The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s capital campaign was a well-choreographed project that breathed new life into the organization’s fundraising plan

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

But, he says, the capital campaign has opened the staff’s eyes to the advantages of expanding its traditionally small base of individual donors, as well as focusing more on securing major and planned gifts.

Unique challenges
Arts organizations face special challenges, Rink explains, because even though they have stunning visuals to utilize in direct mail and other development mediums, they don’t typically have the pull of social-services, humanitarian or medical charities. When times are tough, donors tend to support organizations with more pressing missions.