Cleveland Museum of Art's Transformation Required the Most Diverse Cash Infusion in its History

THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
By Steven Litt

"Three Mourners from the Tomb of Philip the Bold," Duke of Burgundy, 1406-1410, made by Claus de Werve

OHIO---All it took in 1958 to make the single biggest financial gift in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s history was one man, and one stroke of a pen. In its campaign to gather the $262 million it has raised so far for its newly completed expansion and renovation project, the museum has had to collect gifts or pledges from 996 individual donors, along with additional support from foundations, corporations, local support groups, the state of Ohio and the federal government. The necessity of raising millions of dollars from the public to keep the museum running eventually changed the character of the institution. It also broadened the board of trustees to include first Jews, then African-Americans — two groups that went unrepresented during the first six and eight decades of the museum’s existence, respectively. [link]

The top 10 gifts to the Cleveland Museum of Art's capital campaign as of March 15:

• About half of the $262 million from 10 diverse sources, including wealthy individuals and Cleveland’s leading foundations, plus the state of Ohio and the federal government. 
• Public money accounts for 8 percent of the total thus far, or $21 million. 
• Donations from trustees or foundations under their influence accounted for 59 percent of the total. Hundreds of smaller gifts made up the remainder. 
• In all, the museum has raised $146 million from 996 individuals, including all 31 of the museum’s trustees. 
• Roughly $82 million came from foundations, $11.3 million from corporations, $21 million from Ohio and the U.S. government, and $1.3 million from support groups and civic organizations.