Springboard For The Arts

What Springboard For The Arts does

Springboard for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 41-1690483), founded in 1991 and headquartered at 262 University Ave W in Saint Paul's Rondo neighborhood, with a regional office in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. The organization operates an integrated portfolio of programs supporting individual artists and creative communities: direct grants (Growth Fund, Leslye Orr Fund for Artists with Disabilities), emergency relief (Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network across 11 Regional Arts Councils), a guaranteed income pilot ($500/month for 100 artists over 5 years), an 18-month Rural Regenerator Fellowship, fiscal sponsorship (Incubator, holding $1.4M in trust for ~200 artist-led projects annually), professional development (Work of Art curriculum, Artist Career Consultations serving 500+ artists annually), an art subscription model (Community Supported Art at $250–350/share, replicated in 60+ North American cities), physical space and equipment access (Community Hall, Resource Labs, Equipment Library via myturn.com), consulting partnerships (Knight Creative Cities Initiative, LISC, Creatives Rebuild NY), and the Creative Change Coalition national network of 200+ member organizations incubated since 2023.

The underlying technology layer is utilitarian: standard web content (springboardforthearts.org, WordPress-based), a third-party equipment reservation system (myturn.com), the Creative Study online course platform, and virtual workshop infrastructure. The proprietary features that distinguish Springboard's offerings are programmatic/methodological rather than technological — the Community Supported Art commissioning model, the Artists Respond cohort structure around critical community issues, and the Ready Go mobile artist-led workshop platform. The digital stack supports rather than drives the business model.

Revenue is generated primarily through foundation grants (McKnight, Jerome, Knight, Blandin, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, plus legislative appropriation through Minnesota State Arts Board and West Central Initiative), supplemented by earned income: fiscal sponsorship fees (sliding-scale $60–120 annual plus 7% on funds held), CSA share sales, sliding-scale consulting ($50–$125 outside Minnesota, free within), space rental, and equipment lending. Go-to-market is community-led via direct artist engagement in the Rondo/Frogtown and Fergus Falls neighborhoods, Regional Arts Council partnerships, peer referrals, and earned media (NPR, NYT, Bloomberg). The organization serves over 2,500 artists annually across individual artists, creative entrepreneurs, rural artists/culture-bearers, and equity-prioritized cohorts (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled artists), with national reach through Creative Change Coalition and replicated program toolkits in 100+ U.S. communities.

Name

Springboard For The Arts

Legal name

Springboard for the Arts

Website

https://springboardforthearts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Springboard for the Arts is a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (founded 1991) that supports artists and creative communities through grants, fiscal sponsorship, a guaranteed-income pilot, professional development, fellowships, and the national Creative Change Coalition of 200+ member organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Artist professional development
• Community arts programs
• Fiscal sponsorship services
• Artist grants and funding
• Creative community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Springboard for the Arts is funded primarily through grants from foundations (McKnight Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Knight Foundation, Blandin Foundation) and individual donations. EIN: 41-1690483.
2. Fiscal Sponsorship Fees: The Incubator program charges a sliding scale annual fee of $60-120 and a 7% fee on all funds received and held by Springboard. Program supports nearly 200 artist-led projects annually, holding $1,400,000 in trust.
3. CSA Share Sales: Community Supported Art shares sold directly to collectors, with share prices ranging between $250 to $350 each, including studio visits and pickup parties.
4. Space Rental: Rental income from Community Hall (2,535 sq ft), rooftop space (435 sq ft), Resource Lab, and outdoor Front Yard area at the Saint Paul location.
5. Consulting and Training Services: Fee-for-service consulting partnerships with organizations, agencies, and communities to design and strengthen programs supporting local artists and creative communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Springboard for the Arts is an artist-centered community and economic development nonprofit that helps artists make a living and a life through a portfolio of direct services, professional development programs, grants, fiscal sponsorship, fellowships, and community-based initiatives. The organization operates offices in Saint Paul and Fergus Falls, Minnesota, delivering programs such as Artist Career Consultations, Community Supported Art, the Incubator fiscal sponsorship program, the Growth Fund, Guaranteed Income for Artists, the Rural Regenerator Fellowship, Work of Art curriculum, and Ready Go mobile arts workshops.

