Fundraising from members has never been more critical. With the elimination of federal grants from agencies like IMLS and NEH, many museums and historic sites are facing serious gaps in funding. So where do you turn for help?
What if you borrowed a playbook from one of the most successful (and controversial) fundraising machines in the country?
Imagine hiring the same team that writes the direct mail letters for Judicial Watch—the political juggernaut that’s raised millions from everyday Americans, including, I should note, my own mom. Their formula? Urgency, clarity, conviction—and a whole lot of bolded phrases.
So, what would a museum fundraising letter sound like in their hands?
Here’s what GPT came up with when I asked it to write a high-energy, parody-style appeal for the Juan Motime House, an imaginary small historic house museum in Southern California:
Juan Motime House
Claremont, California
“Because our history deserves to be seen, heard—and preserved!”
April 2025
Re: Your Support Is the Key to Saving History! Juan Motime House launches the “Open the Doors” Initiative to usher in a NEW ERA of PRESERVATION and PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT!
Dear [First Name],
This is a make-or-break moment for the Juan Motime House—and your support is crucial.
I urge you to read this letter and respond today. It outlines our 2025 campaign to preserve, protect, and activate one of Claremont’s most treasured historic homes.
While others look away, we’re charging ahead—with grit, with vision, and with your help.
Our mission? To throw open the doors of history and bring new life to the Juan Motime House.
We’re talking bold goals:
- Major repairs to safeguard the structure and its rare furnishings
- New exhibitions that tell untold stories of early California
- Powerful educational programs that reach every Claremont student
But none of this happens without YOU.
Right now, there are forces working against the survival of small museums like ours—declining funding, deferred maintenance, fading awareness. The stories of everyday Californians, pioneers, builders, and visionaries are at risk of being lost forever.
That’s why we’re not waiting.
We’re launching our most ambitious initiative ever:
The 2025 “Open the Doors” Campaign—designed to shake the dust off the past and spark a new movement for local history.
But we need fuel to move forward—and that means you.
Please send your tax-deductible gift today to help us reach our $50,000 goal. Every dollar helps hammer a nail, light a gallery, spark a mind.
Let’s be clear: We aren’t a faceless institution. We are volunteers, educators, and neighbors standing up for Claremont’s heritage.
And today, we need you to stand with us.
Because when we let the light in, when we fling open those doors, when we bring the past to life—we make something powerful happen.
We remind people who we are.
We show what matters.
We inspire what’s next.
Join us. Fund the future by preserving the past. Give generously. Give today.
With historic determination,
[Name]
Director, Juan Motime House
P.S. This is your moment to make a real difference. Don’t wait. Give now to preserve the Juan Motime House and ensure our history is never forgotten. Enclosed is your gift form—or donate instantly at [website URL].
Of course, this probably isn’t how we want to talk to our members.
We’re not trying to stir outrage or win a campaign—we’re trying to build long-term relationships rooted in trust, shared values, and love for history. But there’s something undeniably effective about the fundraising strategies employed by organizations like Judicial Watch: they’re clear, urgent, emotional, and direct.
So what can we learn?
- Don’t be afraid to be bold and passionate—people respond to energy and conviction.
- Make the stakes clear—explain why a gift matters right now.
- Tell the reader what to do—make the ask, make it urgent, and make it easy.
If we adapt these techniques with integrity and mission-aligned messaging, we just might inspire our own members to give more—and feel great about doing it.
Engaging Places 