Building Arts Resilience: Just Be A Good Human

The Golden Rule:

“Are you treating people the way you’d want them to treat you?”

My mom used to say this to me all the time growing up. Honestly, it annoyed me how often she said it. But now I use this lens constantly. And the more I work with arts and cultural organizations, the more I realize that’s really the whole point. At the end of the day, building relationships with patrons, audiences, and donors comes down to being a good human.

This post is the next step in my Building Arts Resilience series, where we’ve been breaking down the organizational flywheel:

Now we land on Philanthropy & Support — a part of the flywheel that too often gets treated as an afterthought. An email appeal at year’s end. A form letter at the close of the fiscal year. A box to check, rather than a core structure built with strategy, intention, and purpose.

When I spoke with Lisa Rovner of LKR Strategies (full interview coming soon), she underscored what I’ve seen time and again: development isn’t about transactions. It’s about trust, humanity, and long-term investment in your story.

Stewardship is the Strategy

Lisa put it perfectly:

“The thank you is just as important, if not more important, than the ask.”

That line hit me. Because in marketing, we talk about retention all the time — it’s easier to keep a patron than to win a new one. The same is true for donors. If they don’t feel appreciated, they won’t come back.

Some ideas for a strong stewardship plan:

Immediate thank-you emails or letters (personalized, not boilerplate).
Phone calls or handwritten notes for higher-level gifts.
Impact updates — stories, photos, or videos that connect the dots between their gift and real outcomes.
Regular touchpoints that say “we see you, and you matter” before the next ask.

Even something as simple as a Friday afternoon thank-you call can transform a “small donor” into a lifelong supporter. Remember, these are real people; they are more than their wallet — and they need to feel that from you.

Diversify to Survive

We’ve all seen what happens when funding streams shift overnight — whether it’s a lost NEA grant, a change in leadership priorities, or even an unexpected flood that wipes out a set shop.

We’ve already talked in this series about diversifying earned revenue (ticket sales, memberships, classes, merch, etc.). To stay solvent in times of strife, you also need to diversify your contributed revenue. That means balancing individual donors, corporate support, foundations, and yes, still some government grants. The more diversified your support, the less one crisis can destabilize you.

It's About Humanity

At its core, philanthropy isn’t about money. It’s about relationships.

Lisa shared one of my favorite stories: a donor who didn’t want recognition or events, but lit up when a company dancer brought him a homemade pie. That small, human moment led to years of generosity and eventually a million-dollar fund in his late wife’s memory.

And it wasn’t about the money. He felt seen and appreciated — because he truly was.

That’s the heart of development. It’s not transactions. It’s trust.

Where Do You Begin?

If you’re starting from scratch, Lisa’s advice is simple: start with your board. They already believe in your mission and can open doors to their own networks. From there, build a multi-channel approach — email, direct mail, social media, personal touchpoints — and segment your messaging so every donor feels seen.

Above all: don’t wait until you “need money” to engage your donors. Build the relationship now, so when the crisis comes (and it always does), your community is already invested in your survival.

If we want resilient arts organizations, we can’t reduce development to dollars. We have to see it for what it is: a practice of trust, humanity, and belonging.

Looking for help setting your organization up to be resilient? We’d love to help you get started!