New England Center for the Performing Arts Leverages Brainshark to Attract Donors for $33 Million Capital Campaign
WALTHAM, Mass., June 2, 2009 — Brainshark, Inc., a leader in on-demand presentations, today announced that the New England Center for the Performing Arts is the latest grant recipient in the Brainshark Non-Profit Program. With the grant, the center will leverage Brainshark to create high-impact, on-demand multimedia presentations to increase awareness and galvanize volunteers and prospective donors.
The New England Center for the Performing Arts, based in Franklin, Mass., offers extracurricular performing arts education and training for students of all ages, as well as performing arts production and presentation programming. Under the Brainshark Non-Profit Program, the center has received a one-year Brainshark software license, enabling it to use Brainshark's on-demand presentations, which transform static business content into visually compelling presentations that incorporate audio, as well as videos, surveys and polls, attachments and more.
Using Brainshark, the center plans to market its offerings to a broader demographic, as well as increase awareness of its current capital campaign -- a $33 million fundraising effort -- and effectively reach out to prospective donors. The campaign is raising money for a new, accessible arts education facility and mainstage theatre that will increase capacity and enable the center to impact thousands more lives. The new complex will also enable the center to expand its offerings to senior citizens and individuals with special needs, as well as provide scholarships to underserved youth in the region.
"Brainshark allows us to increase our reach to our donor base, train volunteers and strengthen relationships with all of our constituencies -- and do it all in a measurable way so we know exactly how our messages are being received," said Alan Mercer, director of advancement for the New England Center for the Performing Arts. "No longer can we rely on traditional methods like print brochures or the telephone to reach people. Non-profit organizations realize the importance of utilizing social media tools and e-mail capture as critical components of a successful fundraising campaign. With innovative tools like Brainshark, we can share our story in more powerful, convenient and cost-effective ways."
In addition to driving results with the capital campaign, Brainshark will enable the New England Center for the Performing Arts to:
* Foster relationships with donors, students and alumni
* Promote new program offerings to students, families and alumni
* Launch annual fundraising appeals cost-effectively
* Train volunteers and provide them with Brainshark-delivered presentations to increase fundraising results
One of the center's Brainshark presentations, which introduces the project to new prospects, can be viewed at http://www.brainshark.com/brainsharkinc/prnecpa. Additional fundraising-specific presentations are underway.
"We were impressed with the New England Center for the Performing Arts' vision and well-thought-out plan for increasing the effectiveness of internal and external communications," said Joe Gustafson, CEO of Brainshark. "We are thrilled to award the center a license grant and to help its members achieve their goals using Brainshark."
In addition to awarding Brainshark software grants on a quarterly basis, the Brainshark Non-Profit Program also provides the Standard Edition of its platform at a 40% discount for eligible non-profits. These include registered 501(c)(3) organizations (or their equivalent outside the U.S.). They do not include organizations providing patient care, health-related services or financial services. Other restrictions apply; please see the following Brainshark presentation for an overview and to download a grant application: http://www.brainshark.com/brainsharkinc/NPOGrant.
About New England Center for the Performing Arts
The New England Center for the Performing Arts is a not-for-profit, charitable institution offering extracurricular performing arts education and training for students of all ages and abilities, as well as performing arts production and presentation programming, in the Metrowest region of Massachusetts. Galvanized by the belief that every person should be afforded the opportunity for creative expression, The Center fosters a passion for the arts, a disciplined approach to the development of life skills and a philanthropic spirit for future generations.
About Brainshark, Inc.
Brainshark is the leader in on-demand presentations, transforming static business content into high-impact communications. Delivered via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Brainshark enables audiences to access and engage with business content when and how they want. Users also can access the Brainshark Content Network, the premier online marketplace for on-demand, user-generated business content. More than 1,000 companies -- including a third of the Fortune 100 -- rely on Brainshark software and services to help sales, marketing, training and HR experts cost-effectively deliver measurable results to their organizations. For more information, visit www.brainshark.com.
