Americans for the Arts

Business Volunteers for the Arts® (BVA) is a national skills-based management consulting program operated by a network of organizations around the country under the leadership and coordination of Americans for the Arts.  It helps nonprofit arts groups by recruiting and placing specially-trained business executives who assist with distinct management projects.  At the same time, it provides unique leadership development opportunities for business volunteers allowing them to apply and expand their professional skills and gain new perspectives by working outside their field.

Since 1975, thousands of business professionals have helped thousands of nonprofit arts organizations by sharing their expertise and talents on a wide range of consulting projects through BVA.

In 1978, Arts & Business Council, Inc. began to make the highly successful BVA model available to local communities across the United States. Those establishing a BVA chapter became licensed affiliates of the council. Americans for the Arts now serves as the national headquarters for a growing network of partners in local communities, managing their training, communication, and program sharing. This strong network of organizations continues to strive toward the following objectives:

• To help nonprofit arts organizations improve their business practices
• To provide rewarding opportunities for business professionals who wish to contribute to their community and become involved directly with the arts
• To increase business leadership on behalf of the arts
• Nationally, since the program’s inception, BVA has generated over $134 million in donated services, cash, and other in-kind resources.

BVA partners in cities around the country recruit and train business professionals to be placed as skills-based management consultants with nonprofit arts groups. Arts groups applying to the program receive an in-depth management assessment by BVA staff to help determine their needs. Trained BVA volunteers are then matched with organizations to complete a clearly defined consultant assignment. Possible projects address all management areas—strategic planning, marketing, information systems, human resources, and financial management.

Nonprofit arts management is becoming increasingly complex as arts groups deal with changing demographics, marketing and image issues, shifting funding patterns, the opportunity to create partnerships with businesses, new I.R.S. and accounting regulations, and technology. People with the skills and experience to address many of these areas are financially beyond the reach of many chronically understaffed and underfunded nonprofit arts groups. 

BVA provides a personal, hands-on approach to helping arts groups leverage their resources and gain the expertise to address these and many other issues. 

The BVA program also provides unique leadership development opportunities for business volunteers allowing them to apply and expand their professional skills and gain new perspectives by working outside their field. The BVA program increases a sense of community connection for the volunteer and provides resources to arts groups that would ordinarily be out of reach.

1. The first step to establishing a licensed BVA Program is to conduct a feasibility study, available free of charge, from Americans for the Arts. Complete and return the feasibility study for our analysis. We will then get back to you about any concerns or questions.

(Available by contacting [email protected])
By implementing the proven model developed by Americans for the Arts, local regions or communities can create their own BVA program with assistance from Americans for the Arts. The basic BVA model covers all of the components necessary to establish and sustain a successful program. Program partners also gain access to the many benefits of being part of a national support network.

Yes, there are one-time only start-up fees - $500 for the license fee and $500 for materials. Membership with Americans for the Arts is required and the $250 level is strongly recommended. The fees cover the license to use the name, everything you need (manuals, forms, fundraising letters, etc.) to run the program, and ongoing participation in the BVA national network. We believe that when consideration is given to developing recruitment and screening procedures, writing all of the materials, designing the orientation, creating the assessment procedures, developing promotional materials, and implementing ongoing management procedures, it would cost far more for each community to develop its own program. Beyond this, BVA national network offers opportunities for communication with other program partners, sharing of program ideas, training, contacts with local offices of multi-national corporations that are active in other cities, a national forum for public relations and image-building, and advice and guidance from professionals who have been involved in the program for many years. 
Our tool-kit, Establishing a Business Volunteers for the Arts® Program , provides an overview of what’s involved in building a successful BVA Program.
Also available: on-demand webinar, Strategies on How to Build and Fund Successful Volunteer Programs

Volunteers are a critical component of any arts organization. From ushers to fundraising, to skills-based consulting and board service, volunteers expand the capacity of a nonprofit. Volunteers also create an entry point for establishing a relationship with businesses.

To learn strategies for recruiting and successfully managing volunteers, visit our tool kit: Working with Volunteers.
Also available: on-demand webinar, Building Relationships with Business: The Importance of Volunteers (The pARTnership Movement series)