Why Your Gift Matters More Than Ever in 2025
We're living through a pivotal moment for the arts in America. While total charitable giving reached $592.50 billion in 2024—a 6.3% increase—the reality beneath those numbers tells a more urgent story. The smallest donor group dropped by 11.1% in Q1 2025, and new donor retention sits at a record low of just 13.8%. At the same time, federal arts funding faces unprecedented cuts, with the National Endowment for the Arts canceling hundreds of grants across the country.
For grassroots arts organizations like collaboARTive, this perfect storm of declining small-donor participation and vanishing federal support means one thing: individual giving has never been more critical.
The Federal Funding Crisis
In April 2025, the National Endowment for the Humanities cut millions of dollars in grant funding, affecting thousands of organizations nationwide. The NEA has faced sweeping cuts, with hundreds of arts groups of various sizes receiving cancellation notices. Some organizations have been forced to close their doors entirely, while others have had to drastically trim budgets and programming.
This isn't just about numbers on a spreadsheet. These cuts ripple through communities, eliminating access to arts education, shuttering exhibition spaces, and forcing artists to abandon their practices to seek more stable income. When federal support disappears, the burden falls squarely on individual donors and local communities to keep the arts alive.
The Economic Reality: Arts as Economic Engine
Here's what often gets overlooked in conversations about arts funding: the arts and cultural sector grew at more than twice the rate of the total economy between 2022 and 2023, adding $1.2 trillion to the U.S. economy. Every dollar invested in the arts generates approximately $1.36 in economic activity.
At collaboARTive, we've seen this multiplier effect firsthand. In FY 2024-2025, our programs generated $140,276 in economic impact—a 10.7x return on investment. We supported 3.8 full-time equivalent jobs and generated $15,664 in tax revenue, all while serving 22 studio artists and welcoming 4,958 attendees to our flagship Noche de Arte program.
When you support collaboARTive, you're not just helping artists—you're investing in Miami's economic vitality, supporting local jobs, and strengthening the cultural infrastructure that makes our community thrive.
The collaboARTive team: Iggy Font, Jean Blackwell Font, Ana Chavez, and Carol Jazzar
Real Artists, Real Impact
Behind every statistic is a human story. Consider Annick Duvivier, who shared after her May 2025 residency: "My experience as a resident artist at the Intercontinental Hotel with CollaboArtive was truly transformative! The solo art show was a dream come true, showcasing my work to a diverse and appreciative audience."
Or Lila Lopez, who told us in September 2025: "I learned a lot during my time in collaboARTive. Focused on my practice and bet on myself!" Lila has since been recommended for an Oolite Arts Residency and continues to develop her powerful 'Gigantes' series.
These aren't just feel-good stories. They represent career trajectories changed, economic opportunities created, and cultural contributions that enrich our entire community. As one University of Miami artist put it: "It does push my art career to another level."
The Urgency of Now
With federal funding evaporating and small-donor participation declining, organizations like ours face a critical choice: scale back programming and turn away artists, or rally our community to fill the gap.
We choose to rally.
During Give Miami Day (November 15-20) and Giving Tuesday (December 2), every donation to collaboARTive will be matched (up to $1000), doubling your impact. Your $50 could become $100. Your $450 funds an entire month of studio space for an emerging artist—twice over.
This isn't about charity. It's about investment—in artists, in community, in Miami's cultural economy, and in the fundamental belief that creativity and human expression matter, especially when they're under threat.
2025 Biennial at the Saladrigas Gallery, featuring 29 artists.
What Your Gift Creates
When you give to collaboARTive, you're providing:
Affordable studio space at $450/month (below the $533 market rate), saving artists $996 annually
Professional development through our Studio to Success workshops and mentorship
Exhibition opportunities like Noche de Arte, which has run for 171+ consecutive weeks
Community connection through programs like Collage and Connect, reaching 15+ countries
Economic opportunity, with a proven 10.7x return on investment
As Daniel Media beautifully expressed: "This initiative enables artists to continue to work, respond to their muses, and experience the priceless freedom of human creativity."
Join Us
The data is clear: giving is declining, federal support is vanishing, and small grassroots organizations are struggling. But the data also shows that when communities come together, the impact is exponential.
This Give Miami Day and Giving Tuesday, we're asking you to be part of the solution. Support local artists. Invest in Miami's cultural economy. Stand up for creativity in a moment when it needs champions more than ever.
Your gift matters. Make it count.
Visit GiveMiamiDay.org to donate November 15-20 or visit our Giving Tuesday campaign on December 2. Every dollar you give means sustainability for the year ahead.
Stay creative,
The collaboARTive Team
