Critical success factors enabling the financial sustainability of South African donor-funded community music development programmes

Abstract

English: This research study is an investigation into the financial sustainability of South African donor-funded community music development programmes (CMDPs). The aim was to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) that have enabled CMDPs to survive for more than five years. An interdisciplinary approach was followed to bridge the gap between music and business management. The literature review focused on the impact of music education on human and economic development, and explored the financial sustainability of non-profit organisations. Music education has played an important socio-economic development role for centuries, and continues to do so through the economic impact of the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI). CMDPs nurture the employability, self-esteem and general wellbeing of marginalised youth. The cognitive, emotional and social skills acquired by playing a music instrument and participating in group music-making activities foster creativity and innovation – essential skills required in the contemporary workplace. These benefits are maximised if tuition is sustained from the ages of eight to seventeen. Music education also facilitates cross-cultural engagement, nurtures social cohesion and nation-building, and alleviates inequality and unemployment. Hence, as proposed in the National Development Plan, music and the arts have significant potential to bring about positive change and to contribute to the development of the creative economy in South Africa. However, donor-funded CMDPs have become underfunded, understaffed and unsustainable because music education remains marginalised in the current insecure political and funding environment.In the empirical investigation an emerging, exploratory qualitative research design was applied and multi-methods used for triangulation. A homogenous, purposeful sample was compiled and augmented through snowball sampling. Thirty-seven electronic questionnaires received between June and December 2015 were analysed, and the results triangulated with data obtained through seven elite interviews. Several telephone and email enquiries were also made to obtain information about the causes of the demise of defunct CMDPs. The main findings revealed that securing funding, parental involvement and community support and transport were the CSFs that determined CMDP longevity, concurring with previous conclusions reached by other South African researchers. A lack of insight into financial management best practice – aggravated by fundraising inefficiency – exacerbates the current CMDP financial hardship. Despite the commendable 40.7% of income CMDPs have secured through a combination of support from local governments, the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund and the national government, the need for more government support and efficiency in funding disbursements was highlighted. The efficient management of human resources to build human capacity also emerged as a key determinant of financial sustainability. To maximise the benefits of CMDPs, early childhood development and lifelong learning programmes should be implemented and the use of indigenous music encouraged to enhance intercultural learning. Harnessing the benefits of the CCI require more support from government and universities, cultural entrepreneurship and the efficient use of technology. The financial sustainability of CMDPs will be nurtured by the application of the Tuckman-Chang financial sustainability measures – notably revenue diversification – and the elements of Inyathelo’s Advancement model. By integrating multi-stakeholder relationship-building with effective governance, leadership, strategy and planning, human capacity, financial management, organisational voice and visibility, fundraising and monitoring and evaluation, CMDPs position themselves better to attract support. Improved infrastructure and asset management (transport, venues, instruments and technology), the effective management of human resources (parental involvement, staff training, succession planning and an increase in the appointment of full-time staff) and a scientific approach to fundraising will enhance the financial sustainability of CMDPs. To nurture their fundraising potential, CMDPs should invest in research and development and online crowdfunding. New business models should be explored to foster self-reliance through earned income and by embracing pivotal fundraising tools made available through recent changes in the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Codes of Good Practice. In conclusion, a holistic approach that nurtures relationships and speaks to the goodness, kindness and helpfulness of humanity is advocated, because it demonstrates the traditional African value of Ubuntu.

