1. Ross School of
ANN ARBOR Business
OPERA THEATER Community
Consulting
Club

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Situation and Task:
 AOT has sustained incremental growth and cash on hand in the last
two years of operations, but has yet to expand its performance
offering, achieve return on event investments, and expand its
presence in the Ann Arbor community.
Methodology and Action:
 Community Consulting Club team worked to understand the
operational structure and fundraising tactics necessary to achieve
AOT’s growth objectives.
Value Proposition:
 By creating a sustainable operating model and a focused fundraising
strategy, AOT will be able to achieve growth in its performance
offering.

3. THE EXISTING BOARD AT AOT IS NOT POSITIONED
AND STRUCTURED OPTIMALLY TO MEET ITS
STRATEGIC GROW TH OBJECTIVES
Existing Board Structure Playbills, Pricing, Pro
 E x e c ut iv e B o a r d Donors motions
 Artistic Director/President
 Vice President
 Treasurer Fundraising Marketing
 Tr u s te e s Committee Committee
 Active members
 Advisory Board Executive Committee
 Supporters AOT Strategic Plans
 C o m m i t te e s
 Artistic
 Marketing Artistic Committee
Key Challenges
 N o c l e a r d i v i d e b et w e e n f r o n t o f h o u s e a n d
b a c k o f h o u s e r e s p o n s i b il i t ie s Opera/Festival
Operations
 M a ny B o a r d / Ad v i s o r y B o a r d m e m b e r s , l o w
o r g a n i z e d s t r u c t ur e Advisory
 R e s p o n s i b i li t ie s o f m e m b e r s a r e b l u r r e d Trustees
Board
 S u p p o r te r / d o n o r f a t i g ue

4. RE C OM M ENDATI ON I S TO C RE AT E W E LL -DE F I NED C OM M I T TEE S
T H AT A RE RE SP ON SI BLE FOR KE Y ST RAT EG I C DE C I SI ON S A N D
DE LI VE RABLES
Committee AOT Strategic
Activities Planning
Executive Committee
Approvals
Fundraising Artistic Marketing
Committee Committee Committee
Cabaret Opera/Festival AOT Artistic
Fundraiser Operation Implementation
Benefits
 A s AOT ’ s o p e r a t i o n b e c o m e s m o r e c o m p l ex i n o r d e r to g r o w a C o m m i t te e
s t r uc t ur e m u s t b e e m b r a c e d
 H e l p s m e m b e r s b et te r u n d e r s t a n d t h e i r s t r a te g i c Ro l e i n t h e o r g a n i z a t io n
 C l e a r l y d i v i des t h e w o r k n e e d e d to b e d o n e
 P r o v i d e s v o l u n te e r s w i t h t r a n s p a r en c y to t h e r e q u i r e d t i m e c o m m i t m e n t

5. T HE E X E C UT I VE C OM M I TTE E W I LL BE RE SPON SI BLE FOR T HE
H I G H - LE VE L ST RAT EGY A N D A P P ROVE T H E P ROP OSE D
C OM M I TTEE TAC T I CS
 Structure Committee
Activities Executive Committee
AOT Strategic Planning
 President
Approvals
 Vice President
 Treasurer Fundraising
Artistic Committee
Marketing
Committee Committee
 Secretary
 Voting Board Members
AOT Artistic
 Total voting members Cabaret
Fundraiser
Opera/Festival
Operation
Implementation
between 5 and 9
 Voting Board member apart of
each committee
 Responsibilities
 Direct overall Strategy of AOT
 Nominate Committee Chairs
 Approve Committee Calendar
 Approve Committee Budget

6. T HE F UN DRA I SING C OM M I T TEE W I LL DE VE LOP F UN DRA I SI NG
ST RATEGY, CA LE N DAR, A N D BUDG E T FOR E X E C UT IVE
A P P ROVAL.
 Members Committee
Activities Executive Committee
AOT Strategic Planning
 President
Approvals
 Board Liaison
 Chairmen (May Also Be Board Fundraising
Artistic Committee
Marketing
Committee Committee
Liaison)
 General Fundraising Head
 Grant Writing Head Cabaret
Fundraiser
Opera/Festival
Operation
AOT Artistic
Implementation
 Volunteers
 Responsi bilities
 Develop overall Fundraising Strategy For Executive
Board Approval
 Present Fundraising Calendar for Executive Board
Approval
 Present Fundraising Budget for Executive Board
Approval
 Organize and Execute Fundraising Operations

