Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)

Background
The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) is a contemporary art museum which celebrates Black cultures, ignites challenging conversations, and inspires learning through the global lens of the African Diaspora. Opened in 2005 and located in the Yerba Buena Gardens neighborhood in San Francisco, MoAD has become a nationally recognized and treasured cultural and educational center.

The Challenge
Emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, MoAD, like many medium-sized arts organizations, desired to re-examine its mission and operations and looked to ways of increasing the capacity of its leaders to manage in an era of exponential change, focus outward, engage peers and form key partnerships.

In 2021, NK Strategies was brought by the Board to expand the Museum’s financial and organizational capacity in these areas: (1) developing local, state, and federal funding strategies, (2) identifying opportunities for MoAD Board engagement and support, (3) recommending key partnerships with San Francisco’s cultural and civic communities and (4) advising on an organizational structure that leads to growth and sustainability. 

The Results
After a deep dive into existing organizational materials, NK Strategies developed a High-Level Assessment and list of specific recommendations for Board review and discussion.  Tools used included conducting key stakeholder interviews, landscape scan and benchmarking against four similar organizations.  The funding recommendations included specific ways to expand funding options to local, State and federal resources, expanding partnerships with the SF MOMA and the San Francisco Arts Alliance, and assisting in the recruitment and selection of the museum’s Chief Development Officer.