Welcome To Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council Cultural Policy Resources Page

The Pennsylvania Cultural Data Project has proven to be one of the most powerful tools for arts and culture advocacy at the state and local levels, providing our sector with the necessary facts and figures to sway the opinions of both law makers and members of the media. However, information from the PACDP is only as powerful as that contained in each organization's individual profiles. This is why it is so important for your organization to participate in the project annually.


Upcoming PACDP Online Trainings
	The Cultural Data Project is holding 4 online training sessions this Spring. If you are new to the CDP, sign up for a New User Training Session. If you have already entered data into the PACDP, attend a Reports Training Session to learn more about the annual, trend and comparison reports that are designed to help you make the most of your organization's data!

	Webinar Dates and Registration

	WEBINAR - Reports Training February 11, 1:00 pm Register Here: http://pareportsfebruary.eventbrite.com/	WEBINAR – New User Training March 18, 1:00 pm Register Here: http://panewusermarch.eventbrite.com/

	WEBINAR - Reports Training April 8, 10:00 am Register Here: http://pareports1.eventbrite.com/	WEBINAR - Reports Training May 11, 1:00 pm Register Here: http://pacdpnew1.eventbrite.com/

	Introducing ONLINE New User Training Sessions for Small Arts Groups! Learn more about CDP from a small arts perspective with these new specialized training sessions. Keep an eye out for additional new sessions in the future.

	WEBINAR - New User Training March 2, 10:00 am Register Here: http://pacdpsmallarts1.eventbrite.com/	WEBINAR - Reports Training August 5, 10:30 am Register Here: http://smallartspa2.eventbrite.com/
	Questions? Visit http://www.pacdp.org or contact the Pennsylvania CDP Help Desk at help@pacdp.org or 1-866-21-PACDP.

Background

The innovative Pennsylvania Cultural Data Project (PACDP) provides the reliable, consistent data on arts and cultural organizations in Pennsylvania. Launched in September of 2004, The PACDP is a collaborative project of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, The Heinz Endowments, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and William Penn Foundation.

The PACDP is a standardized online system that has been created for collecting historic financial and organizational data for grant applications to: Allegheny Regional Asset District, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, The Heinz Endowments, Independence Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Philadelphia Cultural Fund, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and William Penn Foundation.

Previously, applicants to these funders were required to provide most of this same information in different formats and on multiple occasions. With the PACDP in place, organizations only need to complete the Data Profile (the online form used for collecting financial and other operational information) once each fiscal year for funders that participate in the PACDP.

Each participating organization has a login and password and can only view its own information. When an organization submits its information along with an application to one of the participating funders, the funder will be able to view it for grantmaking purposes.

Aggregate, anonymous data (data combined from many anonymous organizations, so that no individual organization's information can be determined) is available for benchmarking, to allow participating organizations to compare their data with their peers. In addition, aggregate data is used as a source of consistent and reliable information on the state’s cultural sector. This data makes it possible to analyze and report on the impact, assets and needs of the region’s cultural community.

Learn more about the Pennsylvania Cultural Data Project.

PACDP Examples and Uses

If your main reason for entering data into Pennsylvania CDP has been to quickly and easily generate funder reports, you may be missing out on ways to use your organization's data to satisfy other reporting needs. Pennsylvania CDP data can also be used to generate annual, trend, and comparison reports for key stakeholders such as legislators, board members, and accountants.

Michener Art Museum - In the Chronicle of Philanthropy's 2009 Technology Guide, the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA was highlighted for attracting $40,000 additional dollars to its capital campaign because the museum's director, Bruce Katsiff, used PACDP data to support his County commissioners in creating a fund for local cultural groups.

Jump Street - Your PACDP data can also help you and others to evaluate your organization's progress over time. Even first time users are required to submit two years worth of data in order to build the basis for trends. With multiple years of data recorded, Jump Street, an arts incubator in Harrisburg, uses the PACDP reporting feature to generate its annual report. To view this example, visit http://jumpstreet.org/07-resources.html.

Comparisons - Once you have run reports on your own information, you can then use the Pennsylvania CDP to compare your organization to others of like genre type and budget size. This information will help you to answer questions such as, "are we spending enough on salaries?" "are we spending too much on rent?" and "how much of our budget is used on utilities?"

Future Plans - Using the Pennsylvania CDP comparatively will also help you prepare for future growth. You will find answers to questions about how much money other organizations are spending in areas you want to expand and you will be able to determine whether or not to proceed with those plans.

For more information contact Ryan Freytag, Manager of Cultural Policy and Research or call 412.391.2060 x232.