National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Knowledge * Representation * Community
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Knowledge
NASAA provides authoritative data that fuels fact based decision making and highlights the impact of state arts agencies’ work. NASAA’s research also drives the evolution of evidence based answers to the question of why government should support the arts. Our knowledge services inform and inspire state arts agencies, driving excellence and sparking new ways of working.
Representation
NASAA is a champion and advocate for state arts agencies, asserting the importance of the arts to government leaders. We shape public policy, foster multi-sector support for the arts and give state arts agencies a persuasive voice in influential national networks.
Community
NASAA convenes and connects state arts agencies. Our professional community energizes the work of state arts agencies, unites our members around common goals and builds a shared vision for the future.
Where we work
External reviews

Videos
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Board of directorsas of 04/07/2023
Mr. Omari Rush
Executive Director, CultureSource
Term: 2023 - 2021
Omari Rush
Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs
Donna Collins
Ohio Arts Council
Julie Vigeland
Oregon Arts Commission
Karl Blischke
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Mary V. Bordeaux
Institute of American Indian Arts
María López De León
National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures
Michael Faison
Idaho Commission on the Arts
Karen Hanan
ArtsWA
Lisa Funderburke
Alliance of Artists Communities
Gene Meneray
Louisiana State Arts Council
Ivonne Chand O'Neal
MUSE Research
Carla Du Pree
Maryland State Arts Council
Ruben Alvarez
Arizona Commission on the Arts
LaVon Bracy Davis
Florida Division of Cultural Affairs
Christian Gaines
WESTAF
Abigail Gómez
Virginia Commission on the Arts
Lorén Spears
Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
Alice Bioff
Alaska State Council on the Arts
Michael Bobbitt
Massachusetts Cultural Council
Sean Falcon Chandler
Montana Arts Council
Quanice Floyd
DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities
Sue Gens
Minnesota State Arts Board
Abigail Gómez
Virginia Commission on the Arts
David Platts
South Carolina Arts Commission
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/10/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.