Afrikaans: Die doel van hierdie navorsingsprojek was om die finansiële volhoubaarheid van Suid-Afrikaanse donor-befondsde gemeenskapsmusiekontwikkelingsprogramme (GMOPe) te ondersoek, sodat die kritiese suksesfaktore (KSFe) wat die oorlewing van GMOPe vir langer as vyf jaar bewerkstellig, bepaal kan word. ‘n Interdissiplinêre benadering is gevolg om die kloof tussen musiek en besigheidsbestuur te oorbrug. In die literatuuroorsig is die impak van musiek op die mens en die ekonomie nagevors, en die finansiële volhoubaarheid van nie-winsgewende organisasies is ondersoek. Musiekonderrig speel al vir eeue ‘n belangrike rol in sosio-ekonomiese ontwikkeling. Hierdie rol word tans voortgesit deur die invloed wat die Kulturele en Kreatiewe Industrieë (KKI) op die wêreldwye ekonomie uitoefen. GMOPe koester die indiensneembaarheid, selfwaarde en algehele welstand van gemarginaliseerde jongmense. Die kognitiewe, emosionele en sosiale vaardighede wat ontwikkel word deur ‘n musiekinstrument te bespeel en aan groepsmusiekaktiwiteite deel te neem, ontwikkel kreatiwiteit en innovasie, wat uiters gesogte vaardighede in die hedendaagse werksplek is. Hierdie byvoordele word optimaal ontwikkel as musiekonderrig tussen die ouderdomme van agt en sewentien volgehou word. Musiekonderrig kweek ook kulturele interaksie, samehorigheid en nasiebou, en verlig ongelykheid en werkloosheid. Derhalwe besit musiek en die kunste, soos uiteengesit in die Nasionale Ontwikkelingsplan, ‘n merkwaardige vermoë om positiewe verandering teweeg te bring en tot die uitbou van die kreatiewe ekonomie in Suid- Afrika by te dra. Die finansiële volhoubaarheid van donor-befondsde GMOPe is egter in gedrang weens ‘n tekort aan befondsing en bemanning, en omdat musiekonderwys in die huidige onsekere politieke en befondsingsomgewing onderdruk word. In die empiriese ondersoek is ‘n voortkomende, verkennende kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp toegepas en veelvuldige metodes aangewend vir triangulasiedoeleindes. ‘n Homogene, spesifiek gerigte steekproef is saamgestel en uitgebrei deur middel van ‘n sneeubal steekproefmetode. Sewe-en-dertig elektroniese vraelyste, wat tussen Junie en Desember 2015 ontvang is, is ontleed en die resultate is getrianguleer met inligting ingewin deur sewe elite onderhoude. Verskeie telefoniese en eposnavrae is ook gerig aan projekleiers van GMOPe wat nie meer bestaan nie, om die oorsake van hulle ondergang vas te stel. Die hoofbevindinge het aan die lig gebring dat befondsing, ouerbetrokkenheid en gemeenskapsondersteuning, en vervoer die KSFe is wat langslewendheid bepaal. Hierdie resultate strook met die van ander Suid-Afrikaanse navorsers wat vantevore soorgelyke gevolgtrekkings gemaak het. ‘n Gebrek aan insig in finansiële bestuurspraktyk en ondoeltreffende fondsinsameling vererger die finansiële verknorsing van GMOPe. Ten spyte van ‘n prysenswaardige 40.7% van inkomste wat GMOPe deur ‘n kombinasie van ondersteuning van plaaslike regerings, die Nasionale Loterye Distribusietrustfonds en die nasionale regering bekom het, is daar ‘n duidelike noodkreet uitgestuur vir meer ondersteuning van die nasionale regering en doeltreffendheid in die uitbetaling van fondse. Die doeltreffende bestuur van menslike hulpbronne om menslike kapasiteit te bou, het ook uitgestaan as ‘n sleutelfaktor wat finansiële volhoubaarheid bepaal. Om die voordele wat verband hou met GMOPe te maksimaliseer, is aanbeveel dat programme wat vroeë kinderontwikkeling en lewenslange leer bevorder, geïmplementeer word. Daar moet ook meer gebruik gemaak word van inheemse musiek om interkulturele leer aan te moedig. Om voordeel te trek uit die KKI, sal meer staatsondersteuning, universiteitsondersteuning, kulturele entrepreneurskap en die doeltreffende gebruik van tegnologie verg. Die finansiële volhoubaarheid van GMOPe sal uitgebou word as die Tuckman-Chang-maatstawwe toegepas word – met name inkomstediversifikasie. Die elemente van Inyathelo se Vooruitgang-model moet ook aangewend word deur verhoudinge te behou met veelvuldige belanghebbendes, en dit te integreer met effektiewe beheer, leierskap, strategie en beplanning, menslike kapasiteit, finansiële bestuur, ‘n sterk organisatoriese stem en sigbaarheid, fondswerwing en monitering en evaluasie. Sodoende sal GMOPe beter geposisioneer wees om ondersteuning te lok. Beter batebestuur (vervoer, lokale, instrumente en tegnologie), effektiewe menslike hulpbronnebestuur (ouerbetrokkendheid, personeelopleiding, die beplanning van personeelopvolging, en ‘n toename in die aanstelling van voltydse personeel), asook ‘n wetenskaplike benadering tot fondswerwing sal finansiële volhoubaarheid voed. Om fondswerwingspotensiaal uit te brei, behoort GMOPe in navorsing en ontwikkeling en aanlyn skarebefondsing te belê. Nuwe besigheidsmodelle wat selfonderhouding deur self-gegenereerde inkomste bevorder, moet ondersoek word, en GMOPe moet die vernaamste befondsingsgeleenthede wat deur die hersiene Breedgebaseerde Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtigingskodes van Goeie Praktyk daargestel word, optimaal benut. Ten slotte is bepleit dat ‘n holistiese benadering, wat menslike verhoudings vertroetel en die deug, goedheid en behulpsaamheid van die mens aanspreek, gevolg word, omdat dit die tradisionele Afrika waarde van Ubuntu bewys.