Arts Funding in 2025
Julia Foster, CFRE, MBA
Using my career and life experiences to help you achieve your goals!
The Anxiety
As we begin 2025, and with a week to go before the new United States President is sworn in, I know the anxiety is rising for many arts organizations across the country. With history as our guide, we know that President Donald Trump, in his first term in office, repeatedly threatened to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). He continues to sow doubt about the NEA’s future and certainly has never proven to be a champion of the arts (as further evidenced by his lack of awarding the National Medal of Arts in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and his snubbing of the Kennedy Center Honors). The fear now returns as we face another four years of uncertainty due to the change in parties in the White House and in Congress.
The Reality
In the nearly 60 years of the NEA’s existence, it is important to note that money has always been appropriated by Congress to the NEA. Always! And since 2001, the amount appropriated has always been over $100 million.* Always! Moreover, the amount appropriated has steadily risen over the past 10 years (yes, right through the first Trump administration)! The NEA has survived wars, terrorist attacks, recessions (including the “great recession”) and administrations of both parties. The reality is a much sunnier picture than our fear would lead us to believe.
So What Do We Do Now?
Donald Trump’s verbal threats to the NEA’s existence may be more bluster and rhetoric than anything that will materialize. Of course, the verbal threats still need to be addressed and battled, but if we take steps now to fight, and shore up alternative funding sources, arts organizations can be successful through the next four years and beyond. Here are a few ideas:
1.????? Engage your representatives. Contact your senators, congresspersons, county supervisors and city council members. At every opportunity! Call. Write letters. Sign petitions. Ask your board and donors to do the same. Keep the pressure on!
2.????? Take out ads in the newspapers. (I know…old school…but…) Many arts organizations made their presence known in local and national newspapers during the last Trump administration. This strategy, as part of an overall campaign of pressure, helped avoid the defunding of the NEA. If you can’t afford to do so on your own, group together with other local arts organizations. See if your local arts council can coordinate on your behalf and be sure to be a signatory to those efforts.
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3.????? Shore up your individual giving efforts. It is important to remember that gifts from individuals still represent the majority of funding to nonprofits in America. While grants from the NEA can be critically important for arts organizations, a few well-structured appeals to key major gift prospects can yield similar financial results, and sometimes for less staff time than is needed to complete the onerous NEA grant application.
The Benefits of “Fractional” Support
If most of your fundraising efforts have lived in the government and grants bucket, this is a perfect time to invest in the diversification of your funding sources. If you don’t have the means to hire a full-time development professional (beyond grant support), consider hiring a “fractional development director” who can guide your current leadership and staff on how to build and grow your annual fund donor base. With expert guidance, no matter the outcome of the next four years in Washington, DC, your organization will be set up for long-term fundraising success.
Don’t Stop Believing
Working in the arts may leave you feeling tired and anxious about the future, but it’s important to keep the faith. There is always hope on the horizon and somehow the arts always rise from the ashes. Don’t Stop Believing!
Foster Innovation Group is here for your fundraising needs. Visit www.fosterinnovationgroup.com to learn more.
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