutoring and arts training. They would also receive encouragement, gain life skills, and most importantly, have a shoulder to lean on.
With the help of co-founders Mary Brown and Ben Johnson, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization Life Pieces to Masterpieces (www.lifepieces.org) was born. Quick, Brown, and Johnson designed the program to empower at-risk African American male youths, ages 3 to 21.
Since 1996, LPTM has served more than 600 boys and this year the program serves more than 200 students, seven of whom will finish the program with $50,000 in college funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Achievers Scholarship, a renewable scholarship good for each year throughout graduate school. All students in the program enter post-secondary education after graduating from high school.
LPTM came about quite organically, says Brown, the executive director. In 1996, Brown was working for another nonprofit in the Washington, D.C., area where she crossed paths with Quick, then a full-time student at the Corcoran College of Art + Design. Quick, now 38, titled his senior thesis “Strong Man’s Series,†a reflection on adolescent years and personal hurdles on painted canvas. He incorporated artwork from young men in his community as part of his thesis. During this process, Quick noticed that the boys gravitated toward him and looked to him as a mentor.
Brown and Quick started with a group of seven children. They took the kids on trips to museums, art galleries, and bowling. The seven boys quickly grew into a troop of 35. Brown, seeing the growth in numbers, proposed turning the small program into a legitimate nonprofit. Through blood, sweat, tears, and some personal savings from the founding members, LPTM was off and running. To date, Brown annually contributes $4,000 of her personal savings and Quick continues to consult for the program and function as a role model for the apprentices.
The real challenge of sustaining any nonprofit is developing a consistent pipeline of funding, which is where the third piece to their trinity, Johnson, comes in. Johnson started as a volunteer for the
program in 1999,
Initially they had no fundraising strategy, but the financial and programmatic support they received from the mayor’s Office of Partnerships and Grant Services, the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation’s grant, and the Children’s Trust Neighborhood Initiative served as a launching pad. “We received guidance on how to develop a fundraising plan that proved to be successful,†says Brown.
Despite the current economy, the program has not lost the monetary support of even one donor. Brown, with her staff of 15, is on track to generate close to $700,000 by way of their fundraising efforts.
Still, like many people who start nonprofits, Quick and Brown faced resistance and doubt from people in the community
and potential financial backers. “Folks were saying [the art form] was a difficult style and would be difficult for the children and they wouldn’t be able to do it, but I’m good at making complicated things simple,†says Quick. He developed what is now the art program’s curriculum. Each student receives his own canvas. After the canvas is painted, they cut out pieces of the artwork, which Quick explains represent pieces of their lives. Later, students sew the different parts together, showcasing the fragments of their lives that were considered challenges, but have been turned into opportunities. The final product——a masterpiece made of life pieces. Although Quick continues to consult for LPTM, he left the program to pursue art full time. The art component is now led by artistic director Seneca Wells, who apprenticed under Quick.BROWN, QUICK, AND JOHNSON’S ADVICE
Know the rules. Every state has its own qualifications for becoming a legal nonprofit. You should check with your state officials to see exactly what those requirements are. Before you get to that point, identify why it’s important for your nonprofit to exist. Brown says you must be certain about your objectives. “You can’t say, ‘Oh, I might like to do this.’ Be very clear about what you want to accomplish.â€
Do your research. Places like the Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org) and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (www.dcarts.dc.gov) are great resources to locate funding
opportunities. Johnson says, “Be sure you’re aware of exactly what funders are interested in and that the mission of your nonprofit aligns with those goals.†Considering the current economy, establishing a relationship with a funder can sometimes take more than three years.
Create a realistic budget. Quick, Brown, and Johnson produced three organizational budgets (one low-end operational budget, one mid-level operational budget, and one high-end operational budget), allowing them to have a budget that was on a sliding scale and could smoothly be adjusted without adversely affecting the quality of service. This allowed them to prioritize what functions would be halted in case of a decrease in revenues.
Be visible. Make sure you’re using all media platforms to advertise your organization. For example, LPTM uses social media site Facebook to keep funders abreast of its progress.