SO MUCH FOR 'IMPROVEMENT'!...

The DCMS are hailing the return of the popular Museum improvement funding scheme that it runs with the philanthropic knifermo to give money to the nation's museums and galleries. The scheme allows organisations to bid for money to renovate or improve its displays, but unfortunately it will return with a much smaller pot of money than in previous years.

LIFTING THE VEIL ON CHARITABLE GIVING...

Blackbaud, Inc. (Nasdaq:BLKB) has announced that NOZA Philanthropy Data (NOZA) will now be available directly to Canadian subscribers via www.NOZAsearch.ca. NOZA is the world's largest searchable database of charitable donations with more than 60 million American and Canadian gift records. This service will help fundraisers identify prospects for charitable giving and understand who major donors are giving to and how much they are investing. It will also enable fundraisers to better understand donors' interests and ensure that they are asking for a targeted gift amount.

THERE'S MONEY OUT THERE…

John Godfrey from Artful Fundraising has been spending time in India in the early part of this year and in his latest newsletter, he reflects on philanthropy in the second most populous and fastest growing economy in the world. The Asia-Pacific Wealth Report 2010 says that there were 127,000 Indians with more than $1 million in investible assets in 2009, and they were collectively worth $477 billion. Forbe's latest list of the super rich shows that India has a record 69 billionaires. The 100 richest Indians are worth $300 billion compared to $314 billion held by the top 400 Chinese. Contact John at john.godfrey@artfulfundraising.com

A GREAT VALENTINES DAY GIFT!...

For the proposed federal budget for fiscal 2012, released Monday, almost all of the USA's agencies and museums that receive government dollars saw their funds slashed considerably. The budget sent to Capitol Hill by the administration is a starting point for discussions about the merits of government funding for the arts and humanities, as well as the value of initiatives the agencies fund. With some vocal members of the Republican-controlled House targeting the arts as excessive spending, the outcome of the budget requests is unclear.

THE ONGOING DEBATE!...

The Select Committee on Arts and Heritage Funding recently met to take their last piece of oral evidence from Arts Council England. Alan Davey and Dame Liz Forgan were invited to answer a range of questions relating to the work of Arts Council England. A number of these were relevant to the cultural learning sector and to children and young people. This was followed by a debate in the House of Lords on the same subject. You can read the full transcripts here and here

SHARING BEST PRACTICE…

The European cultural sector is faced with unprecedented financial challenges. As a result, imagination, collaboration and sharing of best practice is critical. To provide a platform for these conversations, UK based cultural consultancy, NR+P, are delighted to be organising an Arts Funding Symposium on 9 March in Amsterdam, generously hosted by Clifford Chance LLP. This will provide a unique opportunity to hear first hand, the lessons and experiences of senior professionals from both the UK and the Netherlands.

AND ABOUT TIME TOO...

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, signed an agreement on 11 February to launch a US$12 million project to boost the information and communication technology capacity of West African universities, notably by creating a regional virtual library network. The project is part of a wide-ranging cooperation plan initiated in 2006 by UNESCO and the UEMOA. It aims to develop the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support an ongoing reform of higher education in the UEMOA member states (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Niger, Mali, Senegal and Togo).