Fundraising can be one of the most challenging concepts for dancers with their own companies – understanding the basics of fundraising and donations, creating a fundraising plan, and then cultivating supporters. Fundraising and "development" is itself a creative endeavor requiring brainstorming, imagination, event development, and "the dream of the audience."

First off, please refer to the prior post about budgets (which also includes a handy Excel template).

Today I wanted to recommend the book The Cycle: A Practical Approach to Managing Arts Organizations by Michael M. Kaiser. I know….I have referred to this book all summer! But I have to say – for arts administrators and artists with companies – this is one of the best books to read. Books, and helpful advice like this, are few and far between. 

Even if you borrowed the book from the library, simply reading the key chapter on fundraising (Chapter 6, pages 104-137) is well-worth your time. Kaiser articulately describes the various sources of revenue – fundraisers, earned income, donations, foundations, etc. If you are an artist seeking clarification about different funding sources and how to respectfully and thoroughly develop your donor base, read on. 

As Kaiser writes, "In fact, the biggest reason why arts organizations do not think expansively enough about their programming is that they typically plan their projects too close to the event to allow for the time needed to reveal and cultivate a new set of donor prospects. When one only has six months until a project is going to be mounted, it is too late to research new prospects, cultivate them, and ask for funding" (112).

Check out this book from the local library or purchase a copy here.

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