1. Client:
Grant Term:
10/2011 – 09/2012
Contact:
Alice Valdez, Founder and
Executive Director
alicevaldez4@gmail.com
832-865-6157
www.meca-houston.org
Sustainability Program – Phase II

2. Mission and Vision
MISSION
• MECA is a community-based nonprofit
organization committed to the healthy
development of underserved youth and adults
through arts and cultural programming,
academic excellence, support services and
community building.
VISION
• MECA’s vision is to be a nationally-recognized
multi-cultural community center know for its:
• High Quality Instruction, performance and
demonstration of the performing, visual and
cultural arts
• Excellent academic and social support services
for youth and their families
• Leadership in building partnerships that
celebrate cultural diversity
• Special events and celebrations that reflect
our diverse communities Dia de los Muertos Altar Tour & Workshop
Quail Valley Middle School

3. Use of Funds
Increase financial sustainability through Board and Staff intervention, thus
strengthening MECA’s capacity to deliver ongoing programs.
( Towards the use … )
Key Activities Key Deliverables
• Decide on formal membership system/campaign • Implement BOD approved policy on MECA
for MECA membership system, with immediate staff
• Leverage Crowdsource funding tactics implementation
• Cultivate Former Board Members • Initiate 6 week$5,000 KickStarter (crowdsource)
• Identify staff person to assist Development campaign for inspection certification
Director • Host Committee of former BOD & MECA Alumni
• Hire a full-time Development Director confirmed
• Implement PatronManager (PM) software • Confirm Non-Profit Management Intern Position
• Develop & solicit MECA teacher curriculum • Development Director Hired
program • Conduct Org wide PM training by Jessica & Mardi
• Establish org wide policy on program fees to • Initiate 6 week $5,000 KickStarter (crowdsource)
increase earned income campaign for youth work program
• Increase corporate & foundation support (local & • Master Educational Intern is ready with materials
national) to solicit schools & community centers
• Create multi-tier level of services for schools, tour • Development, Program, & Music Directors make
buses, visitations, etc. recommendation (for fee schedule) to A. Valdez
• Increased Corporate Support by $50,000 &
foundation support by $200,000
• Create 10 new arts education programs

4. Use of Funds
Continued
Key Resources
• MODE $20,000 funding
• MECA Administrative Staff
• MECA Program Directors
•MECA Development Staff
•Hired Additional part time staff
•Anniversary Gala Coordinator
•Art Curator
•Graphic Artist
•All Board Members
•MECA Advisory Board
•Gala Planning Committee
Katrina at Calavera Rendevous Style Show
Collaboration with The Art Institute of Houston

5. Outcomes & Indicators
ANTICIPATED ACTUAL INDICATORS
SHORT TERM SHORT TERM (Indicators measure whether or
not a program achieves its
OUTCOMES OUTCOMES expected outcomes. )
(beginning of grant) (end of grant)
Improve Cash Flow Improved Cash Flow 7 New Corporate, Govt., &
Foundation Grants Awarded
$58,000.
Anniversary gala gross revenue -
$60,563.00
Gala cash revenue included
$7,600 from 11 new corporate
donors
In Kind donations for the gala
from 15 new corporate donors
valued at $13,300
Cut Summer Arts Day Camp for
2012 – reduced payroll &
overhead for building utilities

6. Outcomes & Indicators
ANTICIPATED ACTUAL INDICATORS
SHORT TERM SHORT TERM (Indicators measure whether or
not a program achieves its
OUTCOMES OUTCOMES expected outcomes. )
(beginning of grant) (end of grant)
Increase new ways to build Increase new ways to build •90 new gala sponsors, donors,
sustainable funds (i.e. Individual sustainable funds (i.e. Individual and businesses that advertised
giving & earned income). giving & earned income). will be cultivated for ongoing
support of MECA
•15% Increase in Tuition for
Classes starting Fall 2012
•Increased Annual Contracts for
Space Rental - 1 more space
$6,000 annually
•Rolled out MECA Membership
plan to gala attendees
•Rented 2 more rooms net
$6,000 annually
•Increased rental rates for daily
use of rooms and auditorium
•Reserve Fund - Working on
challenge grant to raise money
for 2 months operating funds

7. Outcomes & Indicators - Continued
ANTICIPATED ACTUAL INDICATORS
SHORT TERM SHORT TERM (Indicators measure whether or
not a program achieves its
OUTCOMES OUTCOMES expected outcomes. )
(beginning of grant) (end of grant)
Increase “footprint” in the Increase “footprint” in the •3 Dia de los Muertos School Tours
community via educational community via educational – Over 350 students and teachers
programs, building programs, building collaborations on MECA Campus learned about
collaborations & new audiences. & new audiences. Dia de los Muertos customs for
ofrendas, participated in an art
project, and viewed the altars.
•Julio Martinez, Harpist with
Mariachi Vargas, master class at
MECA and performance with HSPVA
Orchestra and Mariachi Ensemble
•Jewish Community Center Dance
Camp
•“Mariachi High” & Lemon Film
screening with Houston PBS& KUHF
– 250 attendees at Talento Bilingue
de Houston
•Main Street Theater & MECA
“Musica del Cielo Pastorela”

