Tired of advocacy that doesn’t land?
The Return on Art™ Framework helps arts leaders move from outputs to outcomes—proving transformation, not just activity.
Start with the Pre-Advocacy Toolkit, a free guide that gives you practical steps to show measurable impact and secure the funding you deserve.
Trusted by the Field
“Meleca Creative Advisors are experts at making data meaningful, not just measurable. Angela Meleca’s guidance helped us align our impact with a larger arts ecosystem and communicate our outcomes to funders with clarity and power. This is exactly the kind of support arts organizations need right now.”
Grounded in real-world results, this free Toolkit™ gives you the same tools trusted by arts leaders nationwide.
Why These Metrics Matter
The Return on Art™ (ROA™) Framework doesn’t just measure participation. It measures transformation and builds on ideas first advanced by Harvard’s Mark Moore and The Wallace Foundation’s landmark 2005 study Creating Public Value Through State Arts Agencies.
That report challenged the field to demonstrate not only what the arts do, but what they change—to move from counting activities to proving outcomes. The mindset was right, but the tools to measure transformation didn’t yet exist.
Today, the ROA™ Framework fulfills that vision by providing arts leaders and funders with a measurable, evidence-based system to capture real human outcomes and demonstrate how the arts improve empathy, confidence, belonging, and well-being.
Grounded in outcomes-based measurement practices used across the health, education, and workforce sectors, ROA™ was developed in collaboration with arts organizations nationwide to capture real, human impact.
Each outcome we track—from empathy and growth mindset to creative confidence and mental well-being—is backed by validated, nationally recognized measures and trusted across the field.
Note: The Collaborative Arts Impact Initiative has since evolved into the Return on Art™ Framework.
What You’ll Learn:
This Toolkit™ gives you practical steps to show measurable impact and strengthen every funding conversation.
You’ll learn how to:
✅ Use Pre-Advocacy™ to align your message, audience, and ask before advocacy begins.
✅ Apply the “5 Whys” to uncover the deeper impact behind your work.
✅ Measure outcomes such as belonging, confidence, empathy, and critical thinking using validated tools.
✅ Make your case with the Return on Art™ Framework, connecting outcomes to public value in funder meetings.
This Toolkit™ is a practical guide used by arts leaders nationwide to strengthen advocacy with measurable outcomes.
This toolkit is built for:
✅ Nonprofit arts leaders ready to replace legacy metrics with measurable impact
✅ Fundraisers looking to prove value, not just describe it
✅ Grantmakers and agencies ready to fund what works
Proven. Measurable. Fundable.
The Return on Art™ Framework connects outcomes like empathy, confidence, belonging, and well-being to public value funders can trust.
Real Data. Real People. Real Impact.
Here’s what one Ohio-based arts organization achieved with the Return on Art™ Framework:
54.3% drop in loneliness after just one cycle
Biggest gains among women and clients of color
Results tied to mental wellness and stronger community connection
Whether you’re making the case for your own program or funding someone else’s,
this toolkit helps you move beyond headcounts to focus on what truly counts:
✔ Proven results
✔ Real-time metrics
✔ No fluff
Created by Angela Meleca, founder of Meleca Creative Advisors and creator of the Return on Art™ Framework.
Want to apply the Return on Art™ Framework to your organization? Book a 1:1 call