Why your small organization does not need to get bigger to have a bigger impact.
In the world of grassroots organizing, we are often told that the only way to prove our worth is to scale up.
We are taught to look at growth as a vertical ladder, where success is measured by the size of the office, the number of full-time staff, and the complexity of the annual report.
But for the scrappy creator, this traditional definition of scaling can be a trap. It assumes that bigger is always better, when in reality, bigger is often just heavier. Smallness is not a stepping stone to something else; it is a strategic choice that allows for a level of agility, intimacy, and honesty that large institutions can only dream of.
Why does this perspective shift matter? Because when we obsess over scaling our size, we often lose sight of scaling our impact. High overhead is a parasite on creativity. The more resources you have to manage, the less time you have to make art or build community. Large organizations often become risk-averse because they have too much to lose. They have to play it safe to keep the lights on. As a small organization, your risk is your currency. You can try the weird idea, the niche project, or the radical collaboration because you do not have a massive bureaucratic machine that needs constant feeding. You have the freedom to be responsive to your neighborhood in real-time, rather than following a strategic plan written three years ago. Success is not about how many people work for you, but how many people you actually reach.
So, how do we scale without losing our soul? We look at scaling for depth rather than scaling for volume. This approach is about moving horizontally. Instead of building a taller building, you grow a wider root system. Think of your organization as a node in a network rather than a standalone fortress. You can increase your impact by forming deep, reciprocal partnerships with other small groups. This is the shared infrastructure mindset. You do not need to hire a full-time marketing person; you can share a freelancer with three other collectives. You do not need to own a theater; you can co-lease a warehouse with a dance troupe and a zine library. By distributing the load, you keep your core team lean while your reach extends across the entire city.
Another way to apply this is through the micro-project model. Instead of trying to launch one massive, city-wide festival that requires six months of fundraising, you launch ten small, hyper-local events. This allows you to test ideas, build trust in different pockets of your community, and iterate quickly. Each small success builds a layer of social capital that is far more durable than a one-time grant. You are scaling your reputation and your relationships, which are the true assets of any grassroots leader. Digital tools also allow us to scale our communication without scaling our costs. You can build a global community of practice through simple, low-cost platforms while keeping your physical footprint small and manageable.
The closing thought for any young leader feeling the pressure to grow is this: you are allowed to stay small. In fact, in an era of massive, impersonal institutions, being small is your superpower. It allows you to know the names of the people who walk through your door. It allows you to change your mind when you learn something new. It allows you to keep the focus on the art and the people, rather than the spreadsheet. Success is not a headcount; it is the strength of the connection you have with your community.
Keep your overhead low and your vision high. You do not need to be a giant to move mountains. You just need to know where to place the lever.
Stay scrappy, stay focused, and remember that the most beautiful things in the world often start—and stay—small.
Northern Arts and Regional Innovation
This is a collaborative initiative by The Arts Incubator Winnipeg and the Art Borups Corners art collective, supporting artists and creative projects in Melgund Township, Northwestern Ontario. Our groups champion rural arts development, community programming, Indigenous arts partnerships, and cultural innovation—strengthening the local and regional arts sector through mentorship, exhibitions, digital media, and sustainable creative entrepreneurship. Our events and activities include artists from Melgund Township, Winnipeg, Ignace, Sioux Lookout, Dryden, and beyond. You read more innovation-focused posts here.
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