How can arts fundraisers succeed in a changing economy?

Josh Birkholz, BWF CEO and Giving USA Chair, says the answer is to move forward boldly and with confidence. 

Philanthropy has faced many headwinds over the last five years. Inflation has risen dramatically. Trust in nonprofits is down. The number of people who donate declines annually. With the world changing around us, giving behaviors shift too. 

But even as some numbers diminish, charitable contributions trend upward. In fact, donors made $557 billion in new gifts in 2023 alone, and that number is increasing. Josh is optimistic that economic markers point toward continued growth in the philanthropic space. 

“Meeting together — understanding the human condition — is critical for us. I think that's been a big driver of philanthropy."

While giving behavior changes, generosity remains resilient. That is especially true in arts and culture, which was one of four sectors to grow giving by more than 10% in 2023. Josh attributes that to people seeing the arts as an essential need rather than a luxury. 

“Meeting together — understanding the human condition — is critical for us. I think that's been a big driver of philanthropy,” he said. 

In his Innovator Series presentation, Josh suggests four ways arts fundraisers can inspire philanthropy in our changing economy:

1. Choose to invest in the everyday donor.
2. Build a donor community.
3. Diversify fundraising revenue.
4. Diversify gift components.

Josh expands on these tips in his full talk. Through these efforts, he predicts giving will continue to grow for arts and culture organizations. 

“I believe that generosity is stronger than the economy because generosity is a value, and our values are more important than the economy,” he concluded. 

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Josh Birkholz presented this talk live as part of Tessitura’s Innovator Series at the Tessitura Learning & Community Conference in Washington, D.C., in August 2024.