Raise More Gifts From Members By Understanding Their Motivations

Once upon a time, there was a beloved children’s museum in the middle of a thriving city.

It was tiny and well-loved. Being small and immensely popular, it was usually overcrowded.

The brilliant team at the museum set out to find a bigger space and ran a successful capital campaign to expand to a much larger location.

The new space was phenomenal—from outdoor climbing and obstacle courses, interactive exhibits that spanned life-size light-up games, to aeronautics with flying balls, to roller coaster physics, to water play with sound bowls.

Adults had as much fun as the children. The development director recruited members to become donors at invitation-only ‘after-hours’ events, where the adults roamed the museum, slid down slides, and tinkered and played at every exhibit to their hearts’ content. Like the set of the movie Night at the Museum, these guests had the whole museum to themselves.

There was just one problem. Despite the museum’s much-expanded footprint, it still had massive overcrowding.

Aside from giving to the capital campaign or a traveling exhibit, most of the museum’s fundraising asks were to give to their open-door policy that provided free entry for families without the financial resources to pay for admission.

Admirable goal. But hard to sell when the space was packed to the gills with hordes of families and a madhouse of children trying to play at each exhibit.

A lot of members—especially those lucky enough to go to the after-hours events—wanted a museum experience that didn’t involve fighting crowds.

Members asked staff whether they might add a fee or an exclusive member benefit at a higher member level for the special perk of ‘free range playtime’ before the museum opened to the public, after-hours or overnight events, but the staff wasn’t interested.

If you’re a museum, arts, or culture organization, you may be in this same dilemma. On the surface, it may look like space is the issue. It isn’t. It’s understanding donor motivations.

Most fundraising is helping ‘other people.’ But when you’re fundraising for arts or cultural organizations, donations don’t *just* help other people. They also benefit the donor. Yes, other people do indeed get something out of it, but donors generally give to enrich their lives.

A big reason why members choose to become donors is to enhance their own experience. It’s critical for the fundraising staff who handle membership to understand what motivates these donors.

Here are four different donor motivations and how you can use them in your fundraising to raise more gifts from members for your museum, cultural, or arts organization:

1. Donor benefits

Benefits are anything donors receive that enhances their experience. They can be practical, like premium parking, early access to sell-out tickets, access to lounges or the museum before or after regular operating hours, access to private events or exclusive events, or discounts for the gift shop or merchandise. Consider offering more aesthetic benefits like meet-the-artist events, backstage passes, tickets to dress rehearsals, and more.

2. Sustaining the museum (or art form)

Donors realize that it costs more to run a museum than their membership fees and that donations fill the gap. Their passion for your museum—or art form, preservation, or conservation efforts—drives them to give, ensuring these cherished spaces remain open and thriving. Engage these donors by reminding them of the emotions and experiences your museum evokes, using compelling storytelling to deepen their connection and inspire continued support.

Here’s an example of that in a monthly giving appeal targeting donors to a preservation organization:

Dear %Firstname%,

Your generosity and kindness protect the trails and forests of the beautiful Blue Hills.

I imagine that each time you come to the Blue Hills, you feel like I do.

Calmer. Happier. Rejuvenated.

When I visit the Blue Hills, I leave happier. If I’m with my family, we feel closer. After I bike or hike alone, I feel more connected to myself. Peaceful and grateful.

The walks I take each week remind me that the Blue Hills is a sacred space, first cared for by indigenous peoples. And now, it’s my turn to do my part.

That’s why I joined a dedicated group of supporters by becoming a Best Friend of the Blue Hills with a $50 monthly donation.

Because of your love for our beautiful Blue Hills, I’m sending you this special invitation today to join our monthly giving club, Best Friends of the Blue Hills.

When you become a Best Friend of the Blue Hills, you provide a steady and reliable source of income to ensure the preservation of the forest and trails you love.

%Firstname%, it’s only with your monthly gift that we can preserve these trails and native plant species.

Your generous monthly gift of:

$10 = Buys supplies to cut branches that block the trails.

$15 = Sends an ecologist to train volunteers to remove invasives at Fowl Meadow

$20 = Sends a trail maintenance expert to train volunteers to reduce soil erosion

If you sign up before March 3rd, you can raise an extra $5,000 through a generous donor match!

%Firstname%, when you become a Best Friend today, you’ll make sure the Blue Hills will be there for all of us to enjoy tomorrow.

Please, will you be our best friend?

Thank you for your love and support of the Blue Hills!

For the Blue Hills,

John Doe

P.S. Donate before March 3 to ensure an additional $5,000 is given to the Blue Hills!

3. Recognition

Donors who give to the arts like the recognition that comes with their gift. Hence, lots of naming opportunities—from the seats to the bricks outside, to programs, to endowed chairs. Here’s a great example of how the National WWII Museum does that:

“Take a moment to reflect on your personal connection to World War II. Maybe your father or grandfather served in the Pacific or fought across the plains of Europe. Or perhaps your mother or grandmother supported the war effort by powering the “arsenal of democracy” here at home. Whatever their involvement, it deserves permanent recognition on the Honor Roll at America’s National WWII Museum. Become a member today and ensure that your family’s legacy is never forgotten.”

4. Community pride

Many philanthropists and corporate sponsors support museums and arts organizations to boost the quality of life in the cities they hold dear. To magnify these feelings in your donors, speak with them directly about the role your museum (or art form) plays in the community.

Take the Brooklyn Museum, for example:

“The Brooklyn Museum is one of the world’s most welcoming and contemporary encyclopedic museums and is every bit Brooklyn: creative, relevant, diverse, and trailblazing. When you join as a Member, you celebrate the great art, big ideas, and courageous conversations that can only be found here.”

So, what’s the secret to turning members into passionate donors? It’s all about understanding what drives them. When you tap into their motivations—whether it’s enhancing their experience, sustaining the museum, receiving recognition, or boosting community pride—you create a deeper connection. These aren’t just one-time gifts; they’re investments in a shared love for the arts and culture. Keep your finger on the pulse of what matters most to your members, and you’ll find your fundraising efforts meet and exceed expectations.

Was your museum or arts organization able to raise more gifts from members? Drop your strategy it in the chat!