McNair Scholar Alissa Santana Pursues Research on Latinx Arts Nonprofits
My work with the McNair Scholars Program has given me the opportunity to further explore my passions and some of the inquiries I have in regard to fundraising and marketing to the Latinx community. I have found and witnessed how the Latinx community is under-recognized when being marketed to by organizations and how it has become an “additional source of revenue” for some. With the community becoming more recognized, I have started to conduct research, under the mentorship of Dr. Ruth Hansen, on “The Distinctiveness of Fundraising to Latinx Arts Organizations” to see what is distinctive to organizations existing fundraising practices. Recently, I have presented my current work at the 49th Annual ARNOVA Conference, which allowed me to gain valuable feedback and encouragement about my current research plan. As I am preparing to take the next steps in the interview process, I am both excited and interested to see some of the responses that Arts Administrators and Foundation Program Officers will have, as well as some of the barriers that are faced. I anticipate and hope that this study will help people better understand organization’s strategies and the characteristics of fundraising to Latinx audiences and donors.