Doing Good Better: Austin Film Society
Anyone who has run or volunteered for a nonprofit knows that one of the biggest challenges facing these organizations is often not the mission itself, it is fundraising and raising awareness to the cause for fundraising. It was this principle that first animated the Amplify Austin campaign, where many of the local nonprofits come together and fundraise during a set time of year, with the idea that with more attention paid to giving all at once benefits the entire nonprofit community. And while the Amplify Austin movement has created an effective environment for giving, many smaller nonprofits still grapple with the original problem of how to get eyes to their cause. To help with this problem the local nonprofit, Austin Film Society stepped up to the plate.
Started in 1985 by local legend, Richard Linklater, the Austin Film Society has grown and evolved with Austin’s blossoming film industry. AFS services run the gamut from grants for burgeoning filmmakers, an independent repertoire theater, studios, to a public access station, now named Austin Public. It is at Austin Public that the film society makes one of its largest and most visible contributions to the nonprofit community. During the Amplify Austin campaign, the Austin Film Society opens Austin Public for nonprofits to craft fundraising media, providing high level equipment and expert staff to groups that would have otherwise never had access to them.
This massive advantage was best summed up by Nicole Baratta of ChickTech.
“There’s no way we would’ve been able to do something like this. If we did a Facebook Live it would be on our phones, we certainly don’t have the supplies to do something like this. And honestly, I wouldn’t have even thought to do something like this if it wasn’t for this event.”
The Doing Good Better series focuses on the mutual benefit created by organizations sharing strengths to tackle community issues. The benefit AFS sees is getting focused and dedicated time to connect with a segment of their community that is not always at the forefront of their mission but represents a fantastic opportunity to spread the love of film. Director of Programs, Erica Deiparine-Sugars put it best, “Having [nonprofits] feel like they can be creative in how they engage people […] and learn as they go is the most valuable thing we can offer so that they can continue to create here or elsewhere.”
