The CDP allows arts and cultural organizations to quickly and easily generate consistent, reliable reports for multiple grantmakers using the best data available. Nationwide, more than 60 large and small public, private, corporate, family and community-based grantmakers with more than 100 funding programs are now accepting reports from the CDP as part of their grant application processes.

Currently, our participating grantmakers include some of the nation’s largest arts grantmakers, such as The James Irvine Foundation, William Penn Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and many others. Furthermore, national programs are participating, such as the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation’s Core Support for National Organizations program and OPERA America.

Benefits

• Private grantmakers: Your participation in the CDP lessens the burden on your applicants and facilitates communication among grantmakers through the creation of a shared vernacular.
• Public grantmakers: The use of standardized definitions for reported data increases the transparency of your grant application process.  Access to reliable, longitudinal data allows you to lobby for more support from policymakers.
• Community foundations: The CDP helps you identify community trends and needs on both local and regional levels.
• Corporate foundations: The CDP helps you analyze the return on your investments in your grantees. Your participation supports the data collection on the arts and  cultural organizations nationwide, thus strengthening the sector as a whole.

Lessen the burden on your applicants

By accepting reports generated through the CDP and using the standardized data as the core set of organizational financial figures in your grant application, you ease the burden of the application process for your grantees and, at the same time, receive the most consistent, reliable information available about your applicants.

Compatibility

As a centralized, stand-alone repository for historical information, the CDP is compatible with both online and paper-based application processes; there is no technical integration required. Since the CDP is not a common grant application, project-specific information, projected budgets and all narrative and evaluative questions remain in each participating grantmaker’s application forms. Applicants provide you with the CDP data in a report customized for the needs of each of your funding programs. These reports can be saved as PDF files and printed or uploaded into any online application system.

CDP staff can also provide electronic datasets for all your applicants. These data can be used to inform your grantmaking decisions, help to identify community trends, assets, and needs and influence the growth of new or existing grantmaking programs.

Cost

The cost of bringing the CDP to a state is shared by a collaborative group of public and private funders.  The budget is based on both the number of arts and cultural organizations that will use the CDP and the number of grantmakers that will require it as part of their application processes. All services are provided at cost. Once the CDP staff understands the ecology of a state, they can provide a more accurate estimate of the cost.

Participation

You can  participate most effectively by providing financial support for the project in your state and require your applicants to use the CDP. By participating, you invest in the capacity building of your applicants and in this successful, growing national effort to advance the arts and cultural sector.

If the CDP is not yet in your state, please contact CDP staff. We will be happy to explain the model by which the CDP can be brought to your state.

If the CDP is in your state, please contact CDP staff. We will be happy to provide more information about the partnerships and opportunities in your state.