Mirae Kim, assistant professor in the MU Truman School of Public Affairs, says that arts nonprofits that perform better according to philanthropic standards are not necessarily rewarded with more contributions from individual donors.
Cleopatra Charles, associate professor in the School of Public Affairs at Rutgers University and co-author of the study, says that findings suggest that better performance—for example, strong attendance—creates an image of success which could lead to fewer individual donations.