1. What is the Maryland Cultural Data Project (Maryland CDP)?
Maryland CDP is a state-wide collaborative effort of the Project Task Force and the following funders:  Alex. Brown & Sons Charitable Foundation, Baltimore Community Foundation, Cooper Family Fund at BCF, Harry L. Gladding Foundation, Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Maryland Historical Trust, Maryland State Arts Council, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, T. Rowe Price Associates Fund at BCF, and the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund.  The Maryland CDP is a standardized online system for collecting historic financial and organizational data for grant applications to several of the funders listed above.  Previously, applicants to these funders were required to provide most of this same information in different formats and on multiple occasions.

2. What are the benefits for Maryland's arts and culture groups?
Organizations will only need to complete the Data Profile (the online form used for collecting financial and other operational information) once each fiscal year. It will be available electronically and submitted as part of most grant applications to the participating funding agencies throughout the year. Financial data will be drawn from each organization’s audit, providing accurate and reliable information. Organizations will be able to use this system to track their trends over time. After the first year of data collection, aggregate information will be available to help groups benchmark their organization against others by discipline, budget size and many other categories.

3. What are the benefits for the field?
In addition to creating a streamlined data collection process for the hundreds of arts and culture organizations throughout Maryland, this project will provide a source of consistent and reliable information on the state’s cultural sector. As a result, it will be possible to analyze and report on the impact, assets and needs of the region’s cultural community.

4. Why is it important?
This state-wide data collection effort for arts and culture will provide organizations with a useful tool for tracking their individual data and creating future projections. Building information about Maryland's cultural sector will help identify opportunities and challenges for cultural organizations and the field that can be addressed through improved grantmaking and policy development.

5. How was the Data Profile developed?
The Data Profile was developed in Pennsylvania with the assistance of focus groups consisting of executive directors and staff that work in development, finance and marketing. It was tested by approximately 20 cultural organizations. Feedback from these participants was used to revise the form and develop training materials and instructions. After three years of development and testing, the Cultural Data Project was launched in Pennsylvania and has been in operation since September 2004.  The project has been deemed a great success and is well poised to take on Maryland as its first new state.

6.  How did the Cultural Data Project come to Maryland?
Based on the project's success in Pennsylvania, a task force of funders, advocacy groups and arts organizations in Maryland recognized the value of consistent and comprehensive data on arts and culture and took a leadership role in making Maryland the first new state in the project's expansion. 

7. When do I need to complete the Data Profile?
Organizations should plan on completing the Data Profile online as soon as you receive your annual audit, financial review or have closed and balanced your books for the previous year (if you do not have an audit). Once completed, the Data Profile may be submitted multiple times throughout the year to accompany applications to the partnering funders in Maryland.

8. What should I expect when completing the Data Profile?
The Data Profile will require information from your audit and financial records, as well as information about attendance, programs, marketing and fundraising. Organizations that do not have audits will be given specific instructions on how to enter their data. You may find that several people from your organization will work on this form. There are detailed instructions for each line of the form. There are also spaces for annotations where you can store notes on how the figures were compiled. You’ll be able to refer to these notes when you complete the form the following year. Additionally, information from past years will automatically appear onscreen as you move forward to complete the forms in future years. The Data Profile will take several hours to complete. Make sure to give yourself enough time to gather all the information you’ll need.

9. Where can I get answers to my questions as I complete the Data Profile?
Start by reviewing the online training ad by using the detailed instructions that are offered throughout the form.  There will be training sessions for those getting started with this form throughout Maryland. Contact the help desk via telephone or email.

10. How will my organization’s information be used and accessed?
Each organization will have a login and password. You will only be able to view your own organization’s information. Aggregate data will be available for the purpose of benchmarking, but it will not identify any specific organization’s data. When you submit your information along with an application to one of the participating funders, they will be able to view your information and use it for grantmaking purposes.

11. Why was I asked to provide two years of data the first time I complete the Data Profile?
Organizations are being asked to provide two years of data the first time they complete the Data Profile so that they can view trends in their organizational data via the Maryland CDP reporting features. Going forward, groups will only need to provide one year of data. Organizational information from previous years will be available onscreen as you complete the Data Profile in future years, making it easy to track and view your data.