Our Impact
HartBeat Ensemble [Hartford, Connecticut]
Founded in 2001, HartBeat Ensemble's mission is to create provocative theater that connects their community beyond traditional barriers of race, gender, class, and geography. In 2020, HartBeat Ensemble hired Odyssey Associates to coach its new executive leadership team. The original purpose of this work was to collectively develop a vision and strategy to support the organization moving forward. However, the Coronavirus pandemic ensued, and Odyssey Associates quickly adjusted its scope to work with the organization to adapt to the pandemic.
Westville Village Renaissance Alliance [New Haven, Connecticut]
The Westville Village Renaissance Alliance (WVRA) is a New Haven-based non-profit organization and a designated Connecticut Main Street organization. Its mission is to partner with local businesses, property owners, residents and public and private institutions to foster and sustain economic revitalization, community engagement and cultural vitality in Westville Village and the surrounding neighborhoods, while emphasizing historic preservation and placemaking. In fall 2019, WVRA hired Odyssey Associates to conduct an operational feasibility study of Lyric Hall, a small theatre originally constructed in 1914 that was for sale by its private owner. Odyssey Associates first researched three possible, diverse models for operating models for Lyric Hall, and then developed a sample activity profile as a foundation for a future financial operating model. The research and documents gave WVRA the ability to articulate to key stakeholders how Lyric Hall's programming would change under its ownership.
Our Impact
ArtVolution Cultural Innovation Project [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]
Artvolution's mission is to celebrate the power and beauty of the global Black experience by advancing and empowering American communities through high-quality arts, innovative educational opportunities and health and wellness programs. In 2020, Artvolution hired Odyssey Associates to help the organization build its fundraising capacity. Odyssey Associates researched grant opportunities for Artvolution and created a grants calendar for the organization to follow. Members of our team wrote grants for Artvolution and we also identified a number of important potential institutional donors and introduced the chief creative officer to those foundation program officers.
Wethersfield Historical Society [Wethersfield, Connecticut]
The mission of the Wethersfield Historical Society is to preserve and promote Wethersfield’s history and culture to inspire people today and tomorrow. In 2021, WHS hired Odyssey Associates to conduct a feasibility study for a capital campaign to accomplish three objectives: Renovate the historic Hurlbut-Dunham House in Old Wethersfield; fabricate a new permanent exhibit on Wethersfield history; and, build the organization's endowment. We conducted a file analysis of the historical society's membership cross-referenced with proprietary third-party data to determine who might be the top prospects for such a campaign. Odyssey Associates then conducted a series of leadership interviews and provided an assessment of WHS's readiness for a campaign as well as recommended next steps.
Our Impact
White Heron Theatre Company [Nantucket, Massachusetts]
The mission of White Heron Theatre Company is to produce transformative, professional productions of classical and contemporary plays and create innovative educational experiences based on that work. White Heron retained Odyssey Associates in late 2019 to focus on fundraising, marketing, and developing new operational systems. With Josh serving as interim managing director, White Heron saw a 79% increase in individual donors and well as received its first grants from the National Endowment from the Arts, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and two major local foundations. Josh also provided critical guidance for the organization while it was shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Writers Theatre [Glencoe, Illinois]
Writers Theatre was founded to explore productions in which the word on the page and the artists that bring the word to life hold primary importance. Writers retained Josh in January 2020 to serve as its interim general manager to negotiate agreements with authors and directors as the organization prepared for the 2020 – 2021 season. Then, in fall 2020, the organization’s finance director departed, and Josh stepped in to prepare financial models for different operating scenarios to aid the nonprofit in its decision making in response to the ongoing pandemic crisis. After that scope of work was completed, the organization hired Josh again to coach a member of its senior management team.