7. T H E A RT I ST IC C OM M I T TEE W I LL DE VE LOP T H E A RT I STI C
ST RATEGY A N D G OA LS FOR E X E C UT IVE A P P ROVA L.
 Members Committee
Activities Executive Committee
AOT Strategic Planning
 Andy
Approvals
 Kevin
 Dave Fundraising
Artistic Committee
Marketing
Committee Committee
 Not PD
AOT Artistic
Cabaret Opera/Festival
Implementation
Fundraiser Operation
 Responsi bilities
 Develop overall Fundraising Strategy For Executive
Board Approval
 Present Fundraising Calendar for Executive Board
Approval
 Present Fundraising Budget for Executive Board
Approval
 Organize and Execute Fundraising Operations

8. T HE M A RKE T ING C OM M I TTE E W I LL BE RE SPON SI BLE FOR
DE VE LOP I NG ST RAT EGY, CA LE N DAR A N D BUDG E T FOR
E X E C UTIVE C OM M I T TEE A P P ROVAL
 Members Committee
Activities Executive Committee
AOT Strategic Planning
 Board Liaison
Approvals
 Chairmen (May Also Be Board
Liaison) Fundraising Marketing
Artistic Committee
Committee Committee
 Volunteers
AOT Artistic
Cabaret Opera/Festival
Implementation
Fundraiser Operation
 Responsibilities
 Develop overall Marketing Strategy For
Executive Board Approval
 Present Marketing Calendar for Executive
Board Approval
 Present Marketing Budget for Executive
Board Approval
 Organize and Execute Fundraising Operations

9. CURRENT STATE OF FUNDRAISING FOCUSES LESS ON
MAJOR REVENUE STREAMS AND IS SUPPORTED BY
AN AD HOC COMMITTEE
Playbills, Pricing, Pro
Donors motions AOT Strategic Planning
Committee
Activities Executive Committee
Fundraising Marketing
Committee Committee
Approvals
Executive Committee
AOT Strategic Plans
Fundraising Marketing
Artistic Committee
Committee Committee
Artistic Committee
Opera/Festival
Operations AOT Artistic
Cabaret Opera/Festival
Implementation
Advisory Fundraiser Operation
Trustees
Board
Corporate Sponsorships Individual Giving Grants/Public Funds
Advertising Special Events Grants
• Playbills $2K • Caberet Event $5-6K • Michigan Council for
• Workshops $0 Arts and Cultural
Affairs (MCACA) $4K
Sponsors/Donors
• Varying Levels

10. FUTURE OF FUNDRAISING SHOULD FOCUS ON
CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS AND TACTICAL WAYS TO
ENGAGE INDIVIDUAL GIVING
Playbills, Pricing, Pro
Donors motions AOT Strategic Planning
Committee
Activities Executive Committee
Fundraising Marketing
Committee Committee
Approvals
Executive Committee
AOT Strategic Plans
Fundraising Marketing
Artistic Committee
Committee Committee
Artistic Committee
Opera/Festival
Operations AOT Artistic
Cabaret Opera/Festival
Implementation
Advisory Fundraiser Operation
Trustees
Board
Corporate Sponsorships Individual Giving Grants/Public Funds
Advertising Special Events Grants
• Playbills • Caberet Event – consider • Maintain MACACA but
lining up with annual appeal move focus to
Annual Appeal Sponsors • Workshops - breakeven corporate
• Season Sponsors Sponsors/Donors sponsorship and
• Varying Levels • Varying Levels individual giving
Annual Appeal
• Board talk at performances
• Donation envelopes in playbill

