This gloomy takeaway might be easy to miss – after all, contributed revenue as a percentage of expenses is up 30% over 4 years, and ROI on fundraising is up an astounding 231% (with an average of $6.01 raised per dollar spent)! But those increases are due largely to public support, which increased an average of 219% from 2019 to 2022 and will assuredly not continue at that level this year and beyond. 

Our firm is deeply grateful for our partnerships with a significant number of organizations whose data is included in this study. We can confirm that they are finding it hard to renew or upgrade those donors who aren’t crossing the threshold into the organization’s space. As a result, we have analyzed engagement since the pandemic in order to prioritize the cultivation of donors who may be more ready to step up. We can also confirm that they have found mounting exhibitions and productions to be much more costly, so we have partnered to rework case messaging and funding priorities to emphasize the gravity of the moment while also highlighting the beauty and life-giving energy that draws all of us to work in this sector. We are proud to walk this journey with each and every one of them.  

Silver linings in the report may seem hard to find, but they are there for BIPOC-centered and small-sized organizations. BIPOC-centered organizations show a 46% increase in individual contributions during the period studied, which supported the hiring of additional staff, including many more artists. Hopefully, some of these staff are focused on building the capacity of their organization to sustain that level of contribution into the future.  And though foundation funding declined by 9% in real dollars or 21% in inflation-adjusted dollars overall, organizations with budgets less than $150,000 saw a 59% increase in foundation funding, aligned with publicly announced shifts (e.g. this one) in funding strategy in recent years.  

I will continue to process this excellent study, especially alongside what I know to be the bright spots that some of our clients are experiencing in this very fluid moment.  Please feel free to reach out for more discussion, and in the meantime – go buy a ticket to something!  

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Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Chief Advancement Officer at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Paul Bessire, discusses how his work with Campbell & Company’s multi-service teams has impacted the Museum’s ability to advance its development operations. 

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What We Heard

Like nearly all of its peers, the Guthrie’s operations were significantly impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic; the theater has continued to work to rebuild its live audience even as the pandemic has receded. Major gifts were critical to the Guthrie during this challenging time, but the development team observed that it was more difficult than they expected to secure meetings with prospective donors who “looked like” good major gift prospects based on their capacity and giving history. They urgently needed to understand which prospects their lean team should focus on and forecast what the organization might expect from these donors in current and deferred gifts.

Our Impact

Campbell & Company pulled a range of data from Tessitura that would help analyze each constituent’s engagement with the Guthrie and developed a custom engagement score based on how they interacted with the Guthrie before, during, and after the height of the pandemic. We used these scores and the donor’s capacity and giving history to forecast their gift amounts and demonstrate where the Guthrie should focus in order to reach its fundraising goals.

We also analyzed the Guthrie’s planned giving expectancy file in order to assess how recent efforts to reinvigorate its planned giving society might impact the amount of annual endowment draws in future years, based on the forecasted realization of planned gifts.

“Campbell & Company has been our consulting team for a couple of years now, and this analysis is an example of how they work creatively and diligently to answer the questions we are wrestling with as an organization. We had an anecdotal sense of how we might achieve our goals, but Campbell & Company brought a level of rigor that gave our leadership confidence in our path.”

Jennifer BaumgartnerCampaign Director

Results

The Guthrie is proceeding with its fundraising plans, with a stronger prospect list and a more realistic sense of what contribution might be expected from the individuals on the list. The analysis identified a segment of highly-engaged patrons with strong capacity who were not managed by Guthrie staff; the team is taking steps to qualify and cultivate these individuals, who are key to the future major gift pipeline.

Let’s Move Your Mission Forward—Together.

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Chicago History Museum

When the Chicago History Museum (CHM) asked us if we wanted to partner with them on a truly historical capital campaign, we jumped at the chance to be tourists amidst the lore of our own city. What started with a brainstorm on our personal points of Chicago pride (absolutely no ketchup on hot dogs, Lake Michigan, Honest Abe, and Oprah) became a deeper dive into the spirit that makes our city pulse—and the inspiration to reframe the museum in donors’ minds.

Capturing the spirit of Chicago

We landed on a bold yet welcoming campaign name, This is Chicago, anchored by a simple message that resonated throughout the CHM community: everything that makes Chicago Chicago flows out of our history, and the Chicago History Museum keeps it alive.

