Telling a story of collective impact for arts funding
Since 2018, Esailama Artry-Diouf, Ph.D has directed funding for Arts & Culture at the San Francisco Foundation. Her work seeks to inspire and support creative problem solving across and within sectors, centering artists and art organizations as critical catalysts to cultural development and economic vitality.
The San Francisco Foundation (SFF) is both a donor-advised and a mission-aligned (community) foundation. Donors have historically donated generously to major arts organizations in the Bay Area, but Esailama sought to make them aware of additional opportunities to support and fund smaller arts organizations through the community side of the foundation.
Envisioning futures in the arts.
After expanding grantmaking on the community side of the foundation across four primary issue areas and creating five funding collaboratives with other foundations and funders, Esailama sat on a mountain of data demonstrating impact to the arts in the San Francisco Bay Area, particularly in previously underserved neighborhoods and populations.
She engaged Zahler Design as a thought partner to articulate the emerging program strategy and visually tell the story of SFF’s work in Arts & Culture. Her goal was to connect with other SFF staff, board, donors, and the community—making everyone aware of projects and organizations to support.
By the numbers.
Together we created a printed impact report highlighting the work of the past five years. It was shared with the SFF board and potential donors—who immediately expressed interest in supporting future work. She can now demonstrate the relationships and connections she has nurtured that expand the work even beyond SFF.
ABOUT SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION
Founded in 1948, the San Francisco Foundation is one of the nation’s largest community foundations—a grantmaking public charity dedicated to improving life within a specific local region. Together with community leaders, nonprofits, and donors, they are committed to advancing racial equity and economic inclusion to ensure that everyone in the Bay Area has a chance to get a good job, live in a safe and affordable home, and have a strong political voice.