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Message 2024annual report

 MyrstinklingoftheextenttowhichadultswithspecialneedsdealwithisolationcameasIlistenedtoseveralparticipantsinManyColorsrecitealmostcompletescriptsofpopularmovies.Afterthepandemic,lessthanahandfulofprogramsreopened.ManyhadlittletodotolldaysandweeksandmonthsexceptwatchTV.WearelearningmoreaboutthewayswecanthrowthedoorswideopenforasegmentofMontgomeryandtheareaaroundus,notonlyisolatedbuttooeasilyforgotten. SinceweopenedourdoorsinJulyof2023,wehavewatchedourArtistsinResidence,andtheirvolunteerFriendsandArtistMentorsbecomeasafe,thrivingcommunity.Wehaveenrolledagroupofindividualsthatcrossesracial,soci0-economic,cultural,andreligiouslines-thediversityofourArtistsinResidenceisremarkable!MyoceisdownthehallfromourstudiosandIrejoicehearingthelaughter,theconversations,theintensesilencethatfallsoverthoseroomswhenanartprojectisunderway.OurArtistsgettopracticecareandkindnesswitheachotherandtheirFriendsandArtistMentors.Theytakeprideintheirwork.Theyeagerlyanticipateartexhibitsthatallowthemtoselltheirwork.Theindividualbehaviorsupportplansdevelopedbyourbehaviortherapistandthegamesandactivitiestheyparticipatein,relatedtolifeskills,havehelpedthembebetterabletondtheirplace,notonlyatManyColors,butintheirfamiliesandcommunity. I am proudofwhatwehave accomplished in 2024. Evenmore, I am sogratefultoHolyComforteranditsheartformission.Forourvolunteers,the-nancial supportwehave received fromSt.John’s Episcopal Church, EpiscopalChurchOfTheAscension,theCentralAlabamaCommunityFoundation,andtheEpiscopalDioceseofAlabama,alongwithagrowingnumberofindividualdonors.IhopethesepageswillgiveyouasenseofthejoyandgoodnessthatthriveattheManyColorsArtsCollective.Rosa LindahlActingExecutiveDirectorRosaFrom

Key AccomplishmentsTheleadershipteamofManyColorsArtsCollectiveunderstandstheimportanceofmeasuringandconstantlyassessingourimpactonthepopulationweserve,themagnicentvolunteerswhohavehelpedcreatealovingandsafecommunity,thefamiliesofourArtistsinResidenceandthecommunityatlarge.Inthisrstfullyearofoperationourresultshaveexceededallourhopes.Herearesomeareaswhereweareparticularlyproud:* Artwork in a number of dierent media that has generated income for our artists in residence.Atourrstartshowlastmonth,ourartistswereabletodisplayandoerforsaleavarietyoftheircreations.Theproceedsoftheartshowexceeded$2500. Seventy-vepercentofthoseproceedswentdirectlytotheartistsandtheresthasbeenreinvestedbyManyColorstocontinuepurchasingequipment,materials,andsuppliesforourartwork.* Measurable improvement in life and social skills.Oneofthestrongestcomponentsofourprogramisthebehaviorsupportweoertoourindividualartists,andtothecommunityasawhole.Specicmeasurableimprovementsinsocialskillsandcapacityamongourartistsinclude:strongercommunication skills, greateradaptability to change, reductionsinemotionaloutbursts,andincreasedcapacitytoengageinactivitiesandconversationsindierentsettings.* Volunteers are 0ur superheroes! Inthisveryearlyphaseofourdevelopment,ManyColorshasdepended almost exclusively onvolunteerstoprovidetheprogrammingforManyColors.Community Artist Mentors haveintroducedourartiststo avarietyofmediaandneartsstyles.

Additionally,wehavebeenabletostartoeringmusicalartsprogrammingthathasculminatedintherstofaconcertseriesforthecomingyear..Wearefortunatetohaveretainedavolunteerteamthatisdedicatedanddevotedtoourartists.* Organizational development and capacity building. Launchingadayprograminvolvesasteeplearningcurve.AftersomeofourArtistsinResidencelostinterestintheprogramanddroppedout,webetterdenedwhatourprogramwasaboutandestablishedamorerigorousscreeningprocess.AlongwithaninitialvisitandindepthinterviewwiththeArtistinResidencecandidateandhisorhercaregiver,weoera1-monthtrialperiodfreeofchargewithafollowupinterviewtoensureagoodtbetweentheprogramandthecandidate.Asaresult,ourretentionratehasimproveddramatically.Onthegovernanceside,theBoardcontinuestofocusonbuildingtheinfrastructureofasustainableprogramwithspecialattentiontonancialrecordkeepingandbusinessbestpractices.* Community support.Wehaddozensofpeopleatourrecentartshowwhopurchasedartworkandthen,donatedanychangeowedtothem.Additionally,wehavebeenveryfortunatetoreceivegrantsfromSt.John’sEpiscopalChurch,ChurchOfTheAscension,theEpiscopalDioceseofAlabama,andCentral

AlabamaCommunityFoundation.Wehaveexperiencedmodestgrowthinourdonorbaseandwillendtheyearwithapositivevarianceonrevenue.InthepastquartertheleadershipteamhasbeguntofocusonraisingawarenessandimprovingthevisibilityofManyColors.OrganizationsthathaveinvitedustoparticipateaspresentersorexhibitorsintheirprogramsincludetheMontgomeryMuseumofFineArts,TintagelBookClub,andFirstUnitedMeth-odistChurch.Wearebeyondgratefulforallthesupportwehavereceived.

