Cultural Data Project

The California Cultural Data Project is a groundbreaking statewide funder collaborative, using technology to collect and disseminate longitudinal, organizational, and financial information about the nonprofit arts and culture sector in California. The California Cultural Data Project, originally operated by Pew Charitable Trusts, but now overseen by the national Cultural Data Project, works to strengthen the sector through more effective financial management, analysis, and reporting by nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Renewed support would provide capital for implementation of a newly adopted strategic plan that calls for an updated technology platform, a fee-based business model, and a deeper engagement of arts and culture organizations.

Launched in early 2008, the California Cultural Data Project is a ground-breaking statewide collaborative of more than forty arts funders, providing the first opportunity to collect and disseminate longitudinal, organizational, and financial information about the nonprofit arts and culture sector in California. The California Cultural Data Project, originally operated by Pew Charitable Trusts, but now overseen by the newly-formed Cultural Data Project, works to strengthen the sector by supporting fact-based decision-making through more effective financial management, analysis and reporting by nonprofit arts and culture organizations, and the provision of standardized data for grantmaking and research efforts. This continued grant to the Cultural Data Project for the California arm of the national network would support the ongoing operations of the California Cultural Data Project, including the provision of technical assistance, trainings and help desk support for its participating arts and culture organizations, technology upgrades, and promotion of research for advocacy and policy making.