11. AOT SHOULD P ROVI DE N E WSLETTERS, E N G AGE PAT RONS AT
E VE N T S, A N D I N T E RNALLY P RE PA RE TO A N SW ER F RE QUE N TLY
A SKE D QUE ST I ON S
Corporate Sponsorships Individual Giving Grants/Public Funds
N E WS L E T T E R C O N N E C T T H E PAT RO N S
 B r i e f H i s to r y a n d M i s s i o n  P r e - p e r fo r m a n c e :
 A l um n i S u c c e s s  Rehearsal Invitations
S to r y / Fe a t ur e  Guided Tour of Venue
 U s e o f Fu n d s : I nv e s t i n g i n  Director’s Corner
l o c a l a r t i s t s a n d n ex t ye a r ’ s  Update the Audience
p r o d uc t i o n
 Po s t - p er fo r m a n c e :
 Ta x D e d u c t i o n S t a t u s : T h i s
m a t te r s !  After-Party/Celebration
 Calendar of Events  Direct-Mail to Sell Tickets for Next Year and
Donate
 Fundraising Events
 Interactions with the Artists P R E PA R E FO R Q U E S T IO N S
 Performance Schedule  T h i n k a b o u t AOT ’ s O d y s s ey : d o n o r s w i l l w a n t to
 The Big Ask h e a r a c o m p el l in g s to r y.
 Tiered Sponsorships:  B e a b l e to ex p l a i n AOT ’ s v a l u e to t h e
Detailed outline of donor c o m m uni t y a n d i t s a r t i s t s s u c c i n c t ly
benefit by “package”  A l um n i A r t i s t S u c c e s s S to r i e s
 Be Aggressive: donors  B u s i n e s s Pe r f o r m a n c e o f AOT
gravitate towards the middle

12. AOT SH OULD P RI ORI T I Z E RE SOURC E S A LLOCAT E D TO G RA N T
A P P LI CATIONS BA SE D ON E X P E C T ED RE T URN S
Corporate Sponsorships Individual Giving Grants/Public Funds
LO C A L G R A N T S ARTS SPECIFIC
 T h e K r e s g e Fo u n d a t i o n  A r t S e r ve
 Headquarters: Troy, MI  “Strengthening communities by
 M c G r e g o r Fu n d positioning arts, culture and arts
 Headquarters: Detroit, MI education as key contributors to the re -
invention of Michigan’s economy.”
 C o m m un i t y Fo u n d a t i o n ( S E M i c h i ga n )
 State-wide
 “Promotes and facilitates community
philanthropy in  O t h e r ex a m p l e s :
Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Wa  Association of Performing Arts
shtenaw, Livingston, and St. Clair Presenters
counties.”  Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
 Provide information and financial  The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
support  National Endowment for the Arts
 A n n A r b o r C o m m un i t y Fo u n d a t i o n  Arts Midwest’s Performing Arts Fund
 C h a r l e s S tew a r t M o t t Fo u n d a t i o n
O t h e r ex a m p l e s : A D D I T I ON A L D O N O R R E S O U RC E S
 DTE Energy Foundation  http://ww w.aaacf.org /about -aaacf/our -funds
 http://www.ums.org/s_make_a_gif t/donate_
 Esperance Family Foundation now.asp
 Masco Corporation Foundation

13. LOCAL THEATRE EXAMPLES
 Ann Arbor Civic Theatre
 Sponsorship brochure  History, Projects, Theatre Community
Involvement, Why Donate?
 Sponsorship Amount: $1,000 - $6,000
 University Music Society
 Restaurant, hotels, gifts and services
 Michigan Theater

14. EXAMPLE: ANN ARBOR CIVIC THEATRE
Donation Brochure:
 History & mission
 Where does money go to?
 Tax deductible donations
 Affiliations
 Past projects & activities
 What do you get?
 Reasons to donate
 http://www.a2ct.org/med
ia/a2ctSponsor07.pdf

15. E N G AG I N G D O N O R S T O G I V E I S R E L I A N T O N E S TA B L I S H I N G A N D
N U R T U R I N G R E L AT I O N S H I P S T H AT C A N L E A D T O AC H I E V I N G
G R O W T H G OA L S FO R AO T
Corporate Sponsorships Individual Giving Grants/Public Funds
 Why?
 “The Science of Giving” studies:
 In an experiment, one group was given general information about the need for
donations, including statements like "Food shortages in Malawi are affecting
more than 3 million children." A second group was shown the photo of a 7 -
year-old Malian girl named Rokia, and told that she is desperately poor, and
that "her life will be changed for the better by your gift." People in the second
group gave more.
 Saving an additional $5k per year will allow AOT to:
 Launch an additional production in 5.8 years
 Double number of singers in 1 year
 Double the orchestra in 1.4 years
 Think of each new donor at $5k level as 1/6 of a new production.

16. QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
THANK YOU!
Andy, Dave, Kevin, and Yiqun