Fundraising for Small Museums

For many years, fundraising has become an increasingly important function at small museums. Usually reliant on small staffs and volunteers who have to perform multiple tasks, and too poor to afford development personnel, these institutions have struggled in their efforts to raise money effectively. Until now there have been few resources available for small museums to turn to for help. Sal Cilella's new book is exactly what has been needed for a long time. Written by one of the most successful fundraisers in our profession, this book provides invaluable insights into the challenges of fundraising today, and gives its readers a practical, common sense approach to how to do it well. This is a book that belongs on the bookshelves of every small museum in the country. For that matter, museums of any size would benefit from Cilella's wise counsel. -- Charles F. Bryan, Jr., Bryan & Jordan Consulting, LLC
Afraid of fundraising? Don't be! Salvatore Cilella takes the fear out of raising money not only for small museums, but also for medium size museums, students of museum studies, and staff at any not-for-profit organization. Cilella provides the essential and common sense steps to enable any organization to maximize their fundraising potential. Fundraising for Small Museums describes an integrated planning process that goes far beyond grant writing to incorporate everything from basic board giving to cultivating transformational gifts. A veteran museum director with decades of experience and a sense of humor, Cilella offers helpful hints and encouragement throughout that make you feel that he is your personal fundraising consultant. The book's illustrations reflect the author's background as a historian and also suggest that not only is successful fundraising key to a museum's success, when done well, it can also be great fun! -- Gretchen Sullivan Sorin, Cooperstown Graduate Program