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.