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Fundraising to Support Your Museum's Digital Learning: Donor Support
January 6, 2023

As a museum, it is important to provide education and learning opportunities to your audience. In today's digital age, this often means offering online programming and resources. However, creating and maintaining a strong digital learning platform requires initial investment and ongoing license fees. That's where donor support comes in. By leveraging the generosity of donors, museums can fund their digital learning initiatives and continue to provide valuable educational experiences to their community.

One way to solicit donor support for digital learning is through naming opportunities. This can be a win-win for both the museum and the donor. The donor gets recognition for their contribution and the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy, while the museum receives the financial support needed to enhance their digital learning offerings. For example, a donor could choose to sponsor a particular online exhibit or series of virtual workshops. In return, their name or company name could be prominently displayed on the website and promotional materials for the sponsored program.

Another way to engage donors in supporting digital learning is to create programs that align with their objectives. Many donors have specific causes or interests that they are passionate about. By developing digital learning programs that align with these interests, museums can tap into the donor's passion and motivate them to give. For example, if a donor is interested in environmental conservation, the museum could create a series of virtual lectures or workshops on environmental topics and pitch the program as a way for the donor to support their cause. A great example of this is the Digital Assets Initiative, funded by the Leon Levy Foundation, allowing the American Museum of National History Library to create a robust digital collection [1]. Another is the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum’s new Bezos Learning Center, as reported in Forbes [2].

In addition to aligning with donor interests, museums can also create programs that benefit groups that donors want to help. For example, a donor may want to support education for underprivileged youth. In this case, the museum could develop a series of digital learning resources specifically for this audience and pitch the program as a way for the donor to make a positive impact on the lives of disadvantaged youth.

In conclusion, donor support is a valuable resource for museums looking to enhance their digital learning offerings. By offering naming opportunities, creating programs that align with donor objectives, and developing programs that benefit groups that donors want to help, museums can leverage the generosity of donors to fund their digital learning initiatives and continue to provide educational experiences to their community.

[1] https://www.amnh.org/research/research-library/library-news/dam-year-one-update

[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/reginacole/2022/12/08/national-air-and-space-museum-announces-student-architecture-and-design-challenge/?sh=c9f924c1fb75