When Giving Tuesday rolls around each year, nonprofits of all kinds buzz with energy, hopeful for a big day of donations. Yet, for arts and cultural organizations, putting too much weight on Giving Tuesday can be fraught with potential pitfalls. In this episode, Bob outlines five reasons why relying heavily on Giving Tuesday could be more of a setback than a windfall, and then provides five alternative approaches that can create lasting support beyond just a single day.

We've all been in those Board meetings or had those conversations where someone drops a big name or points out a high-net-worth individual with the phrase, 'Wouldn’t it be great if we could just get them to give?' But chasing people who may have deep pockets but no real interest in the arts is most often a fool's errand, and it pulls us away from building lasting relationships with people who actually want them. Today, Bob will give you five reasons why this obsession isn't productive....

Whether you’re a staff member or a Board volunteer, you know the pressure of asking for money. That pressure can manifest in hesitation, overthinking, and—let’s be honest—a lot of “what ifs” with things that almost never happen. Today, we’ll cover six common fear-based mistakes that fundraisers in the arts tend to make. Bob will also suggest some mindset shifts and practical alternatives to help you overcome those fears and take positive action.

In the past decade, the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera has journeyed from near-insolvency to a sustainable fiscal and artistic future. Bob Swaney interviews the SP&O’s CEO, Giuliano Kornberg, along with Giuliano's longtime mentor, Paul Hogle, President & CEO of the Cleveland Institute of Music, to discuss the details of the incredible organizational success story, with a hint of what lies ahead.  Apologies for the slight technical issues encountered during the recording and...

In an earlier episode a few weeks ago, Bob shared a few of his favorite quotes. We all like funny, smart, creative sayings, the kind that remind us to be our best, do our best, and forge onward. But like with all things, there’s another side to this coin, and we frequently hear quotes that are limiting and, yes, irritating. This episode will highlight a few of those less-favored sayings—the ones we at RSC Associates tend to avoid using. You will no doubt agree that at least one of these...

When developing the fundraising message, how do YOU promote your arts organization? What words do you use? What stories do you tell? Many staff, board, and artists have a tough time answering. Let’s touch on how to get better at telling your organizational story and selling it, too. At RSC Associates, we help clients build their messages balanced on Facts, Finances, and Feelings. The first two – facts and finances are fairly easy for anyone to pull together based on the information on...

In this episode, we're tackling a topic that every fundraiser has faced at some point: excuses for not making a major philanthropic gift. We’ll review the top ten reasons we often hear and, more importantly, what arts organizations can do to be more persuasive. We’re also going to get honest about what those reasons might truly indicate yet remain unspoken by your donors. 

RSC’s fundraising coaching approach is geared toward time-tested best practices and fundamentals that arts and cultural organizations can rely on to grow their fundraising programs. However, we must always adapt best practices to present-day realities. This installment features RSC's CEO, Catherine Heitz New, who joins Bob Swaney in a lively discussion about adapting the fundamentals to a changing philanthropic environment.

In recent years, there’s been a shift towards what I like to call the "power of sharing stories." This approach goes beyond just telling a story; it's about fostering meaningful conversations and genuine connections between donors and our beloved arts organizations. It’s what the true meaning of the word “inclusive” should be in a philanthropic environment.

I like clever sayings, fun saying and sayings that help me remember to be focused and effective. So today, and out of several dozen such sayings, I’m going share ten of my favorites – most of which I use regularly. I thought it might be fun to describe the saying, tell you where I heard it and what it means to me, especially when applied to fundraising in the arts. I hope you like these, too, and find some value and application in hearing them.

There are numerous reasons why fundraising staff and volunteers won’t ask a prospect for support without a lot of feet-dragging. Whether it’s for annual giving, a major gift or a planned gift, hesitation often seems more comfortable than taking action. This episode addresses the causes for delays in asking for support, and what you and your team can do to get out of your comfort zone and instead, 'err on the side of asking'.

