Community Investment Profiles
SMARTS
SMARTS credits success to building from the ground up
For Becky Keck running a nonprofit organization is all about the people.
SMARTS, Students Motivated by the Arts, is a quality arts education program at Youngstown State University, and grants from The Raymond John Wean Foundation help Keck to grow her staff.
“You only need so many computers and supplies,” she said, but having the ability to hire staff or new student teachers and grow the organization is a top priority.
SMARTS began 11 years ago with a small budget of $5,000 and an in-school program at one elementary school. Throughout those 11 years, SMARTS has grown to become a premiere program for community engagement offering visual arts, music, dance, theater and creative writing. “Literacy is at the core of our mission,” Keck said.
A focus of SMARTS is to continue its community engagement. The organization has grown its after school programming, partnered with schools to bring SMARTS to them and partnered with the Juvenile Justice Center for programming. In addition, SMARTS participates in First Night Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley Cultural Collaborative.
The Wean Foundation’s support of SMARTS began five years ago, when SMARTS was awarded its first grant from the Foundation. “We are probably a Cinderella story for Wean,” Keck said.
Keck said SMARTS received a small grant from Wean and got her foot in the door. After the first grant, Keck said she showed the work of the programming and proved its worth.
In 11 years, SMARTS has raised over $1.4 million and “foundations like Wean have been critical to our success,” she said.
Keck credits her fundraising to diligence and perseverance. “Our success is really because the mission really does serve the community,” she said.
Keck said she gets her motivation to continue her work with SMARTS because she is very connected to the program. “It’s a part of my life,” she said.
The most recent grant from the Foundation allowed Keck to hire a new staff member for the music programs. “It’s been dramatic what he’s been able to do in three to four weeks.” And the community response to the programming has been positive. “I can’t imagine that it could be any better. Folks see us as a leading force in art education,” she said.
With grant money from The Wean Foundation, Keck’s time is freed up to focus on other tasks in running the program. “Their funding is really an opportunity for an organization like us.”
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