Newspapers / Philanthropy Journal of North … / March 1, 1995, edition 1 / Page 7
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7 March 1995 Philanthropy Journal of North Carolina Marble Continued from page 6 to a comment made by Apollo astro nauts in the late 1960s. While they were floating in space, they described the earth as a giant blue marble. Julian-Fox’s older brother, cele brated fashion designer Alexander Julian, is a major financial contrib utor to Blue Marble through his Foundation for Aesthetic Appreciation and Understanding. Directors of Blue Marble hope to expand their work from roving pro jects to more permanent programs with collaboration from other arts and education groups. One such project is MODEL - Mobile Design Education Lab - a large futuristic van dreamed up by children and designed by N.C. State University students. So far, a miniature model of the van has been funded with a $40,000 grant from the Nathan Cummings Foundation in New York City. The vehicle resembles a larger version of Hollywood’s “Chitty- Chitty Bang-Bang” car. Blue can vass tents unfold from its sides and solar panels line its top. Along its rim, colorful plastic bubbles can eject to reveal compartments filled with arts supplies. By September, Blue Marble intends to complete the actual van, which seats up to 40 children. The van will then be sent to schools, libraries and hospitals where chil dren can participate in Blue Marble design projects on a regular basis. But Blue Marble needs $120,000 to finish the van. “[The fundraising] is so hard,” Julian-Fox says. “There’s more competition for funding and, more than that, the whole society we live in doesn’t always understand the mission” of the organization. She says Blue Marble struggles with a public image as frivolous and expendable. In the upcoming months. Blue Marble will focus on educating the public about its edu cational missions. It will also seek more funding. This past year, the nonprofit hired its first paid staff members - an executive director and program director. While they’re assuming a lot of the responsibility that the volunteer board members handled, their salaries have quadrupled Blue Marble’s annual expenses. Blue Marble also intends to link its mission to a growing trend toward incorporating the arts into classroom education. Julian-Fox met with Jeanne Butler, executive director of the Kenan Institute for the Arts in Winston-Salem, and with directors from the Children’s Museum about the World in Raleigh to discuss possible joint projects. But Blue Marble will not act without the advice and consent of its Youth Advisory Council (YAC), which consists of children and teenagers ranging in age from nine to 16. YAC convenes once a month to brainstorm and review projects. “Absolutely, the kids are heard,” Julian-Fox says. “Kids are involved from the very beginning if not the origination. We are not just adults thinking what children need. For me, as a parent, that’s what’s really exciting. It just makes what we’re doing so right. “ Steve Wainwright, a Blue Marble board member and Duke University zoology professor, points out that while children are the focus of Blue Marble, they’re not its only benefac tors. Adults benefit too, he says. Inspired by the children’s design and invention projects, Wainwri^t set up a special lab tor artists at Duke’s Zoology Department. Periodically, artists visit to sculpt three-dimensional models of organ isms for students and professors to study. “Blue Marble is by far the most exciting and intellectually stimulat ing group I’ve ever been a part of,” Wainwri^t says. “The imagination is not restricted to kids.” Most Blue Marble projects have been periodic and usual ly held on the lawns of museums or in the corridors of malls. Now, the nonprofit hopes to sponsor more per manent projects such as MODEL, a van that would transport Blue Marble supplies to locations with chil dren such as libraries and hospi tals. A model of the van, designed by N.C. State gradu ate students with the input of chil dren, is pictured in the top photo. In the lower two pho tos, Triangle-area children work on building "Fantasy City", a one-day Blue Marble Project set up outside the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh. Photos courtesy of Blue Marble Trust Continued from page 6 uals by providing capital funds for expansion of facilities or equip ment. Vance Frye, director of the foundation’s health care division, says the new funding strategy rep resents “an ongoing quest for how we can most effectively use the funds of the trust for the purpose they are intended for and for the benefit of the individuals they’re intended for.” A survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy of grantmaking at 93 major U.S. foundations showed the Reynolds Trust had the biggest planned increase, with grantmak ing up 58 percent from last year. For information, call the foun dation at (910) 723-1456. Funding Continued from page 4 zation is undertaking the project. “Our first responsibility is to our donors,” says Powell, executive director of New Hanover Regional Medical Center Foundation in Wilmington. “We need guidelines so we can be as accurate as possible with [them] about the cost of raising money.” Linda Wilkerson, executive director of Arts Alliance , says the guidelines will “definitely help because they will establish bench marks for fundraisers to use when estimating costs and educating board members. “Many nonprofits, especially smaller ones, figure out what they need and just keep going until they get it.” Without formal guidelines, many fundraisers must rely on cost-return analyses to explain their investe- ments in fundraising. While this method is useful, it does not always provide a complete and accurate explanation of fundraising costs, NSFRE leaders say. For information about the guide lines, contact Maurice Levite at (703) 684-0410. Relations Continued from page 4 ways to bring about better interac tion among different races. The group made its first presen tation last month to a group of stu dents at North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount. By discussing the personal effects of racism. Common Ground members hope to work towards healing. “The strength of this type of tool will come from people speaking from the heart with honesty,” says Rick Davis, general manager of the Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce and a member of Common Ground. “The purpose of Common Ground is to bring harmony or some healing the wounds of thii^ that have caused us some divisiveness in the past.” 'The project was organized by the Chamber of Commerce in conjunc tion with the Faith and Politics Institute in Washington, D.C. The Institute has also started projects in Wilmington and Charlotte. Major funding was provided by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation in Mnston-Salem, as well as local cor porations in the pilot cities. Recently, the Rocky Mount group received $24,000 from the Reynolds Foundation for operations and a part-time director for the program. “The goal is to recruit and train and organize a team of leaders in the pilot communities who will undergo some experiences which will stimu late their capacity and enhance their motivation to get serious about work ing on race relations,” says Doug Tanner, the Institute’s executive director. “The purpose is to unite people in support of a vision of racial unity.” Rocky Mount was chosen as one of the pilot communities because of its racial dynamics. Organizers say there is much work to be done to address the community’s problems. “We have a long history of being divided by county and race,” says Angela R. Bryant, community devel oper of the Wrist’s Center, an adult day health care center for elders and disabled adults. “The railroad track splits the town in two counties... one flourishes and one suffers.” In this context, even economic development can be a divisive issue, says Bryant, since African Americans feel that development projects traditionally have favored the white communities. “Our city, in order to thrive, has to address this issue,” she says. ’HERRON & Company, Inc. Investment Counsel 3301 Woman's Club Drive, Suite 148 Raleigh, NC 27612 Phone (919) 571-7722 FAX (919) 571-7889 Winslow ii Considine EXPERIENCE S SUCCESS •Capital Campaigns • Sponsorship Development •Planning • Public Relations Post Office Box 10973, Salem Station Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27108 910- 722-7982 (phone) 910- 722-8671 (fax) Internet: 73145.1 750 ©CompuServe, com
Philanthropy Journal of North Carolina (Raleigh, N.C.)
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March 1, 1995, edition 1
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