CCS assisted Kansas City Symphony as it embarked on its most ambitious fundraising effort ever—a $55 million endowment campaign—to strengthen its commitment to education and the community, assert its position as a civic asset, and deepen its artistic excellence.

Based in: Kansas City, MO, Central U.S., United States

Sector: Arts & Culture

Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg

Key Elements

  • High level of philanthropic leadership by the board
  • Highly efficient campaign operations
  • More than 1,000 donors collectively committed $55 million, nearly doubling the Symphony’s endowment

The Challenge

The Kansas City Symphony determined that in order to secure its future and achieve its goals, it would need to grow its endowment fund by $55 million. The Symphony had never before undergone a fundraising effort of that size or scope.

The Solution

CCS was initially brought on to assist with campaign planning and development for the Symphony’s five-year campaign. The Symphony then engaged CCS in the later stages of the campaign to conduct a fundraising assessment to evaluate campaign progress to date, analyze the campaign’s ROI, seize additional opportunities for engagement and improvement, and provide objective recommendations for the campaign’s successful continuation. By using data analytics, strategic conversations, and benchmarking, CCS helped the orchestra plan the remaining phases of its already successful campaign.

The Impact

By the end of its five-year campaign, Kansas City Symphony reached its $55 million campaign goal to nearly double its endowment, securing its future and place in the community. The funds raised will allow the Symphony to strengthen its commitment to education and community, assert its position as a civic asset, and deepen its artistic excellence.

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