The arts community is experiencing a period of instability caused by the cancellation of grants and the uncertainty of future funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. This funding change will primarily impact smaller to mid-sized arts organizations, like the Association for Visual Arts. Sadly, these cuts have led many organizations to the abrupt termination of grants and have forced some organizations to cancel programs or reduce staff. The changes at the NEA have left the Tennessee Arts Commission and ArtsBuild unable to commit to funding for 2026. AVA relies on grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission and ArtsBuild, accounting for roughly 15% of our annual budget. Adding to this crisis for the second year in a row, the philanthropy research foundations reported that fewer Americans are donating to nonprofits, with some in the nonprofit sector calling it a “generosity crisis”. Individual and corporate giving make up 42% of AVA’s annual revenue. AVA provides many programs and services for little to no cost to the artist. Our impact includes professional coaching programs, networking events, critique nights, festivals, equipment rentals, exhibits, workshops, and a sense of community. However, there is hope. According to Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy, recurring donations have increased by 127% since 2018. The study continues to explain that recurring donations can make a financial impact similar to that of a major giver simply by giving smaller amounts consistently. The report concluded that recurring donations can help ensure a steady financial future for small to midsize organizations like AVA. So, AVA is asking for you to consider committing to a recurring gift of $25-$300 per month. This amounts to $1-$10 a day for a significant impact over a year.