Sometimes arts and cultural organizations treat their board like artificial intelligence, as if every board member should be all-knowledgeable and flawlessly responsive bots to answer questions, reveal solutions and be ready, willing and able to advance the herculean tasks to advance our arts organization. However, they should make themselves available only when we decide they are needed. It’s ok to treat A.I. this way, but don’t treat board members like this. This episode explores...

We explore a pain point for most any arts organization: hiring fundraising staff. There are too many jobs for too few qualified professionals in the arts, and the expectations for staff to produce are always high. This episode outlines some of the top challenges faced by arts and cultural organizations when hiring fundraising staff, followed by the five truly ineffective yet commonly used recruitment techniques, and finishing with a handful of “best of” hiring practices that may help during...

This episode delves into the relationship between the marketing and fundraising efforts in a performing arts organization. No matter the size, ticket sales and fundraising priorities are sometimes viewed as “in conflict”, with the patron put in the middle. We'll aim to eliminate the internal competition, and instead, make sales and giving come together in complimentary fashion.

This Episode addresses a crucial aspect of sustaining arts and cultural organizations -- expanding our annual fund donor base. In this ever evolving landscape it's essential to grow the donor base to meet the challenges and the opportunities associated within the arts, but it's also becoming increasingly difficult.

In the past decade, there's been a noticeable shift in the arts and cultural sector towards increased reliance on contributed revenue. In many arts organizations, total fundraising accounts for upwards of 65%+ of the overall budget. Therefore, setting the correct fundraising goals has become more important than ever. This episode outlines a few of the do's and don'ts when budgeting for your fundraising goals.

Part 2 of a conversation with RSC Associates leadership, Founder Bob Swaney and CEO Catherine Heitz New.  With the beginning of a new calendar year, and for many the mid-point of the fiscal year, Bob and Cat discuss current trends in fundraising for the arts, how to successfully build relationships, the importance of adaptability, and the extraordinary results that can be achieved when you engage communities, measure success and become more collaborative.  No matter the size of your arts...

RSC’s Fundraising Growth Now podcast is back with a conversation with RSC Associates leadership, Founder Bob Swaney and CEO Catherine Heitz New.  With the beginning of a new calendar year, and for many the mid-point of the fiscal year, Bob and Cat discuss current trends in fundraising for the arts, how to successfully build relationships, the importance of adaptability, and the extraordinary results that can be achieved when you engage communities, measure success and become more...

Today we discuss some top fundraising fundamentals. Learn the secrets to creating a successful fundraising campaign, from planning to execution. As a non-profit arts organization, fundraising is one of your top goals. But if you're struggling to increase your contributed revenue, then listen carefully to this episode We'll cover topics like setting fundraising goals, donor acquisition, and more. Afterwards, you'll be on your way to increasing your donated revenue! Whether you're a small arts...

This episode is focused on the Donor Pyramid and how to approach potential changes - especially with many arts organizations still in patron recovery mode. Bob Swaney discusses the importance of fundamentals, effective messaging, and relationship development.  For more actionable insights, join our mailing list at RSCfundraising.com.

Nearly every arts organization wants an active and productive fundraising board, but so few have them. Why is that? This episode of Fundraising Growth Now explores some of those reasons, along with what your arts organization can do to improve board fundraising activity.

In our follow-up segment, RSC’s Jeremy Hatch and Bob Swaney discuss current challenges in arts fundraising. This episode focuses on how to keep fundraising a priority – especially given new competing demands and fewer personnel resources.

RSC's Principal Consultant, Jeremy Hatch, joins Bob Swaney in a conversation about current challenges in fundraising for the arts. In this first installment of a two-part episode, Bob and Jeremy discuss the enduring uphill battle of fundraising talent turnover –  along with real-world, successful strategies to find, keep, and engage top-level staff and volunteers.

In today's podcast, Bob discusses the importance of planned / legacy giving, common pitfalls organizations face, and basic rules for success. Learn RSC's best practices for building a sustainable program  –  from the beginning to the great beyond. SPECIAL BONUS: visit https://rb.gy/7d3avc to download your FREE copy of RSC's Planned Giving, Simplified – a straightforward approach to building a successful planned giving program.