Throughout the summer of 2017, the Americans for the Arts Private Sector Initiatives department solicited responses to the FY2016 United Arts Fund Campaign Survey. Surveys were distributed to a total of 45 united arts funds by email. A total of 37 UAFs participated in the survey. United Arts Funds (UAFs) are private organizations that raise money for the arts, work to broaden support for the arts, encourage arts attendance and participation, promote excellence in the arts and arts management, and ensure that arts organizations are financially stable. Americans for the Arts defines a UAF campaign as a combined or federated appeal for arts funding conducted annually to raise unrestricted money on behalf of three or more arts, culture, and/or science organizations.

In FY 2016, the 37 participating UAFs reported aggregate campaign revenue of $85.5 million during their campaigns that ended during 2016. Twenty-nine UAFs have provided their total campaign revenue annually since 2007, making them a reliable indicator of the year-to-year changes in UAF fundraising. The $116.7 total campaign revenue raised on behalf of the arts and culture by these 29 UAFs in FY2016 is $4.1 million more than the inflation adjusted total of $112.8 million they raised during FY2007. All together, these findings suggest that the united arts fundraising sector is continuing its recovery from the Great Recession.

A majority of United Arts Funds are working to address diversity, equity and inclusion goals in their grants programs and policies. Almost 75% of United Arts Funds have redesigned or plan to redesign their grantmaking practices to address diversity, equity and inclusion in their grant programs. 72% have made or plan to make changes or established new practices to address diversity, equity, and inclusion in their grant review processes.

For more information, view the United Arts Funds Fiscal Year 2016 Fact Sheet.