Rock the Cause June Newsletter
The June newsletter is out and can be viewed here. This month's articles include Grand Old Day; Rock the Vine at St. Croix Vineyards, Beer Dabbler's "Bells and Bikes" event, RTC Board member named one of Twin Cities 25 Finest Young Professionals, Caroline Smith and the Goodnight Sleeps plus our monthly calendar of events and rock and roll dreams!
Earth Day Cleanup with Roster McCabe
by Drew Preiner of Roster McCabe
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We are lovers of the earth and always try to reduce our impact on it in everything we do. At this stage in the game it’s hard for us to do some things because it would put us out of business, but we always jump at opportunities to donate to environmental agencies, whether it's through our eco music festival, Green Guerilla, signing petitions we find important, using a water bottle instead of purchasing wasteful plastic bottled water or by recycling every chance we get. This is everyone’s planet and if everyone did their part, we’d ensure its sustainability for decades to come and guarantee that our children’s children have clean, safe, green spaces to play and clean air to breathe.
A couple weeks ago we held our 3rd annual Earth Day Cleanup. We invited all of our fans, friends, and family to come out to Van Cleave Park in Minneapolis and in turn, they would receive a discount on their ticket to our show at the Cabooze later that night. The turnout was awesome. We had 46 students and four teachers show up from Stonebridge Community school (who all traveled by public transportation!), and a handful of Roster fans showed up as well. We cleaned up the park for about two hours and then headed to a free Earth Day Cloud Cult show on the U of M campus. We capped off the successful event with a really fun show at the Cabooze on our home turf.
RTC Board Member named in 'Top 25 Young Professionals'
Rock the Cause Board Member Adam Gislason was named one of Twin Cities 25 Finest Young Professionals by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's (CFF) Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter. Honorees are professionals between the ages of 24 and 39, who have achieved professional, personal and philanthropic successes.
Millennial Philanthropy De-Mystified
by Rurik
We’ve been using the term, “Millennial Philanthropy” a lot lately here at Rock the Cause. It’s a great buzz phrase, packed with altruism and a hip, digital, new-generational aspect. But what does “Millennial Philanthropy” actually mean in real world terms?
When I first heard the term, my initial impression was of local philanthropist, Bruce Dayton, who has donated untold thousands, if not millions, of dollars to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Public Library, the Guthrie Theater, and numerous other schools and museums. Or, in a more humorous vein, I conjured images of Thurston and “Lovey” Howell, from Gilligan’s Island, discussing their philanthropic coconut theories while making poor Gilligan fan them with palm fronds.
Jocelyn Harmon, writer for Fund Raising Success magazine wrote a very interesting article, titled, “Millennial Philanthropy: An Oxymoron or the Real Deal?” In this article, she presents definitions for “Donor” and “Philanthropist.” A donor donates cash, helps support the organization, shows up at events and wants to see their investments produce tangible results. A philanthropist, however, invests time, effort and fiscal support to the causes they care for.
Both categories are valuable, appreciated and necessary to the survival of any non-profit entity. But the difference lies in how much involvement a person is willing to put forth to support their chosen charity. Rock the Cause is a unique entity because we try to appeal to both of these demographics. Clearly, we need donors to help us continue our mission of providing support for other non-profits. But we’re also continually exposing our supporters, donors, friends, and event guests to philanthropic opportunities with the charities we partner with.
The message we’re trying to spread is that you don’t have to be a socialite or a millionaire to be considered a donor or philanthropist. Simply purchasing a ticket for a Rock the Cause event makes you a donor. A small gift to RTC or any of our charities makes you a donor. Buying a raffle ticket at a fundraiser makes you a donor.
On the flip side, your time and volunteer efforts make you a philanthropist. When you sign up to be a Big Brother or Big Sister, you are a philanthropist. When you serve on a committee at Free Arts Minnesota, you’re a philanthropist. When you join the Minnesota AIDS Project activists at the Capitol for the annual AIDS Action Day, you are a philanthropist. Yes, it really is that simple and easy. And doesn’t it feel good to know that you’re helping out just by doing the things you already enjoy? Congratulations, you're a Millennial Philanthropist.
Rock the Cause Survey Results: How are we doing?
Over the past decade, nonprofits have begun to experience higher than average donor attrition rates. Can we blame the economy? Is it due to ineffective marketing and fundraising? Or could the real answer lie in how charities ask for membership and support?
A recent national survey conducted by Parade magazine showed that we are actually experiencing a "compassion boom" when it comes to social activism and philanthropy. Despite the fact that most of the people surveyed said they've made cutbacks due to the economic crisis, 87% supported a cause financially in the last year. Also impressive was the report that 90% said they are working hard to teach their children the importance of activism. Respondents were almost unanimous in the belief that it is "important to be personally involved in supporting a cause we believe in in our communities."
