Ending our Fiscal Sponsorship with Open Collective
Published on March 4, 2024 by hannah mayree
Dear Supporters,
I am coming to you in the best of spirits and with a reassuring notion attached to news of change.
We found out this week that we will no longer be able to use Open Collective as our non-profit fiscal sponsor due to the Open Collective Foundation dissolving. https://blog.opencollective.com/open-collective-official-statement-ocf-dissolution/
It has been three years of using this model as a way to collect funds and transparently pay our staff and reimburse for material goods that allow programs like our banjo building workshops to grow and be shared with communities around the country.
We have had a good experience with OC but things come to an end and in all transparency I’ll say, for unknown reasons.
This leaves us in an interesting position as we will no longer be able to accept donations through this platform after March 15.
Truly a quick turn-around, solving this is currently underway and we will address this creatively with short and long term solutions.
We welcome ideas and service hours from anyone who has knowledge or expertise in the field of non profit legal structure creation or other governance and organizational insights.
We welcome ideas and service hours from anyone who has knowledge or expertise in the field of non profit legal structure creation or other governance and organizational insights.
This platform will be up until September so as much as possible will give word soon to update you all about what platforms we will be shifting to and what ends up being the next iteration of working in the non-profit industrial complex and really, in the capitalist machine that we are doing our best to utilize to shift narratives, change lives and provide creative pathways for Black cultural arts practitioners and the communities with work with.
The solidarity economy has allowed our work to be supported by you and Open Collective has facilitated that happening. Now we will move into our next phases while assuring you that our work continues to be pronounced and we remain committed to the reclamation and embodiment of musical & land-based cultural attributes that provide us with the insight and strength to pursue liberation through knowledge and spirit based pathways.
You will be the first to know what is in the horizon for BBRP.
Currently our work entails:
- investigating new fiscal sponsors and the creation of our own non-profit
- Planning local in person events for the rest of 2024 in the Bay Area
- Planning our banjo build happening in the DC area this fall
- Summer programs in Chicago and long term development
- Partnership work in Appalachia
- Continuing to apply for grants
- Banjo distribution
- Online classes coming soon
- Website revamp
- New hire for executive assistant
- Partnering with local communities to bring cultural arts and community enrichment through the banjo and Black peoples in folk music!
Your support has been incredibly meaningful. So much gratitude for your contributions, patience and support. Look out for other updates and we look forward to continuing our journey with you!
~Hannah Mayree
Founder and Executive Director of the Black Banjo Reclamation Project
Incognito
Posted on March 4, 2024
if you’re going to be looking for another umbrella, la based community partners is a stable, solid option.
Lisa Mitchell
Posted on March 4, 2024
Thank you for the inclusion of the community every step of the way! Aula (aka/Lisa)