Putting stories at the center

In a city that lives with the stories of its past, we foregrounded the stories that make at CHM a one-of-a-kind institution—from those that live in its collections to those it brings to life in classrooms across the city.

Bringing the details to life

To support a campaign brochure built around anthemic messaging, visionary goals, and storytelling, we worked with CHM to build out detailed—yet concise and thematically cohesive—inserts for each major campaign project.

Get Started On Your Success Story Right This Very Minute.

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Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture

How did Seattle’s oldest museum become Seattle’s newest museum? With a powerful, interactive vision, stunning new glass walls, and an exciting campaign to unveil it all to donors and community members alike.

In 2015, Campbell & Company partnered with the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture to develop an engaging messaging campaign for the “New Burke”—a nearly $100 million redesign of the Museum’s existing campus.

See Through the Burke

After immersing ourselves in the Burke’s collections, programs, and plans, as well as leading conversations and workshops with museum leadership and Board members, we landed on an enticing invitation for the public to “See Through the Burke.”

This message supported multiple meanings: visitors would be able to literally see through the walls of the museum and watch curators, archaeologists, and others at work—but they could also see their local history and culture through the incredible collections on display. The resulting campaign, which we brought to life in close collaboration with graphic designer Asha Hossain, has been widely and successfully implemented by the Burke.

“The Campbell & Company team brought so many excellent ideas to the table for our campaign brand that it was hard to choose. In a short amount of time, they did a deep dive into our mission that resulted in thoughtful, creative and exciting work. We have worked with them multiple times, would hire them again, and would recommend them to any organization looking for help telling their story in a creative and compelling way.”

Alaina Fuld Director of External Affairs, Burke Museum

From ideas to action

The Burke brought our team back in 2017 to help create a cohesive narrative strategy that would frame a high-impact visitor experience at the new Burke. This work involved developing descriptions of the visitor experience moving through the museum, developing core messaging that can be woven into exhibit text, and generating naming options for the six main galleries.

Get Started On Your Success Story Right This Very Minute.

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In the past year, numerous organizations have received transformational gifts of unprecedented size. These gifts will certainly have a profound impact and create significant opportunities for institutions to further their missions. The significance and impact of these gifts inspire the question: how should these gifts be recognized? Many organizations may choose to recognize the donors of these transformational gifts by renaming their buildings or significant spaces. These gifts bring up fundamental questions surrounding the practice of naming and gift recognition that are worthy of consideration.  

The development or renewal of a donor recognition and naming program can offer a space within which these questions can be considered and thoughtfully addressed. Below we address some of the traditions and evolution of naming recognition and steps your organization can take to intentionally refine your approach. 

The Traditions of Naming and Recognition 

A donor recognition and naming program defines who is recognized and celebrated, at what levels, and through what means. The purpose of these programs is to honor the generosity of an organization’s supporters and ignite enthusiasm and motivation for giving.  

Traditionally, naming is known as a strategy for upgrading donors who wish to reach a new level of support that offers attractive benefits. It’s also useful for an organization to demonstrate and communicate its values, establish the tone of a campaign, and engage key stakeholders and community members.  

To serve its intended function, the policy or program should be clear, fair, and consistent. The components of a naming and recognition policy are typically: 

• Specified duration of public display of name and a renewal process once that time limit has been reached 
• A morals and values clause that clearly articulates the organization’s values and ensures the individual and/or organization being recognized is in alignment with these values 
• Defined exceptions process if and/or when a situation outside these bounds arises: How are exceptional opportunities addressed?  

The Evolution of Naming and Recognition

Naming and recognition policies have come under review as a whole and are evolving. For example, many organizations are moving away from naming spaces “in perpetuity,” as this level of permanence restricts other individuals from participating and limits future options. This practice also reinforces the idea that spaces can be “bought” and indirectly infers ownership of a public space. Similarly, as our communities address the impacts of generational wealth, it is becoming less common for naming and recognition policies to include options for families to automatically renew named spaces.  