According to Parade, 27% of Americans have taken to social media and online communities like Facebook to spread the word about causes they believe in. This is referred to as "using what is predominant in the culture to create change."
So what do donors really want? Donors and volunteers want be recognized and know that they belong. They want to know that the money they give is making an immediate impact on the causes they support.
Rock the Cause decided to ask our base of support to let us know how we are doing and what is important to them. We sent a survey to 1,300 people who have attended our events or signed up for our newsletter and received a 33% response rate, which is higher than the national average for nonprofits.
Here are the results of the Rock the Cause 2010 survey:
67% of the Rock the Cause community is age 21 to 45
34% earn between $35,000 to $50,000 per year, with 17% earning
over $70,000 per year
51% have earned a college degree
Here is where the impact of our work is showing in the community:
53% discovered new causes to support through RTC
40% donated money to causes they discovered through RTC
16% volunteered for causes they discovered through RTC
79% discovered new music through RTC
"Which of our charitable partners have you donated money to as a result of discovering them through Rock the Cause?"
54% Big Brothers Big Sisters
26% Free Arts Minnesota
24% Minnesota Aids Project
21% Clare Housing
9% Open Arms of Minnesota
Rock the Cause retention statistics:
73% said we do an excellent job communicating the needs
of our nonprofit partners
83% said they understood our mission to help other charities
74% follow us on Facebook
24% follow us through our monthly newsletter
28% follow our community calendar
84% will continue to attend Rock the Cause events
87% will support a business that is a Rock the Cause community partner
"What Causes have the most emotional draw in the RTC community?"
46% Child Safety and Mentoring
44% Children's Health
46% Arts (Visual, Music, Dance etc.)
31% HIV/AIDs, 41% the Environment
44% Human Rights
And when asked what type of music do you want to hear at a Rock the Cause event, over 60% said Indie Rock and Classic Rock.
We'd like to give a big Thank You to everyone in the Rock the Cause community for your Rock and Roll hearts and compassion. With your time, effort and support, we are truly making an impact together!
RTC is three years old with lots to be grateful for.
Goldie's SXSW Excursion (Bluesgrass & Soggy Socks)
by Ali Goldberg
Each spring, as the days get warmer, I can’t help but think of my favorite season: Music Festival Season! I thought I was being clever when I decided to attend South By South West in Austin, Texas, but my post-academic “spring break” will be remembered by the sunny weather we did not have. Despite rain and wind, Austin was charming with its cowboy bars and numerous pedicabs, and reminded me of a miniature Minneapolis.
The festival clogged the main streets with its curiously diverse Indie crowd. For six straight days I lived among the swarms of bluegrass, screamo, acoustic, new age and Brit rock fans. I had never witnessed so many tattoos, nor had I been in a situation where the average age of an entire city’s occupants hovered around 20 years.
But of course, the music was everyone’s main focus and it did not fail to deliver. I had decided to use the festival as an opportunity to explore new talent, rather than wait in hours-long lines to see bands I was already familiar with. The groups I enjoyed the most were Steel Train (a Killers-esque sound with a hint of 70s punk), Sleepy Sun (haunting female vocals), The Kissaway Trial (recently opened for The Temper Trap) and Look Mexico (super friendly guys). We stumbled across an incredible bluegrass group from West Virginia, who performed in the street in the middle of a quickly accumulating crowd. From the sidewalk, I listened to blues guitar riffs- my own personal weakness- at a place I ended up visiting twice more during the trip.
Minneapolis talent also had a clear presence as well. I ran into our friends from Lynhurst and We Became Actors, as well as Heatbox, The Evening Rig, and Solid Gold, Solid Gold, Solid Gold (one of our carpoolers saw them four times). I made failed attempts to see hotel café favorites Meiko, Greg Laswell, Cary Brothers and Joe Purdy, and fell asleep before the 3 a.m. Andrew W. K. show.
Although I would have preferred to come home with a sunburn instead of soggy socks, I was not let down by the infamous SXSW. If you are a fan of Mexican food, free booze and Indie music, this is the festival for you!
Rock the Cause joins the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits!
Rock the Cause is proud to announce that we've joined the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits informs, promotes, connects and strengthens individual nonprofits and the nonprofit sector. Founded in 1987, MNCN strives to meet the increasing information needs of nonprofits and to convene nonprofits to address issues facing the sector. MCN is the statewide association of more than 2,000 member nonprofit organizations.
Glitter Ball 3 results are in!
We want to thank everyone who made Glitter Ball 3 our most successful Glitter Ball to date! Big Brothers Big Sisters of the greater Twin Cities (BBBS) asked Rock the Cause to help them gain much needed male mentors and new donors aged 21 to 45.
