For more than 90 years, The Dayton Art Institute (DAI) has been committed to enriching lives and serving the community by creating meaningful experiences with art.

 

LMK Advocacy was hired to assist DAI with a request for state capital budget funds in 2014. Lori Kershner helped DAI staff craft their application to the Dayton Development Coalition, the organization tasked with prioritizing community projects and making recommendations to the governor’s office and the legislature. Because Lori is experienced with and has success in the Dayton Regional Priority Development & Advocacy Process, she was able to draft the language in a way that best positioned the project for funding. 

 

Lori worked with DAI staff to make contact with community leaders serving on the prioritization committee to encourage their support for the request. As a result, the project was recommended as the #1 priority arts project for the region.

 

After the PDAC priority list was forwarded to the administration, Lori worked diligently to educate the local delegation about the critical importance of the request. Many state elected officials were not previously familiar with DAI and Kershner educated them quickly and thoroughly on the history and significance of the museum to the region.  Lori arranged for Miami Valley legislators to tour DAI and discuss the renovation needs of the historic facility. Taking the time to show them the “behind the scenes” areas of the facility (in great need of repair) was essential to garnering their support.

 

Lori leveraged her relationships with staff in Governor Kasich’s office to build support for the request. Additionally, political relationships from DAI supporters were leveraged to augment the effort.

 

Following several months of discussions, tours, meetings with legislators, conversations with key policy staff in Columbus and DAI board involvement, Dayton Art Institute was awarded more than $2.2M from the state Capital Budget to support their extensive renovation project.