Highwire Improv

Community First

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All Community Meeting - January 21st, 2023

Meeting Agenda

1. Core Values
2. Financial Update
3. Numbers Y’all
4. 2022 Year in Review
5. 2023 Strategy Deep Dive
6. Getting Involved in 2023 - Slack, Volunteer Channels
7. Open Q&A

Core Values

Transparency

�Clear, honest information helps everyone work better together!

Safety

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Physical, psychological, and artistic safety for everyone.

Community

�Here to serve the collective good, we all win together!

Action

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An imperative to make changes, solve problems, and iterate.

COVID-19 and Show Status

Process remains the same since March:

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• The CDC has shifted from a case-based metric to one that also accounts for hospitalizations. Baltimore City is in medium status. (data January 8)
• Highwire Improv will continue to monitor case and hospitalization metrics, and is reviewing in-person activities week by week.
• Venue details will be posted clearly in events.
• Monkeypox/orthopox virus cases have steadily decreased for multiple months - we will stop actively monitoring after this month.

December 2022 Financial Details

Income - Expenses = Net Income

$2,266.51 - $1,704.13 = $562.38

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Donations:

• $290.85

Interest:

• $0.11

Tickets:

• $295.55

Applied Improv

• $1,680.00

Performer Fees

• $243.23

Instructor Fees

• $336.00

Software and Bank Fees

• $509.18 (includes annual Zoom costs)

Training and Development

• $615.70

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$4,631.97 is the balance as of 12/31/22

The Numbers - THEY GROW

2022

Year in Review

We Remained a Leader in Online Improv

Highwire Improv formed during the pandemic, and as such online improv has been baked into our DNA.

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We’ve continued to hold a prolific performance space in 2022:

• We produced over 200 nights (and some days) of online shows.
• We’ve had 210 unique shows/teams perform with us.
• We continued Black Joy Fridays: monthly shows dedicated entirely for Black improvisers.

…and Took Improv All Over Baltimore!

We greatly expanded our in-person activities in 2022:

• 28 free jams at the Roland Park Community Center
• 21 in-person shows
• 12 unique venues all over Baltimore (and Pennsylvania)
• Guest performers from DC, New York, and Chicago
• 663 audience members �(an average of 31.6 per show)!

We had a lot of fun!

A lot of fun…

So much fun!

Money Well Spent - To Artists

Highwire Improv continued to create opportunities for artist to make money doing improv:

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• $7,400 to instructors of applied improv workshops
• $400 to instructors of comedy improv workshops
• $2,750 to performers

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Over $10,000 into improvisers hands in 2022!

Show payments by group.

We Launched and Grew Programs

• We developed our applied improv program significantly further, thanks to the leadership of Darin Harm. We were able to deliver training programs to five organizations, began creating evergreen marketing materials, and grow our facilitator group to 6 members.
• We facilitated multiple anti-racism and anti-oppression trainings, including work with Create Access and Impromiscuous.
• We launched our unique teacher and coach development program, finalizing our first cohort of Highwire Improv trained improv instructors.
• We launched an updated anonymous feedback and reporting system through SuggestionOx.

2022 Full Year Financial Details

Income - Expenses = Net Income

$20,876.47- $18,597.79 = $2,278.68

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Donations:

• $6,007.31

Interest:

• $1.45

Workshops (incl. Applied Improv)

• $10,801.73

Tickets:

• $4,032.09

Merch:

• $33.89

Performer Fees

• $2,248.96*

Instructor Fees

• $7,652.71*

Software and Bank Fees

• $2,942.07

Venue Fees

• $1,660.80

Merch

• $402.36

Training:

• $1,135.01

Events (incl. FAM Fest)

• $2,555.88

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$4,631.97 is the balance as of 12/31/22

*some figures differ from program totals due to Venmo usage for Performer and Instructor fees

The Numbers - THEY GREW

Q&A

Thank You!

2023

The Year Ahead

Lessons from 2022

1. Both Marketing and Fundraising Are a Lot of Work�
2. Curriculum Development Needs a Team Too�
3. Balancing In-Person and Online Programming

Where Would We Like to Be in 2024?

• Ready to plan and announce a Highwire Improv Festival.�
• Ready to take on our first dedicated paid positions in operations and HR.�
• Ready to invest in a semi-permanent space for performance, classes, and community meeting, a true third place for members of the improv community.�
• With sufficient capital saved to ensure the steady and stable growth of our organization.

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Education

Goals:

• Run 2 cohorts of the Teacher Development Program
• Deliver 12 sections of core curriculum classes, averaging at least 8 students each.�

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Budgeted Revenue: $24,000

Budgeted Costs: $25,020

Budgeted Net Profit: -$1,020

Volunteer Hours Needed: 198

Jams and Community Space

Goals:

• Host weekly open jams.
• Experiment with other community events, like in-person community meetings or open coffee hours.�

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Budgeted Revenue: $0

Budgeted Costs: $2,280

Budgeted Net Profit: -$2,280

Volunteer Hours Needed: 144

Anti-Oppression / Anti-Racism Training

Goals:

• Conduct quarterly professional development programs in DEI / anti-racism and anti-oppression, offering attendance to the broader global improv community.�

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Budgeted Revenue: $4,800

Budgeted Costs: $12,000

Budgeted Net Profit: -$7,200

Volunteer Hours Needed: 48

In-Person Shows

Goals:

• Host at least 4 out-of-town troupes for shows and workshops, building on our online connections, and learning more about the logistics which will support a future festival.
• Double the performer pay rate to $60/half-hour set by the end of the year.

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Budgeted Revenue: $12,900

Budgeted Costs: $10,020

Budgeted Net Profit: $2,880

Volunteer Hours Needed: 279

Online Shows

Goals:

• Establish a more official coalition/partnership in support of the operations and marketing of online improv shows, jams, and workshops.�

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Budgeted Revenue: $0

Budgeted Costs: $0

Budgeted Net Profit: $0

Volunteer Hours Needed: 418

Applied Improv

Goals:

• Deliver 12 paid applied improv workshops and 3 free workshops to non-profit/community organizations.�

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Budgeted Revenue: $18,000

Budgeted Costs: $10,080

Budgeted Net Profit: $7,920

Volunteer Hours Needed: 276

Fundraising Campaigns

Goals:

• Run a successful donation campaign raising funds for a semi-permanent space to be booked early 2024.
• Raise sufficient funds to build out our Last Laugh fund sufficiently to protect the organization in the face of catastrophic events which limit our operations.
• Earn two grants during 2023.�

Budgeted Revenue: $19,600

Budgeted Costs: $1,500

Budgeted Net Profit: $18,100

Volunteer Hours Needed: 400

Overall Budget (including General Operations)

Community Input and Brainstorming