Here is what we are able to accomplish as a community: Our marketing campaign reached an estimated 80,000 people in the Twin Cities region. This was made possible by donated advertising from Minnesota Monthly and The Twin Cities Onion. We also had excellent coverage in The City Pages, Metro Mix, The Minneapolis Star Tribune, and music blogs like Borangutan.com. In addition, we took to the airwaves with appearances KARE 11’s Showcase Minnesota, with additional coverage by 89.3 The Current, and Jason Matheson on 107.1 FM.
Rock the Cause would like to give huge props to the coolest Mayor in the nation, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak for declaring January 29, 2010 as Rock the Cause for Big Brothers Big Sisters Day in Minneapolis. Last but not least, The Minnesota Roller Girls helped to get the word out to a crowd of over 4,000 fans! Combining this level of PR and social media, BBBS saw a significant surge in their Facebook and Twitter accounts. This also led to a record number of people volunteering and attending mentor orientation.
Over 400 people attended a sold-out show at Glitter Ball 3. You can see the photos on line in another article on this page, or in both the March and April issues of Minnesota Monthly.
Together, we were able to also support the arts, by giving exposure to the artists who performed at Glitter Ball 3, creating a new generation of stewardship for BBBS and the Arts. After all expenses were paid, we delivered $4,520 to Big Brothers Big Sisters. (That is 25% of the Rock the Cause Annual Operating Budget!) We challenge any organization to deliver at the level we deliver at with the minimal budget we have to work with. There is still much work to be done for BBBS. We encourage of all you to continue to support the importance one on one child mentoring in our community.
Rock the Cause is very blessed to have the support of the volunteers, artists, corporations, the media and the fans. Please help us to continue to good work. In the words of Jackson Browne “People you have the power over what we do, you can sit there and wait or you can pull us through, come along, sing the song, you know you can’t go wrong.”
RTC presents Award-winning film short
“Ana’s Playground” is an allegory about the moment when a child is forced to choose between ideology and humanity while living and playing in a dangerous war environment. Production of the film was made possible entirely through charitable donations processed through Independent Feature Project Minnesota. The filmmakers are offering the film as a publicity and fundraising tool to nongovernmental organizations working to improve the lives of children living in violent conditions.
The script won the 2006 “Best Screenplay Award” at the Los Angeles Short Film Festival, which is an Oscar nominating festival recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. This film will be shown at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN on Friday, February 26 and Sunday, February 28.
Glitter Ball 3: Photos of the Event
Photographer Cory Ryan was working the crowd at Glitter Ball, capturing all the pretty people and action during the evening. Cory was photographing the event for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities and has placed the images on his personal website. You can purchase Corey's photos online, with all proceeds benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Cities.
The Metromix Street Team headed to the Music Box Theater in downtown Minneapolis to rock out with Rock the Cause and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities at Glitter Ball 3: Big Hair Big Hearts.
Photographer and RTC Board Member, David Wetzel, was on hand to capture more of the action at Glitter Ball. David also has a knack for adding special effects and fun elements to his photos. Check out David's photos of the event on Flickr.
Photographer and graphic designer, Mike Minehart, specializes in shooting live music and has been capturing concerts from the Twin Cities music scene and beyond for over 4 years. Mike has a talent for capturing musicians at their best and was onhand to get some great concert images at Glitter Ball. (Click on January 2009 on his website to access the images.)
(We'll post more photos / links as we receive them.)
RTC Board Member is profiled by the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Each week, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts profiles a member of its staff through a series of artistic portraits and questions. Rurik Hover, RTC board member, artist, designer, and our version of Tyler Durden, is the latest subject. Rock the Cause is proud to have such a talented, creative and hard-working addition to our team.
Secrets of Millennial Philanthropy; Rock the Cause explains
Scott Herold and Kris Huson write about what it takes to tap into the activism vein of the most sought after generation in American history. Why do two Yuppie Gen Xers pushing 40 years of age think they have a clue about this much coveted, but much misunderstood demographic? Enter Rock the Cause, an innovative, volunteer driven grassroots nonprofit that they helped to create, whose mission is to develop a new generation of volunteerism and giving. Read the article and interview on the Sacre Bleu Wine website.
Visumm Media creates a new 'Introduction to RTC' mini-site
by Rurik
Visumm Media has generously donated their time and efforts to create a wonderful Who/What/How/Why introduction to Rock the Cause. This mini-site is a multi-media excursion into the wild, wonderful world of RTC, explaining who we are, what we do, and the impact we have on our community. Check out the videos, images, quotes and see how you can "Rock the Cause!"