When High Standards Collide With Low Expectations
Last week’s poll asking readers “how many orchestras will take advantage of having the direct link to their respective financial reports page at GuideStar.org and post it on their webpage by the end of November” and if “institutional transparency in the form of posting financial and annual reports matter” generated just over 100 responses. The results, at the time this article was written, can be summed up by saying that stakeholders have high standards but low expectations…
QUESTION: Does institutional transparency in the form of posting financial and annual reports matter?
QUESTION: How many orchestras do you think will take advantage of having the direct link to their respective financial reports page at GuideStar.org and post it on their webpage by the end of November?
Unquestionably, this is one instance where I am disappointed that my outlook is shared by a majority of others throughout the business. Clearly, institutional transparency is an important issue for stakeholders and organizations taking the time to enhance their transparency by making the most basic of financial reports available at their website would benefit from such measures.
Most reasons behind why an organization doesn’t make financial reports available fall into two basic categories: apathy and philosophical opposition.
Concerning the former, stimulating positive change can be as simple as offering much needed tools – like an orchestra IRS 990 resource list – to assist overcoming very real shortages in personnel and time. As for the latter, introducing systemic change is a much greater challenge and past practice throughout the field indicates there may be a great deal of resistance to these efforts.
Click to visit the new Orchestra Financial Reports resource list
There are a host of reasons why this is the case (some legitimate but just as many if not more aren’t) but ultimately, there’s nothing standing in the way of clearing out unhealthy financial practices of the past. In order to accomplish this task, it takes the combined efforts and dedication of a board executive committee, CEO, and CFO to implement necessary changes and rally the remaining stakeholders behind the institutional vision.
In order to promote institutional transparency on a continuing basis, the reference list from 10/28/2009 has been moved to a static page in Adaptistration’s resource material. This free resource currently includes all of the orchestras from the Orchestra Website Review but over time, it will be expanded to include as many organizations as possible.
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Adaptistration is authored by orchestra consultant Drew McManus and since its launch in 2003, the blog has become standard reading for arts administrators and arts administration programs throughout the world.
Might be good to add lack of staffing or time to apathy and philosophical indifference on your list of why orchestras don’t link to this.
Many orchestras are just barely able to get through the challenge of administrating successful concerts and staying financially responsible.
Thanks for the comment and that’s precisely what was mentioned in one of the earlier articles on this topic and why the direct links were assembled in the first place.
At the same time, even though times are tough, there are many groups that manage to conduct business as usual and do an excellent job at meeting and exceeding demands.