The Relationship Between Gender and Major Gifts to Arts Organizations in New York City

Women make up the majority of development professionals, audience members and volunteers in New York's arts organizations; they are usually the minority on those organizations' boards, in their executive leadership and in their cultivated donor relationships. This study examines the role of gender in the solicitation of major gifts for New York City arts organizations, and asks the question, "Are there gender-related differences, in either development professionals or arts patrons, that affect the way in which major individual donations are solicited and given to New York City arts organizations? If so, what are those differences?" Using professional interviews as a foundation, the study compares sociological research, demographic data and current trends in New York City's arts organizations to focus on how development professionals and major donors approach the process of giving based on their own gender and the gender of others involved.