Robert Swaney Consulting, Inc.

Client Spotlight: The Detroit Symphony Orchestra and RSC Partner to Achieve Stellar Annual Fund Success.

2012-01-20T05:45:00.011-05:00

After coming out of well-publicized financial and labor difficulties in 2011, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's (DSO) Annual Fund is now on pace to grow at a rate not seen in over a decade.

In mid-2010 the DSO engaged Robert Swaney Consulting (RSC) to create and implement the strategies and tactics needed to significantly grow the individual giving base. Despite the extreme challenges facing the organization at the time, DSO and RSC staff worked together to produce a 32% increase in dollars and an 18% increase in the number of donors over the previous year. Together, we not only reversed a decade-long negative trend in less than one year, but we also greatly surpassed the budgeted goal for the fiscal year.

How did we do it? In short, we re-engaged the fundamentals of annual fundraising and combined them with some innovative approaches. First, we developed an aggressive Action Plan and Timeline to guide our work. Then we created a new, highly-leveraged and positive message (even in light of an extremely dark moment in the organization’s history). Third, we frontloaded our activities to both create a sense of urgency and to fully optimize all twelve months of the campaign. Finally, we partnered with an awesome team of audience development, direct mail and telefunding experts to help us reach out to virtually anyone who had made a gift or purchased a DSO ticket in the past decade. Of course, there’s more to it than outlined above, but combining fundamentals with a fresh approach was key to breathing new life back into the DSO’s Annual Fund.

Now in its second year with the DSO, RSC is deepening its role to broaden the donor base even further. As you can see from the article in Crain’s Detroit Business, the results continue to be impressive. The Detroit Symphony Orchestra has an impressive and dedicated staff and RSC is proud to be a part of the organization’s success.

Although we continue to see remarkable growth for the DSO, Annual Fund growth is a common and predictable theme for Robert Swaney Consulting clients. By using a fully-replicable system of RSC plans, strategies and techniques, nearly every one of our clients over the past five years has experienced significant contributed revenue growth.

If you would like to learn more about how RSC is successfully working with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and how we can help your organization have similar results, call us today at 317-797-8924 or visit our website.

The Fat Lady Sings at Opera Boston...

2011-12-27T09:49:00.001-05:00

...well somebody had to say it.

If you haven't heard the news, Opera Boston will cease operations on January 1, 2012. They cited "lackluster fundraising in a tough economic climate" as the primary factor that lead to a $500,000 "insurmountable" budget deficit.

I'll admit, I don't know much about Opera Boston's organization or the circumstances that led to the decision to close their doors, but I do know that many arts organizations -- even some around the Opera's $3M annual budget mark -- would dance a jig if their deficit totaled only $500k! It just doesn't strike me as an insurmountable number....but who knows?

Perhaps the closing boiled down to a cash flow issue. However, it certainly seems that in a town like Boston, a mere $500,000 shouldn't be an organization-killer, right? But after hopping on to OB's web page I caught a few possible clues. They list a total of eight foundation and corporate partners. Their annual membership levels for individual donations are uninspired and are aimed specifically at those buying the cheap tickets. So, unless the organization had a tremendous base of high-level donors (i.e., total giving of $1.5M or more) I think we begin to see the picture.

Lackluster fundraising in a tough economic climate? Maybe. But I think we can blame a portion of OB's failure on having a weak business model. They sold tickets on the cheap, didn't create the necessary financial base from sponsors and large donors, and aimed their broad-based appeals at patrons who were accustomed to 'not paying much' for tickets. I also wonder how engaged their Board was with fundraising. If a $500,000 need killed the place, I have some doubts. As I said, I'm not familiar with their situation to understand all of the "whys" but there certainly are enough clues available to at least piece together some worthy assumptions.

So here's the crux of my message: Build the right model and be willing to work it. If an arts organization is going to promote "affordable tickets" terrific, but it must have the fundraising machine in place ahead of time to sustain the operation. The Board must be fully-committed to raising the big bucks and have the properly-leveraged relationships necessary to accomplish the task. Broad-based giving must hinder on a belief in the organization's mission and contribution to the community -- not in perks and benefits.

Arts and cultural organizations really can thrive, even in a tough economic climate, but they must create their own conditions for success that go well beyond "the art". Mission. Leadership. Structure. Growth. That's a pretty good start.

Thanks for the Feedback!

2011-11-14T21:16:00.000-05:00

We've received many positive responses to our expanded fundraising consulting / coaching services and new website.

We really want to make a difference in helping arts and cultural organizations achieve "Fundraising Growth Now!", so thank you so much for checking us out and for all of the wonderful comments and feedback!

--RSC

2011-11-08T19:37:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to announce that after several months of work, RSC is unveiling its new brand and a completely updated website.

We've done this not only to give a fresh perspective of our company but also to further our aim to provide the best fundraising growth system available for arts and cultural organizations that want to achieve "fundraising growth now".

We're genuinely excited to have completed our initial work and we plan to greatly expand the site's functionality over the next several months.

Click here to check out our new site -- we would love to hear your feedback!

--Bob

2011-10-26T16:45:00.001-04:00

We're just days away from launching the new RSC website! Thanks for your patience and we prepare the final touches!