Meaningful Outcomes for Arts Organizations

Elevate is proud to work with numerous nonprofits working in the areas of visual arts, performing arts, theater and arts education, literature, dance, music, and more. This article, written by one of our talented arts fundraisers, covers one of the most challenging topics when it comes to grant writing for arts organizations: outcomes!

If you’ve ever sat down to write a grant proposal for your arts organization and struggled to articulate your impact, you’re not alone! Outcomes are among the most important things funders look for in a proposal—but unlike direct service nonprofits, arts organizations can’t always point to clear-cut metrics like meals served, homes built, or patients treated.

When it comes to securing funding, outcomes aren’t just a “nice to have”—they’re essential. According to a 2017 study from the Social Solutions Foundation, 98% of funders said an organization’s impact is the most important consideration when deciding on grants. And when asked how they evaluate impact, 67% of funders pointed to outcomes as the best indicator.

That raises an important question for arts organizations: what does measuring outcomes actually look like in practice? It doesn’t mean you don’t have outcomes. It just means you may need to think differently about what they look like—and how to measure them.

At Elevate, we work with dozens of performing arts organizations and have learned that outcomes for nonprofit theaters and arts groups largely fall into just three main categories.

The Three Core Metrics for Arts Organizations

Martin Ruiz and Rodrigo Pedreira-Photo by Daniel Martinez. Courtesy of GALA Theatre.

When you boil it down, most arts organizations can really only measure three things:

1. How many people did it – Think about the number of artists, administrators, designers, or teaching artists who worked on a production or throughout a season. These numbers capture the reach and breadth of your organization’s impact on the creative workforce.

For example, a small theater company might note that 60 actors, directors, and designers were employed during the season—providing not only artistic opportunities but also income for working artists in the community.

2. How many people saw it – Ticket sales, attendance at free events, livestream views, or even gallery visitors—these audience numbers are often the most straightforward data points to collect. They can demonstrate scale, growth, or consistency in engagement over time.

Tracking this information year over year can also highlight trends. Are you growing your audience base? Reaching new communities? Holding steady through challenging times? These numbers can be powerful proof points for funders.

You can also consider highlighting the broader economic impact of your work. When people attend performances or exhibitions, they often spend money at local restaurants and shops, or they may utilize transportation services, resulting in an infusion of dollars into other community businesses. Including even a brief note about this can strengthen your case by showing that your organization contributes not only culturally but also economically.

3. What people thought about it (but only if you ask!)– This one requires some intentionality. Audience surveys are the best way to capture opinions, attitudes, and satisfaction. Without them, it’s nearly impossible to tell a funder how your work resonates with your community.

The key is keeping surveys streamlined and simple to encourage higher response rates. A few targeted questions can yield more responses than a long list (5-10 multiple-choice questions and 1-2 open-ended questions). For instance:

Would you recommend this show to a friend?

Would you come back to see another production?

How did this performance impact you personally?

On a scale of 1-5, how strongly do you agree with the statement “The performance reflected voices, perspectives, or experiences that are relevant to today’s world”

Getting the Data You Need

Martin Ruiz and Rodrigo Pedreira-Photo by Daniel Martinez. Courtesy of GALA Theatre.

Collecting feedback doesn’t have to be complicated. Try:

Adding a QR code to your printed programs that links to a short survey – one Elevate client began printing QR codes on cups at the bar, which significantly increased their audience survey response rate!
Projecting a survey QR code on the wall after the show while audiences exit.
Including a quick curtain speech reminder from staff or board members before performances – make the case for why their feedback matters!
Adding a link to your website where audience members can complete the survey.
Sending a follow-up email to ticket holders with a survey link the day after a performance.

Once you start collecting feedback, you can track new outputs such as:

The percentage of audience members who say they would recommend your show to a friend.
The likelihood they will return to see another production.
Ratings of artistic quality, relevance, or accessibility.
Changes in ideas or attitudes.

Pair these metrics with compelling quotes, press coverage, or reviews, and suddenly you have both quantitative and qualitative data that show how your work is making a difference. Further, you are actively incorporating the voices and inputs of your key stakeholders – your audience – into your work!

Transforming Outputs into Meaningful Outcomes

Martin Ruiz and Rodrigo Pedreira-Photo by Daniel Martinez. Courtesy of GALA Theatre.

Collecting data and feedback is just the first step. The real power comes when you turn those outputs into meaningful outcomes that demonstrate your organization’s broader impact. Outputs show what happened; outcomes show why it matters. In short, outputs are what you produce, while outcomes are the changes or impacts those outputs create for your audience, artists, or community.

Here’s how to make that leap:

1. Connect numbers to experiences – Instead of just reporting that 500 people attended a show, highlight what that attendance enabled. Did audience members report feeling inspired, challenged, or connected to their community? Use survey data or testimonials to illustrate these experiences. For example:

“95% of attendees agreed the performance reflected voices and perspectives relevant to today’s world. Audience members described feeling more connected to the local arts community after attending.”

2. Identify patterns and trends – Look beyond single events and consider what your outputs reveal over time. Growing attendance or repeat engagement might indicate increasing relevance and community trust. Positive shifts in survey responses can signal that your programming is making a measurable difference in knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors.

3. Integrate qualitative and quantitative data – Numbers tell part of the story, but quotes, stories, and reviews give your outcomes depth and emotion. Pairing survey statistics with audience testimonials or press coverage creates a richer narrative that funders—and your community—can relate to.

4. Align outcomes with mission and goals – Always tie outcomes back to your organization’s mission. For instance, if your goal is to provide professional opportunities for artists, highlight how employment and skill-building experiences contributed to career growth. If your focus is audience development, show how exposure to new works or perspectives led to increased engagement, understanding, or cultural participation.

By thoughtfully analyzing outputs and linking them to real-world impact, you transform raw data into compelling outcomes. This approach not only strengthens your grant proposals but also gives your organization a clearer picture of how your work changes lives—artistically, communally, and culturally.

Don’t Forget Arts Education Outcomes!

If your organization runs arts education programs, you can often borrow from more traditional education outcome frameworks. Examples include:

Academic metrics: improvements in test scores, attendance, or classroom engagement.
Standards alignment: connections to national or state learning standards.
Self-assessment tools: student surveys, Likert-scale reflections on skills or confidence.
Teacher and parent feedback: surveys or testimonials from adults who observe the impact.

These outcomes are especially compelling because they speak to funders who are interested in both arts and education. They show that your programs have benefits that extend well beyond the classroom—helping students build creativity, confidence, critical thinking, and life skills that last a lifetime.

Why It Matters

By combining audience numbers, participation rates, feedback surveys, and qualitative outcomes, arts organizations can tell a powerful story about their impact. Funders want to see that your work is valued, relevant, and reaching people in meaningful ways. With a clear framework and intentional data collection, you can transform what might feel like “intangibles” into outcomes that resonate with funders—and with your community.

And here’s the good news: you don’t have to track everything. Pick a few metrics that feel most authentic to your organization and start there. Over time, you’ll build a stronger dataset that reflects your unique impact and helps you secure more support for the work you love.

Keep Learning With Us

If you found this helpful, you might also like these other articles from the Elevate blog:

And if you’d like support in identifying and communicating your organization’s outcomes, reach out to our team to learn more about Elevate’s services!