Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
In its initial project for the Office of Fine Arts (then a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs), WolfBrown consultants performed a short-term organizational assessment of the Office of Fine Arts. The assessment included review of materials and an on-site visit with interviews and observations. The analysis focused on identity and image, space and workload, information management, staffing, fund raising, and use of technology. The result was a report that summarized the findings and made specific recommendations in each of these areas. A subsequent project focused on the role of the Information Department specifically and resulted in a multi-year plan for use of technology by the Office of Fine Arts, including a capital purchase plan and recommended staffing.
A second project for the Office of Fine Arts involved a comprehensive evaluation of the grants programs of the office. The grant programs had grown rapidly and there was a need to have an outside and objective assessment of the programs’ strengths and weaknesses. The project included on-site interviews with staff, grantees and other constituents, panel and advisory board members, and funders; analyses of grant statistics and trends over time; on-site observations of panel meetings; and a detailed survey of grants programs in other communities. The final report outlined the research findings, made recommendations about how to strengthen programs and achieve greater efficiencies, and suggested improvements to related administrative areas.