Genie, Mmario & others,

I didn't mean to draw this conversation off on a tangent with my personal observation about funding.    As I jokingly said in my initial comment, I don't think we want to be "beholding" to large corps.    The corporations that you see sponsoring "folk" events tend to be the Ben & Jerry's, Land's End and other companies that supposedly have a moral approach to business.   These are not Fortune 500 companies.   I may be wrong, but I don't think Microsoft is sponsoring NW Folklife. Coca Cola is building a jazz concert hall for Lincoln Center mainly so that there logo will be scene by the faces that attend the event. Corporations and endowments tend to support the high profile projects.

Personally, I prefer the grassroots support. On a personal note, I have a responsibility to the listeners who donate $ to support my radio station.   I would rather be answerable to my listeners as opposed to Burger King.

Ron