The arts and cultural sector has always been at the forefront of innovation, and the digital landscape is no exception. In recent years, we have seen a rapid growth in the use of digital technologies to raise funds for arts organizations. This trend is only going to continue in 2024, so it is important for fundraising professionals in the arts and cultural sector to stay ahead of the curve. Here are a few key trends to keep in mind:

The Rise of Social Media Fundraising:

Social media platforms like TikTok, Meta and X are powerful tools for reaching donors and raising funds. First, it allows organizations to reach a large audience quickly and easily. With over 4.6 billion active social media users worldwide, it is a powerful tool for connecting with potential donors.

Second, social media can be a very effective way to build relationships with donors. By sharing stories, updates, and behind-the-scenes content, organizations can create a sense of community and connection with their supporters. This can lead to increased donations and long-term support.

Third, social media can be used to drive traffic to donation pages and other fundraising initiatives. By sharing links to these pages on social media, organizations can make it easy for potential donors to learn more about their work and make a donation.

• Nonprofits that use social media raise 54% more than those that don’t.
• 77% of donors are more likely to give to an organisation after seeing it on social media.
• 81% of nonprofits say that social media is a very effective or somewhat effective way to raise funds.

The Importance of Mobile Giving:

More and more people are making donations on their smartphones. Arts organizations should make sure their websites and donation pages are mobile-friendly. They should also consider using mobile payment apps like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

The percentage of money donated directly through mobile giving compared to traditional giving has been steadily increasing in recent years. In 2022, mobile giving accounted for 25% of all online donations, up from 17% in 2019. This trend is expected to continue in the coming years, with mobile giving projected to reach 40% of all online donations by 2025.

The AI Era:

The AI Era is among us, AI tools can be extremely helpful when integrating manual processes. Take the time to look at your accumulated data and see whether you can utilise Ai for the following:

1. Segment your donor base: AI can analyse large amounts of data to segment donors based on various criteria such as giving history, demographics, interests, and engagement levels. This segmentation allows organizations to tailor their fundraising appeals and communication strategies to specific donor groups, increasing the likelihood of successful fundraising campaigns.
2. Predict donor behaviour: AI can analyse past donation patterns and other data points to create predictive models that estimate a donor’s likelihood of contributing in the future. This information can be used to prioritize outreach efforts, identify potential major donors, and personalize fundraising appeals.
3. Automate routine tasks: AI can automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, donor research, and email marketing, freeing up fundraisers’ time to focus on more strategic activities like relationship building and campaign development.

By following these trends and tips, fundraising professionals in the arts and cultural sector can successfully navigate the digital landscape and raise the funds they need to support their organizations.

References:

Nonprofits Source LTD Firch,J. (2023). Mobile Giving Statistics for Nonprofits. [online] Available at: https://nonprofitssource.com/online-giving-statistics/mobile-giving/#:~:text=Mobile%20Fundraising%20Statistics&text=39%25%20of%20smartphone%20owners%20indicated [Accessed 30 Nov. 2023].

Roberts, A.S., Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon (2013). Mriya Report Inc – Nonprofit Explorer. [online] ProPublica. Available at: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/921353135 [Accessed 30 Nov. 2023].

Socialbrite. (2019). “The State of Nonprofit Social Media 2019.”. [online] Available at: https://www.socialbrite.org/ [Accessed 30 Nov. 2023].

360MatchPro. (2022). 360MatchPro by Double the Donation | “The 2022 State of Nonprofit Fundraising.”. [online] Available at: https://360matchpro.com/ [Accessed 30 Nov. 2023].

ArtsProfessional. (2023). AI and the future of arts fundraising. [online] Available at: https://www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/article/ai-and-future-arts-fundraising#:~:text=Data%2Ddriven%20decision%2Dmaking%3A [Accessed 30 Nov. 2023].