Moving toward a more community-centric approach, this evolution has witnessed several recent trends: 

• Recognizing a donor’s cumulative gifts or duration of giving instead of the gift level or individual gift amount 
• Acknowledging non-financial contributions  
• Recognition being designed by the community 
• Naming selection rights where a donor may select a name from a list created by the organization (Example: a donor chooses the name of an artist to honor) 
• Preserving community spaces as “community owned” by not allowing them to be named
• Creating stricter values and morality clauses 

Reflecting on Your Organization’s Naming and Recognition Practices 

As the landscape of donor recognition policies and standard practices is experiencing a significant shift toward inclusivity and community-based approaches, we recommend asking these key questions to illuminate a path forward for your organization: 

• How can we ensure a sense of community connection and belonging alongside naming?
• What do we want naming and donor recognition to communicate to the community?
• Who will be recognized beyond donors?
• What scale of contribution warrants a rebrand or renaming of a physical space?
• What message is delivered when an institution renames an important feature after a donor?
• What types of recognition will be most meaningful and motivating to donors?

These questions provide an important opportunity for reflection and evaluation of your organization’s naming and recognition practices, hopefully offering a refreshed perspective and facilitating a generative discussion of organizational values among key staff and stakeholders. 

Beyond internal evaluation and ideation, your organization might choose to do the following: 

• Hold discussions with community stakeholders about naming and recognition, including development committees, campaign committees, leadership, non-development staff and volunteers 
• Conduct an audit of current naming and recognition within the organization and the corresponding gift agreements 
• Connect with building committees and community stakeholders to review options that align with architectural design and public interest. 

Ultimately, the future of your organization’s naming and recognition policies and practices depend on establishing a clear understanding of community needs and interests. By incorporating these voices, your organization can ensure that it is recognizing generosity in a manner that is true to its values.

For more information about our services, please give us a call at 877-957-0000 to launch the Campbell & Company team within your organization. 

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Day after day, our East team has the honor to work with a variety of nonprofits whose work shapes communities all along the Eastern Seaboard. Each of these organizations holds a rich history and a strong significance for its stakeholders, whether through the care it provides, the wild lands it preserves, or the students it educates.

Last year, our client Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) announced that its Artistic Director Michael Kahn would retire following its 2019 season. Michael joined the Theatre for its first production in 1986, and his retirement will cap off three decades of transformative leadership with the renowned Washington, DC institution.

To learn more about his legacy, we spoke with Michael about the Theatre’s accomplishments, his first days with the institution, and what the future holds.

Setting the stage

A young company, STC faced an uncertain fate when Michael joined its ranks. The institution looked to his robust directorial experience to help establish the Theatre, and Michael set his sights high from the beginning. He worked to create the proper atmosphere for a preeminent classical theater, ensuring that all the necessary resources were in place.

However, Michael’s vision encompassed more than the inner workings of each production. “Once I was there, it was very important that the Theatre not only do really good work with the type of material it was devoted to but that it also would become a significant part of the community,” he explained.

Building support outside the Theatre’s walls

To foster strong ties throughout the Washington, DC region, the Theatre sought to define itself across three primary focuses: its work on the stage, its work in the community, and its work in the schools. STC began offering free Shakespeare every summer and made representation a priority, ensuring that the cast on stage reflected the diversity of the audiences in Washington.

Its education programs now reach every middle and high school in the Greater DC area, demonstrating that community involvement is just as important to STC as its devotion to the art of theatre. As interest increased, STC outgrew its original theatre, moving to a larger space—and then an even larger one.

Michael credits STC’s broad base of supporters for the Theatre’s lengthy list of accomplishments. “I’m very grateful we’ve had donors who have been with us for the entire 30 years that I’ve been here,” he remarked. From these longtime individual donors, to the city’s significant investment, to people who discover their love for theatre each year, STC is a product of the community’s financial and emotional support.

Looking to the next act

30 years ago, there were only four theatres in Washington, DC. Today, there are more than 60 companies producing theatre in the city. Shakespeare Theater Company has played an instrumental role in creating this vibrant culture where so many theatres can thrive, reaching thousands of people.

In contemplating the future, Michael is looking forward to the appointment of a new Artistic Director. He awaits the energy and fresh approach they will bring to the Theatre’s classic work—and he knows they will become an important part of the STC community, all across Greater Washington, DC.

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