Product overview

Springboard For The Arts is an artist-centered community and economic development organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs and services supporting artists' livelihoods and creative community development. The organization operates as a unified platform of interconnected programs rather than a single product, including artist funds and grants (Growth Fund, Leslye Orr Fund, Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network), professional development (Work of Art curriculum, Artist Career Consultations), fellowship programs (Rural Regenerator Fellowship), artist residency and exchange (Falls Community Arts Exchange), economic security initiatives (Guaranteed Income for Artists), fiscal sponsorship (Incubator), community programming (Artists Respond, Ready Go, Springboard on Ice, Fall Fest), pop-up markets (SpringPOP, Last Minute Gifts, Maker 2 Market), space and equipment access (Resource Labs, Equipment Library), legal services (MN Lawyers for the Arts), national coalition building (Creative Change Coalition), and consulting partnerships (Hire Springboard). Founded in 1991, the organization has offices in Saint Paul and Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has replicated its program models in over 100 communities across the U.S.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Creative Change Coalition: A national coalition of place-based organizations that center people, creativity, and equity working together to create a stronger ecosystem for communities and artists. Launched in fall 2023 and incubated at Springboard for the Arts.
• Falls Community Arts Exchange

Products and services

• Community Supported Art (CSA) An art subscription program where buyers purchase shares of locally produced artwork from Minnesota artists, receiving 9-12 pieces per season. Share prices range from $250-$350.
• Rural Regenerator Fellowship An 18-month fellowship bringing together rural artists, creatives, and culture bearers to deepen their work and build solidarity across the Upper Midwest. Since 2021, has invested over $1 million supporting 44 Fellows.
• Growth Fund An ongoing grant program providing $2,000 grants to Minnesota creative business owners and artists to help sustain or scale their businesses. Recipients are selected through randomized drawing after completing an Artist Career Consultation.
• Leslye Orr Fund for Artists with Disabilities A non-competitive grant program providing $2,500 awards to Minnesota artists with disabilities to create work and invest in their careers, selected through randomized drawing.
• Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network A coalition of 11 Minnesota Regional Arts Councils providing emergency relief funds for artists experiencing hardships across the state.
• Falls Community Arts Exchange A residency and exchange program in Fergus Falls offering Project Based Exchange (4-week collaborative projects with $4,000 stipend and lodging) and DIY Exchange (2-14 day self-directed stays on a sliding scale).
• Maker 2 Market A program connecting buyers to Minnesota artists and makers through pop-up markets including SpringPOP and Last Minute Gifts.
• Artists Respond A series of programming engaging artists around critical issues with funded opportunities to create projects around shared themes such as social isolation, guaranteed income, environmental stewardship, and rural-urban solidarity.
• Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists Springboard's signature professional development series teaching business skills to artists in all disciplines. Available as interactive workshops and a free workbook, replicated in over 80 communities across the Upper Midwest.
• Ready Go A platform of artist-led mobile activities and workshops that can be hired for community events, including artist-led workshops and purpose-built mobile tools.
• Hire Springboard Consulting Services Fee-for-service consulting and partnership services for place-based organizations to design and strengthen programs supporting local artists, including workshops, technical assistance, and program design.
• Guaranteed Income for Artists A pilot program providing $500/month unrestricted payments to 100 artists across Minnesota (Saint Paul and Otter Tail County) for 5 years, with financial counseling partnership and research collaboration with University of Pennsylvania's Center for Guaranteed Income Research.
• Incubator Fiscal Sponsorship A fiscal sponsorship program allowing artist-led nonprofit projects to apply for grants and receive tax-deductible donations. Supports close to 200 projects annually, holding $1.4 million in trust, with annual fees of $60-120 and 7% fee on deposited funds.
• Artist Career Consultations One-on-one professional support for artists, creative entrepreneurs, and small business owners provided by over 20 Artist Career Consultants, covering career planning, project support, marketing, grants, and technology assistance. Free for Minnesota artists.
• MN Lawyers for the Arts A program providing access to vetted arts and entertainment attorneys offering free 30-minute consultations for artists on business formation, contracts, intellectual property, and taxes.
• Creative Change Coalition A national coalition of place-based organizations centered on people, creativity, and equity, providing peer engagement, technical assistance, and resources for creative community development.
• Creative Study A subscription-based virtual library of self-paced video courses for creatives covering U.S. tax basics, business setup tools, and arts and economics. Available for individuals and institutional bulk purchase.
• Resource Labs and Equipment Library Equipment and workspace facilities in Saint Paul and Fergus Falls offering scanners, Adobe Creative Cloud, photography equipment, and workstations for professional development projects, plus a no-to-low-cost equipment loan program offering cameras, lighting, projectors, and sound gear.