“I could not go through the weekend without letting you all know how wonderful Grady did on our work trip. We took him to 2 receptions and dinners and he had to sit with me behind the registration desk several times. His communi-cation skills have blossomed! He did not throw any tantrums and even read name tags and ad-dressed people he had seen before! He even ex-tended his hand to shake hands.…With my mom getting older, we may be taking him with us more and more. is was HUGE for us!”Artist Parent

Asencouragedandexcitedasweare,wealsorecognizethatweareatacrit-icaljunctureinourdevelopment.*Stang model. Along with our be-havior therapist who provides con-tinuity and expertise, we have reliedexclusively on volunteers to startbuildingourdayprogram.Wecontin-uetoreceivenewArtistsinResidence,including one whohas faced signi-cantchallengessincebirth.Unexpect-edly,shewenttotallyblindthreeyearsagoandrequiresextraassistance.Atthesametime,theavailabilityofvol-unteersebbsandowsasfamilyob-ligations and other responsibilitiesevolve.IthasbecomeclearthatwewillneedadierentmixofpaidstaandMaintaining Our MomentumvolunteersaswecontinuetowelcomemoreArtistsinResidence.Recently,theBoardsetitselfthestretchgoaloffundingapaidDailyProgramLead.Thispersonwillprovideongoingsupportand directiontoourvolunteers,ensureawellstructuredbutexibleandresponsivedailyschedule,andwillparticipatewiththerestoftheoperationsleadershipteamtoplanandstrategizeforfuturegrowthofManyColors.*Board development. As we benchmarked with other organizations similar toours,arecurrentrecommendationwastokeepourboardofdirectorssmallintherstyearsofoperation,andtokeepthenumberofparticipantslowaswell.Wearenowatapointwhereitwillbeimportanttogrowandbroadenourboardofdirectorstoaddabroaderrangeofskillsandperspectivestotheleadershipteam.AlongwithaddingnewBoardmembers,wehopetooerdevelopment

opportunitiesforourcurrentleadersandlookforwardtoworkingwiththeCommunityFoundationtobetterprepareustoleadintothefuture.* Recruitment. Wecontinuetorecruitactivelywiththegoalofhaving10participantsintheprogrambyAugust2025.WearedelightedbythediversityofourArtistinResidencecohort.Ourgoalfor2025istoincreasethediversityofourvolunteerpoolaswell.* Financial stability. InNovember,theBoardapprovedamodestincreaseinourmonthtlyfeesanddeterminedthatthemaximumnancialassistancewecanof-feris50%ofourfee.For2025,asignicantareaoffocusfortheBoardandActingExecutiveDirectorwillbetoincreaseourdonorbasebyatleast25%.Wewillcon-tinuetobuildsolidrelationshipswithourcurrentfundingagenciesandanticipateapplyingforgrantsfromthenewagenciesaswell.* Expansion of facilities usage. In October, the Vestry (Governance Board) ofChurchoftheHolyComfortermadeasignicantinvestmenttobegintorenovatethesecondoorofwhatusedtobeadayschoolonourpremises.Withtheinstallationofnewairconditioners,allofthatareaisnowavailableforusebyotherchurchgroups.ForManyColors,thereisaparticularlyattractive,largespacethatwouldbeoptimalforusebyourArtistsinResidence.Ourchallengenowistondthewaytoimproveaccessibilitytothisareasincecurrently,theonlywaytoreachthesecondoorisbystairs.WeplantocollaboratewithChurchoftheHolyComfortertoidentifyandapplyfornancialassistancetoinstallalifttomakethesecondooraccessibletoallourparticipants,regardlessofanymo-bilitylimitations.

Our Loving Community

Statement of Financial Position Many Colors Arts Collective Statement of Financial Position As of December 15, 2024 TOTAL ASSETS Current Assets Bank Accounts BUSINESS CHECKING (0071) - 1 6183.35 BUSINESS SAVINGS (0000) - 1 45,685.59 Cash 0.00 Total Bank Accounts $47,715.08 Accounts Receivable Accounts Receivable (A/R) 40.00 Total Accounts Receivable $40.00 Other Current Assets Payments to deposit 0.00 Total Other Current Assets $0.00 Total Current Assets $48,435.08 Fixed Assets Fixed Asset Computers 1,436.19 Fixed Assets 1,972.59 Furniture & fixtures 593.85 Total Fixed Assets $4,002.63 TOTAL ASSETS $52,437.71 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Liabilities Total Liabilities Church of the Holy Comforter Contribution -21,800.00 Opening balance equity 0.00 Retained Earnings 32,912.99 Net Revenue 40,674.72 Total Equity $52,437.71 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY $52,437.71

Many Colors at a GlanceBoard of Directors:Laura Brendle, PresidentRand Neeley, Vice PresidentMary Lois Monroe, Secretary TreasurerWilliam Milledge, Member at LargeRosa Lindahl, Member Ex OcioProgram LeadsKathy Albree, Artist Mentor LeadMelanie Kelley, Programming LeadMany Colors Arts Collective2911 Woodley RoadMontgomery, AL 36111(334) 904-8030www.manycolorsarts.orgArtists in Residence: 7Artist Mentors: 6Program Friends: 21Weekly Schedule: Mon & Wed, 9-3Next Art Show: May, 2025