Joel Bartsch: Museum Fundraising through Galas

Tuesday, September 8, 2020

Museum Fundraising through Galas

Joel A. Bartsch serves as the president and CEO of the Houston Museum of Natural History (HMNH). Among other key achievements, Joel Bartsch created and led an $85 million capital campaign to expand HMNH by more than 200,000 square feet.

Since most museums are nonprofit institutions, fundraising is one of the crucial elements of museum management. There are many ways to raise money for museums, one of the most effective of which is galas. Often themed, museum fundraising galas can generate income through ticket sales first and foremost.

Additionally, galas are an excellent opportunity to receive on-site donations from guests who want to become museum patrons. If the gala is large enough, organizers may also draw the attention of sponsors, creating another opportunity for income.

Galas also provide an opportunity to extend perks such as priority seating or other benefits to museum members. These perks could also lead to more people becoming museum members, further supporting the organization.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

About Joel Bartsch

Since 2004, Joel A. Bartsch has led the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) as president and CEO. In this capacity, he coordinates and leads museum staff and curators in the creation and maintenance of immersive exhibits, implements renovation strategies, and promoting museum-wide leadership. Through these efforts and many others, Joel A. Bartsch has nearly doubled both the institution’s annual attendance and membership base. He also oversaw two major expansions at the museum that added more than 250,000 square feet of space.

Mr. Bartsch began gaining experience in museum leadership more than three decades ago, when he joined the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum as a curatorial assistant and assistant to the director. He held this role during his last years as a mining engineering student at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. From there, Mr. Bartsch took on staff roles at the Texas Memorial Museum and HMNS, curator of earth sciences at Lyman House Memorial Museum in Hawaii, and director and curator of the California State Mining & Mineral Museum.

Through these positions, Joel Bartsch gained extensive experience in everything from managing daily operations and directing fundraising efforts to writing corporate grant requests. He drew on this experience when he returned to HMNS as a curator, project manager, and director of earth sciences, the positions he held immediately prior to his current role as the president and CEO.