Pennies to pounds

A study into donor motivation

Joanne South

Research Manager

1

Individual giving in the regions

2008/09

A study into donor motivation 2

£m

Individual giving by artform in the

South West

A study into donor motivation 3

28% Theatres 25%Museums

8%Festivals

5%Visual art

4% Music

Why is low and mid-level giving

important to your organisation?

90% of donations are at

a low to mid-level

Committed audience members to

donor

Friends schemes and ticket purchasing

increases a person’s willingness to donate

● 90% of donors interviewed went three times or more

● 75% of donors were trustees, volunteers, on mailing

lists or a Friend

● 47% of the Friends said membership encouraged

them to give

● Spending money on tickets did not affect willingness to

give

● 12% increase in attendance across UK and artforms

A study into donor motivation 7

What motivates someone to give to

the arts?

Artistic/cultural

Philanthropic

Material

Incidental

Social / social networking

Institutional

Personal / experiential

What motivates someone to give to

your organisation?

“...lots of people would not think to make a donation but

would join a friends scheme -and hopefully they

encourage longer-term or larger donations as people

remain engaged rather than just one-off donations.”

“It was our local theatre so I felt a local connection and it

is also a theatre which has got a lot of potential and I

wanted to help it develop.”

“I think it is important that now that they have those two

fantastic galleries that they keep those maintained.”

A study into donor motivation 9

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Mechanisms for giving

Give people ways to give to you

A study into donor motivation 10

● How, where and when will they give?

● Those who give small amounts regularly, donate more

● Prompts and direct requests

● A direct ask for something specific is the most

effective approach

● Give people the opportunity to give to you

● Forming new and multiple relationships with your

audiences

● Co-ordinated marketing approach

● A resource efficient fundraising strategy

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