In the spring of 2016, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, or SFMOMA, opened its doors for a series of celebrations following a three-year closure. The museum had much to rejoice: a $305 million renovation that included a spectacular new ten-story addition that almost tripled gallery space; the 100-year loan of the renowned 1,100-work Doris and Donald Fisher Collection of postwar and contemporary art; the success of the "Campaign for Art," which saw generous donors gift or promise approximately 3,000 artworks; and the opening of the new Pritzker Center for Photography, the largest gallery and research space for photography in the United States. Reviews that rolled out in the wake of the celebrations proved largely laudatory. The Boston Globe, for instance, said SFMOMA was not only bigger, it was "also better-to such a degree, and in so many interesting, potentially game-changing ways, that for the next six months museum directors everywhere are going to be driven crazy fielding the same question: 'Have you seen what they've done in San Francisco?'" But once SFMOMA re-opened to the public on May 14, Director Neal Benezra and his colleagues had to get down to the business of running what was in many regards a brand-new museum. Most crucially, perhaps, they had to determine how to best continue fulfilling Benezra's oft-repeated pledge: to make SFMOMA mean more to more people. This case, based on interviews with Benezra, his colleagues, and SFMOMA Board President Robert J. Fisher and Board Chairman Charles R. Schwab, explores SFMOMA's effort to fulfill Benezra's pledge.

The Joffrey Ballet is a landmark Chicago nonprofit performing arts organization that helped shape the landscape of American ballet. In 2016, the Joffrey was at a point of transformation after a period of financial crisis and artistic decline. It had successfully raised $4 million for the widely anticipated new production of the Nutcracker. With annual revenues at around $20 million, this production represented a significant investment, and the organization needed to continue its artistic momentum while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The leadership team decided to launch an $80 to $120 all-funds campaign to ensure the artistic and financial health of the organization. Known for its diversity, the Joffrey Ballet had a history of balancing highly athletic performances of canonical works with boundary-blurring new ballets. Founded in New York City in 1954, it carved a niche as the distinctly American company in the ballet ecosystem known for its classical European influences. After its relocation to Chicago in 1995, the ballet relied upon its New York reputation in the face of financial and artistic woes. By 2016, however, the Joffrey Ballet was poised to reemerge as a major player in the national and international dance landscape. It had just celebrated its 60th anniversary and its 20th year in Chicago, and the leadership team debated the essential areas for investment going forward. The endowment, currently at about $1.4 million as of June 30, 2016, needed to be grown. The profitable Academy needed more space and funds to grow, while Community Engagement programs offered the potential for impact in the community. Programming large-scale works from the most important choreographers was essential but costly. In order to attract donors and secure the Joffrey's future, the organization needed to craft a compelling fundraising case supported by a sound business plan.