Fundraising Best Practices for Museums

President and chief executive officer of Houston Museum of Natural Science, Joel Bartsch, began his career at the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum in 1980. Over the years, he worked in various roles in multiple museums across California, Hawaii, Texas, and Colorado. Joel Bartsch handles many executive leadership roles, including seeking donors and museum fundraising initiatives.

Museum fundraising in the past focused on visitors giving their spare cash to support initiatives. However, in recent times, government funding has dwindled, compelling some museums to seek alternative sources of income to support their programs. Some of the private funding initiatives that museums are exploring include running patron programs and Naming Rights initiatives.

Patron programs aren’t new, as some museums have relied on the support of patrons and private donors for a long time. However, patron membership has become increasingly popular, allowing donors to support museum initiatives closely. Patron programs should be accompanied by member benefits such as bespoke tours conducted by expert curators, exclusive networking events, and exhibition previews.

Establishing a ”Naming Rights” initiative effectively raises funds whereby galleries, wings, and other museum exhibits are named after donors. Donors are also allowed to pledge their support in the memory of someone else. Previously, “Naming Rights” targeted major donors, but this has since changed, making it more accommodative and inclusive. Besides helping to raise funds, “Naming Rights” also foster stronger ties between a museum and the surrounding community.