By Michelle Taylor, Matrix on Board General Manager, Darwin

This was the subject line of an email that I sent out to some of my colleagues in Matrix last August. I had just finished two days of ’speed dating’ style business plan reviews with Aboriginal Art Centre managers at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair. ANKAAA had contracted us to have a look at the current business plans of five art centres. For two days I sat in a corner of the Art Fair, surrounded by the hustle and bustle and incredibly beautiful art, and had hour long conversations over tea and biscuits with managers from across the Top End. We talked about the challenges they face in running their business. We talked about the expense of bringing consultants to their remote locations to facilitate workshops, and the lack of business infrastructure, peer support and development opportunities. We talked about the crucial social, cultural and economic roles that many Aboriginal Art Centres play in their communities and how technology might be used to make those roles more effective. 

I learned a great deal over those two days, and was inspired to think about business planning in a different way. So, what if we could do it differently? What if we could support these Art Centres without large amounts of their funding being spent on travel costs? Over the past few months my colleagues, some Art Centre managers and the creative people at ANKAAA and I got to thinking!

Creative Thinking Sparks Pilot Projects

The result of all this creative thinking has lead to two concept proposals for pilot projects with ANKAAA. The first is to take Matrix on Board’s popular ‘Understanding Financial Statements and Auditors Reports’ seminar (normally a day long, face to face event) and turn it into 6 weekly online sessions. Facilitated by Morri Young, Managing Director and founder of Matrix, these sessions will walk the participants through the wonders of Assets, Liabilities, Expenses and Income, Cash Flows, Balance Sheets and all things financial in a fun (yes, really) format that is designed to suit people with no accounting experience or knowledge. As well as being able to access this professional development from the comfort of their own homes and offices, the Art Centre Managers will be able to interact with each other through the online platform, tell their stories and ask questions directly related to their work. The series is tentatively schedule to start in April.

Online Adventure for Art Centre Managers

Also tentatively scheduled to start in April is another online adventure for Art Centre Managers. Through a series of 6 fortnightly sessions, Art Centre Managers who need to update their current business plans will be guided through their planning ‘journey’. I will be facilitating the series and will support the participants by providing information, templates and advice on the different elements and activities involved in updating a business plan. We will start with ‘Vision, Mission and Values – and who owns this story anyway?’ and will work our way through how to set strategic goals, risk management plans, getting the budget right and how to use the plan effectively. Art Centre Managers will have ‘homework’ after each session – such as to run a Values workshop with their committees and artists – and the group will be able to share their experiences with each other as their plans come together. This proposed project also includes the opportunity to have a Matrix on Board consultant review the new plans and provide suggestions and recommendations prior to finalisation. If successful, this online business planning series could become a viable, and inexpensive alternative to the more traditional planning formats for organisations who don’t require a ’start from scratch’ process.

Matrix has been working with non profits across Australia for over 13 years, and we have developed some tried and true processes and formats for the work we do. It has been an exciting experience to take our methods and apply the ‘what if we did it differently’ approach to bring our experience and expertise together with the opportunities presented by technology to create new and exciting services for our clients. I can’t wait to see what we come up with next!

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