An Interview With Tim Whalen, Director of External Affairs, American Conservatory Theater

FS: Any major difficulties or setbacks you’ve faced along the way? Things you would do differently with your fundraising?
TW: We continue to see our donor base shrink year after year even as we raise more in contributed income each year. The attrition has been primarily in lower-level gifts under $1,000, which are raised through direct response (mail/phone/online). While some of this trend can be attributed to a smaller overall audience, this is not the total answer. We continue to investigate new ways to acquire donors but have not yet found the “magic bullet” to replace more traditional methods of mail and phone.