8. Outcomes & Indicators - Continued
ANTICIPATED ACTUAL INDICATORS
SHORT TERM SHORT TERM (Indicators measure whether or
not a program achieves its
OUTCOMES OUTCOMES expected outcomes. )
(beginning of grant) (end of grant)
Increase “footprint” in the Continued •Main Street Theater & MECA
community via educational “Musica del Cielo Pastorela”
programs, building •Advertising in new ways
collaborations & new audiences. • “Houston Press”
• “Mi Familia”
• Azteca 51 Trade Agreement
•Several other collaborations,
classes and workshops
El Librotraficante Underground
Library
Ballet Folklorico Workshop
Jarana class
Accordion Competition with
Heritage Arts Productions
Houston Heights Orchestra
American Festival for the Arts
Nameless Sound – Pauline
Oliveros workshop
KPFT Community Program

9. Outcomes & Indicators - Continued
ANTICIPATED ACTUAL INDICATORS
SHORT TERM SHORT TERM (Indicators measure whether or
not a program achieves its
OUTCOMES OUTCOMES expected outcomes. )
(beginning of grant) (end of grant)
Review staff realignment & Review staff realignment & invest •Hired Development Director in
invest in staff performance. in staff performance. May 2012;
•Reassigned 2 Interns to assist
Development Director and
Executive Director for grant
research, gala planning, Dia de
los Muertos marketing.
•Staff attended conferences NPN
Americas; United Way Outcomes
sessions – 6 page report created
to use for statistical tracking of
outcomes
•Adjusted responsibilities of
management staff

10. Outcomes Summary
• Eliminated use of Ticket Web
• Implemented PatronManager Online
Ticket Sales
• Dia de los Muertos Ofrendas (Altars) –
changed set up deadline to 1 week prior
to the start of the festival
• Art Curator Critical for Success – Designed,
planned, executed displays for the Gala
photography exhibit and Dia de los
Muertos altars and art – Critical to look
and feel of the building for those large
events.
• Many attendees at gala had never been to
MECA’s campus. Many said they will
return for future concerts and festivals.
Dia de los Muertos Altars

11. Keys to Success
 Encouraged Board and Leadership
team to start implementation of
MECA’s Strategic Plan
 Solicited gala sponsors from list of
large donors from recent years
 Solicited gala sponsors from new
sources including friends of board
members, businesses along
Washington corridor, and
restaurants
 New Development Director caught
up on grant requests from sources
who have historically supported
MECA, then began applying to new
funders from research in the
Foundation Center system
MECA and Dow School Anniversary Gala 35th/100th
 Hired new visual art curator with Committee Co-Chairs and Sponsors
funding

12. Lessons Learned
• Defined too many tasks to accomplish in 1
year with small staff and small board.
• We had to rework the expected outputs for
the year – Mariachi Curriculum Writing is an
example.
• The Leadership Team discovered that one
of us is a retired educator with a
curriculum writing background. She is
now spearheading the project.
• Having quarterly goals and deadlines for
reporting to HAA kept us on track on the
tasks. Everyone had goals for each period.
• Need for a Development Director who can
focus on overseeing the grant tasks and
deadlines and a fulltime project leader to
continue with capacity building initiatives.
• Set funding goal too high in a recession year
Ceacatl from Huehuetl Performs
for the arts
Indigenous Mexican Music at Gala

13. Summary of Future Plans
• Continue the Membership Solicitation
Project by creating a better marketing
brochure and communicating via mail,
email, and social media.
• Continue to upgrade the Mariachi
Curriculum. When complete, write other
curriculum for dance, music, and creative
art.
• Continue to implement all phases of
PatronManager – Contacts, households,
PatronMail, tracking of donors, grantors,
and use of the robust reporting system.
• Used Everyone Gives crowdsourcing
functionality without much success. In
2013 will use Power2Give available
through HAA for a new project.

14. Summary of Future Plans cont.
• Acquired new donors who will be
cultivated – expect individual giving to
improve.
• Volunteer list grew – cultivate them
• Build audience numbers from new
donors, volunteers, and gala attendees
who were impressed with the artistic
excellence of the performers at the gala
• MECA is now part of Engage Houston a 3
year initiative funded by the MidAmerica
Arts Alliance. Continue tackling the
strategic plan in the areas of Board
Governance, Finance and Fundraising, and
Programs improvement
• Sell annual concert series program
advertisement space to businesses
• Continue to complete strategic plan
MECA Ballet Folklorico