WEST MICHIGAN CENTER FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
Impact By Design
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Grand Rapids has experienced significant growth in recent years, boasting the fasting growing economy in the U.S. in 2016. Forbes.com lists Grand Rapids as one of the best places to raise a family. U.S. News and World report ranks Grand Rapids as a top 20 best city to live. However, the reality in Grand Rapids is that not everyone benefits from its economic growth. In 2015, Grand Rapids was ranked as the second-worst city in the nation economically for Black Americans. The Neighborhoods of Focus (17 census tracts identified by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation) are home to one-third of the city’s overall population and one-half of the city’s poverty. Unemployment and poverty for people of color in these neighborhoods are at 50 percent and 40 percent, respectively. WMCAT is working to address equitable access to opportunity for both teens and adults through curriculum-based programming in arts and technology, workforce development, and social enterprises.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Teen Arts + Tech Program
WMCAT's Teen Arts + Tech Program serves high school students from Grand Rapids Public Schools through an after school experience grounded in design thinking and project-based learning. Through this pedagogy, teens work on teams the entire school year to address a social justice issue with a nonprofit partner. Professional teaching artists lead teens through studios in ceramics, photography, illustration, video and audio production, textiles, app design, and video game design.
Adult Career Training
WMCAT empowers under and unemployed adults to create new opportunity pathways through career training in medical technology. We train our adult students in medical coding, medical billing, and pharmacy technician, giving them the skills and confidence to ind a career that pays living wages, gives them benefits, and offers career laddering. The program includes extensive instruction from professionals in the field, externships with area employers, professional development, and individual support and mentoring to remove barriers to success.
Social Enterprise
WMCAT operates two social enterprises: Ambrose at WMCAT, a commercial screen printing business that employs young adults as apprentices; and Public Agency at WMCAT, a design thinking consultancy that works with community organizations, businesses and neighborhoods to advance equity and systems change through design thinking principles and facilitation.
Where we work
Awards
Finalist 2014
National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards
Finalist 2015
NEA and Presidents's Commission on the Arts and Humanities
Affiliations & memberships
Americans for the Arts 2014
Association of Fundraising Professionals - Member 2014
National Guild for Community Arts Education 2015
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of clients passing job skill competency exams or assessments after completing course
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Adult Career Training
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Adult Career Training Program: % of students who took certification exams and passed.
Number of clients still working after 12 months
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Adult Career Training
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent that were still employed one year later.
Number of participants who gain employment
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Adult Career Training
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent employed in field within six months of graduation.
Number of program graduates
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Adult Career Training
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent that completed the program and graduated.
Number of participants who would recommend program to others
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Teen Arts + Tech Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent of students who said they would recommend the program to others.
Number of students enrolled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Teen Arts + Tech Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Number of unique students enrolled in the program.
Number of clients receiving health care benefits as part of wage package
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Related Program
Adult Career Training
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent who reported receiving health benefits on the job.
Number of youth who plan to attend post-secondary education
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Teen Arts + Tech Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent of teens who indicated post-secondary plans, goals.
Number of youth who demonstrate that they have developed social skills (e.g., interpersonal communication, conflict resolution)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Teen Arts + Tech Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent of teen students who were applying skills consistently at end of program; as assessed by their teaching artist.
Number of youth who demonstrate critical thinking skills (e.g., reasoning, analysis)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Teen Arts + Tech Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent of students who were applying skill consistently at end of program; as assessed by their teaching artist.
Number of youth who demonstrate civic participation skills (e.g., compromise, perspective-taking)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Teen Arts + Tech Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent of students who indicated that WMCAT helped them learn about community and connect with a civic partner for a project.
Number of youth who demonstrate leadership skills (e.g., organizing others, taking initiative, team-building)
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents
Related Program
Teen Arts + Tech Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Percent of students who demonstrated skills consistently at end of program; as assessed by their teaching artist.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The mission of WMCAT is to create an equitable culture of opportunity for people to make social and economic progress in their lives and community. Particularly WMCAT supports under and unemployed adults on a journey to income security through training for and placement in living wage careers; supports urban teens on their journey to high school graduation through experiences in design, technology and civic engagement; and engages young adults on their journey to post-secondary success through an apprenticeship and mentoring experience.
de increasing their economic security through a career of their choice, providing a living wage, benefits, and career laddering opportunities. At WMCAT we curate programming that gives adults and teens choice in their unique journeys to success. We continually aim for equity and inclusiveness. Our organizational goals are grounded in a two-generation approach that recognizes the unique but symbiotic needs of parents and children together.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our best-practice Adult Career Training Program engages under and unemployed adults in a holistic, comprehensive career training experience in medical coding, medical billing and pharmacy technician. WMCAT developed and piloted an integrated approach called Leadership By Design, which engages students in a tailored curriculum, while partnering with employers for a more authentic recruiting and on-boarding experience.
The Teen Arts + Tech Program engages high school students from Grand Rapids Public Schools in an after school visual arts and technology experience. Each student participates in a studio that is led by a professional teaching artist, focused on a specific arts or tech discipline, and connected to community partners for rich project-based learning experiences.
WMCAT's social enterprises are: Ambrose, a commercial screen printing business that is employing graduates of our teen program; and Public Agency,a design thinking consultancy.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
In 2015 WMCAT was named Nonprofit of the Year by the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce; followed in 2017 by being named Best Managed Nonprofit by MiBiz publication.
WMCAT is part of the national Ascend Network of The Aspen Institute for emerging best-practice programs in two-generation work. Two-generation programs are described as those that “create opportunities for and meet the needs of vulnerable children and their parents together, moving the whole family toward educational success and economic security.”
The WMCAT Teen Arts + Tech Program was recognized by the White House in 2016 with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. We were one of 12 programs lauded for our contributions to creative youth development.
WMCAT’s philosophy around social enterprise endeavors is to explore, prototype, and create initiatives that are profitable for WMCAT, delightful for clients, and beneficial for employees.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
According to our most recent independent evaluation reports:
Teen
98 percent of teen arts students believe WMCAT is a safe and creative environment.
83 percent of teen arts students said WMCAT helped them connect with their community.
94 percent of teen arts students said attending WMCAT gives them a sense of accomplishment.
Adult
83 percent of our 2017 graduates have been placed in a career in their field. Their average starting wages range from $12.71/hr. (pharmacy technician) to $14.93 (medical coding).
Those graduating and gaining employment in 2016, 75 percent are receiving healthcare through their employer, 38 percent earned a raise in the first year, and 92 percent were still employed one year after graduation.
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.
WEST MICHIGAN CENTER FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
Board of directorsas of 08/11/2021
Steve Ender
Grand Rapids Community College, retired president
Term: 2018 - 2021
Lisa Freiburger
Grand Rapids Community College
Keith Brophy
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Steve Ender
Grand Rapids Community College
Tracey Hornbeck
Legacy Trust
Bob Krestakos
Steelcase Inc.
Garrick Rochow
Consumers Energy
Brian Cloyd
Steelcase, Inc.
Tim Williams
Meijer Inc.
Mike Walton
Rhoads McKee
Nancy Hickey
Steelcase Inc.
Gilda Gely
Davenport University
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? Yes