Our latest ABA Executive Benchmark explored development operations at arts and cultural organizations.

Our latest ABA Executive Benchmark explored the state of corporate fundraising at arts and cultural organizations.

As many organizations revisit and/or launch new endowment campaigns, we want to learn about the overall state of major donors and their giving trends, planned giving efforts, and the impacts the pandemic and possible economic slowdown have had on private support.

In recent conversations with members, ABA has heard from many arts and cultural organizations who are rethinking their galas and other benefit events. Our latest Arts Leader Survey asked arts leaders to benchmark themselves on how they are strategizing their galas and donor events for the future, including the budget and return of these events as well as changes in gala structure. We also want to understand the value of galas/benefit events considering the time and fiscal investments surrounding them.

As we near the end of the calendar year, we want to take a moment to look back on past ABA executive leader polls to assess the realities of fundraising projections notably around corporate giving, and learn about new tactics and investments in development overall. Our latest Arts Leader Survey asked arts leaders to benchmark themselves on their current progress made in achieving annual fundraising projections, communication platforms most helpful to fundraising efforts, and the overall state of and changes made to corporate partnership strategy.

After two years of disruptions with the global health crisis and the current impending recession, it is of critical importance to understand the landscape of fundraising efforts. Our latest Arts Leader Survey asked arts leaders to benchmark themselves on expectations for future fundraising trends, giving challenges organizations are preparing for, and patterns in how individual donors are moving up to larger gifts.

With the rise in inflation and the corresponding increases in living and business costs, many cultural institutions are reconsidering how they organize donor and membership programs.

Our latest Arts Executive Poll asked arts leaders how they are prioritizing different fundraising sources into the near future and how their contributed income streams stand today.

Arts organizations have worked hard to stay in the hearts and minds of their donors during the challenges of the past year. Our recent Arts Executive poll surveyed leaders on the state of their development teams, donor reliance on benefits, and the motivations they believe drive donors to give.