• Space Rental Rental of Springboard's Saint Paul facilities including Community Hall (2,535 sq ft), Front Yard outdoor space, Resource Lab workshops, and Rooftop area for events and gatherings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 artists helped during pandemic emergency relief response
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Creative Change Coalition Member OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Over 200 core member organizations across the nation as part of national coalition for place-based, equity-focused, creativity-centered organizations.
• LSS Financial CounselingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing Minnesota artists in the Guaranteed Income pilot with no-cost financial counseling, student loan debt, and housing counseling services.
• University of Pennsylvania Center for Guaranteed Income ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership conducting comprehensive studies to chart the Guaranteed Income pilot's impact and inform national policy.
• Fergus Falls Public LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal host partner for Falls Community Arts Exchange, sharing place-based processes and connecting artists to community goals.
• Outstate BrewingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal host partner for Falls Community Arts Exchange 2026-27, collaborating with visiting artists on community projects.
• Victor Lundeen CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal host partner for Falls Community Arts Exchange 2026-27, providing artist collaboration opportunities.
• BrownbodycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Springboard on Ice - community-centered nonprofit whose mission is to liberate Black artistry through dance, theatre, and figure skating.
• Minnesota State Arts BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState arts agency funder for Falls Community Arts Exchange and other programs, with legislative appropriation from arts and cultural heritage fund.
• 11 Minnesota Regional Arts CouncilscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of regional arts councils (Arrowhead, Central MN, East Central, Five Wings, Lake Region, Metropolitan, Northwest MN, Prairie Lakes, Southeastern MN, Southwest MN, Region 2) launching emergency relief funds by July 2026 through Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network.
• Ramsey CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent consulting partner for community development programs.
• Project for Pride in LivingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent consulting partner for community development programs.
• LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent consulting partner supporting community development initiatives.
• Georgia Council for the ArtsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent consulting partner for creative community development programs.
• Kansas Main Street/Kansas CommercemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent consulting partner for creative community development programs.
• Creatives Rebuild New YorkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecent consulting partner and peer organization for guaranteed income and artist support programs.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 3Arts: Chicago-based nonprofit making unrestricted cash awards and career support to Chicago-area artists. Directly comparable to Springboard's regional grants-to-artists model and unrestricted-cash philosophy.
• National Performance Network: National network of performing-arts presenters and artists providing fellowships and community-anchored performance support. Comparable to Springboard's Artist Career Consultations and rural residency programming through its community-development lens.
• Forecast: Minnesota-based nonprofit supporting public artists through grants, mentorship, and publishing. A strong regional peer for Springboard's Artists Respond, Ready Go, and community-engaged-art programming.
• MAP Fund: National grant program supporting experimental live performance and the artists who create it. Parallel to Springboard's grantmaking model and broadly aligned with the artists-respond-to-critical-issues philosophy.
• Creative Capital: National nonprofit providing project grants and professional development to innovative artists. Closely comparable in the integrated grants + career-support model Springboard delivers, with similar focus on individual artist recipients.
• Center for Cultural Innovation: National nonprofit strengthening arts and culture through research, grants, and consulting for individual artists and organizations. Comparable as a peer capacity-builder and field-research partner in line with Springboard's consulting work and toolkits.
• United States Artists: National nonprofit providing direct fellowships and career support to individual artists across disciplines — a clear parallel to Springboard's Growth Fund, Leslye Orr Fund, and Artist Career Consultation portfolio.
• Fractured Atlas: National nonprofit providing fiscal sponsorship and business services to thousands of artists and arts organizations. Directly comparable to Springboard's Incubator program and artist-support mission, though Fractured Atlas operates nationally rather than regionally.

Regional players

• Arts Midwest: Regional arts organization serving six Midwestern states with grants, programs, and convenings. Operates in overlapping geography with Springboard (Minnesota) and parallel functions (emergency relief, regional convenings) but at a larger regional scale.

Emerging players

• Creatives Rebuild New York: New York-based artist-employment and guaranteed-income pilot program. Direct conceptual peer to Springboard's Guaranteed Income for Artists pilot, with shared research ambitions around artist economic security.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/springboard-for-the-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Springboard For The Arts