MeaningMatters

What’s your earliest memory of the arts?

Chances are, your recollection made you smile. That’s a testimony to the power of the personal question–and the way it can help you engage donors in community arts.

The right question provides a window for understanding, and tapping into, the values that underlie any donor’s decision to fund arts. Experience and research tell us that helping people connect their personal values to relevant programs is the way to build ongoing commitment. For example, a donor who values youth development and equity in education may well want to support arts in school, or provide ways for students to engage with arts in a variety of venues outside the school day.