We are creatives ourselves, and support those with a creative spirit to help them bring their projects to life.

How We Use Donor Support

Fueling Creative Work That Strengthens Communities

Animated Minds is a creative-driven nonprofit. Our team comprises individuals from film, education, design, and storytelling, and we leverage their experience to support creators whose work enhances community wellbeing, youth empowerment, and public understanding.

Donor support directly powers this Creative Studio model.

1. Developing Original Educational and Community-Focused Projects

Your contribution helps us design and produce projects that advance our core mission:

• K–8 educational experiences in partnership with Haibu Studios

• Educational curricula in collaboration with other production studios

• Placemaking curricula and real-world community learning projects

• Creative works that spark agency, literacy, empathy, and environmental awareness
  

These projects are built in-house by our volunteer leadership, supported by paid creative and technical talent as funding allows.

2. Supporting Creators With a Community Impact Goal

We partner with artists, filmmakers, animators, writers, educators, and innovators whose work aligns with our mission. Donor support helps us provide:

• Development assistance (concept refinement, story structure, educational framing)

• Production support (animation, design, writing, studio resources)

• Pathways for distribution and real-world implementation

• Fiscal sponsorship and administrative infrastructure
  

This model enables creators to pursue meaningful, mission-aligned projects that might not receive support elsewhere.

3. Expanding Access to Education Through Creative Tools

Funds enable us to develop tools, lesson plans, curricula, and training resources that educators and community leaders can utilize in classrooms, after-school programs, and local placemaking initiatives.

4. Ensuring Responsible Nonprofit Operations

A portion of each donation covers essential nonprofit functions:

• Compliance, accounting, and state/federal reporting

• Program evaluation and data tracking

• Maintaining the public benefit infrastructure required for major gifts and partnerships
  
  

We follow a mission-first spending philosophy: program work comes first, supported by lean operational overhead.

Why This Matters to Donors and Creative Partners

Animated Minds is more than a fiscal sponsor. We are a community of creators who support each other's work. When donors invest in Animated Minds, they are investing in a studio ecosystem, one that empowers creative individuals to build projects that make the world a safer, kinder, and more connected place.

P L A C E M A K I N G Creating spaces that make you want to stay awhile.

We create fun + safe experiences for places and the people that inhabit them.

People are 100% more likely to hang out longer if they feel safe and are having fun.

INNOVATION + EDUCATION + PLACEMAKING

Placemaking education is the next step in creating inspired minds that want to steward the built environment. Leave no trace for the streets.

P L A C E M A K I N G

Placemaking harnesses the power of the arts and culture to foster more genuine public engagement. Done right, placemaking can lead to a better product. The results are streets, sidewalks, and public spaces that welcome us, inspire us, and move us in every sense of the word.

"People are 50% more likely to spend time in spaces with Creative Placemaking.

Incorporating Art into public spaces leads to greater foot traffic and economic activity, which benefits businesses that own or operate commercial properties near these spaces."

-CODAworx