With little to show but enthusiasm, the development staff at the National Constitution Center managed to fund a dream.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

“The new memberships are definitely tapering off, and we’re concentrating very hard on renewals,” she explains. “The acquisition part is very expensive, so it’s crucial for us to remember to put the emphasis on communication with and care and feeding of our existing members.”

Seiter says she would consider 10,000 to 12,000 members a reasonable cap.