The Roxie Theater Will Live Forever — How SF’s beloved art house cinema raised $7m and secured their home and future

In February of 2024, I met Lex Sloan, the Executive Director of the Roxie Theater, San Francisco’s beloved independent art-house theater in the Mission District. The Roxie is more than a theater; it’s a cultural anchor, an essential gathering place, and a nonprofit supporting their community in countless ways.

At the time, the team had already laid critical groundwork for a capital campaign through a feasibility study led by BuildingBlox Consulting. The foundation was there — and now the organization needed clarity, momentum, and a plan. We were honored to be chosen to support Lex, the board, and the rest of the team as they embarked on the campaign. This work was close to our hearts at Collective Agency, many of us having cut our teeth in arts organizations and being fans and patrons of The Roxie ourselves. 

I supported The Roxie’s fundraising plan as a strategist, coach, and steady presence. We created a  campaign strategy that began with inviting the board into true leadership at the outset, and they responded: within two weeks of launching the private phase, 100% of the Roxie’s board members had pledged to the campaign, and many peer-solicited other board members, deepening both accountability and shared ownership of this initiative. The board led with conviction and it set the tone for the rest of the community. With the board and leadership engaged at the helm, we facilitated a visioning process, refined the strategy as the campaign involved, and brought both structure and enthusiasm to the work. 

In March of 2025, when we had reached 70% of the fundraising goal, Molly Parent joined in to help The Roxie prepare for the public phase of the campaign. She developed a comprehensive communications plan and shaped the messaging and narrative for the final phase of the campaign, including the web presence, social media calendar, and a series of communications to the Roxie community designed to engage a broad base of supporters to rally for the theater’s future. The Roxie is not only an institution based on the power of storytelling – it has its own rich history and story to tell. The crux of the public phase messaging was that The Roxie is an essential part of San Francisco history, the present day independent film ecosystem, and community life. 

The community agreed; more than 2,000 individuals chipped in with grassroots donations over a nine month period. During this time, The Roxie successfully purchased their building and were able to start investing in capital improvements, planning for a sustainable future, and dreaming big about deepening and expanding their programming both inside and outside the theater’s walls.

In March of 2026, The Roxie officially closed its successful campaign. 

The milestone represents infinitely more than dollars raised. For a small, scrappy theater to own its San Francisco real estate is a profound statement about the importance and permanence of the role of art in our culture. To do so with a spirit of celebration and collective joy is a powerful counter-argument to the more cynical arguments about art and public life in this era. Through this campaign, The Roxie reminded us all that people care deeply about places, stories, and other people. Every dollar given was an investment in what truly matters. 

From this campaign, we will carry forward so much as we support other clients with their own big dreams. Most importantly: 

• The board and staff’s deeply-held belief in the mission, and buy-in to the audacious goal, really matters. True dedication not only unlocks fundraising opportunities, but buoys the campaign through challenges and times of celebration.

• Storytelling matters. Contrary to everything we hear about short attention spans and increasing social isolation, we are as inspired as ever by great storytelling. This campaign was about big ideas, storied history, and why the cinema matters – and yes, people read to the end of the email. 

• A genuine community is a powerful force. When organized (and asked!), the community shows up to protect and preserve the places they care about. This spreads joy and fosters enough generosity to accomplish big, ambitious goals – like buying a building in San Francisco. 

Thank you to The Roxie for making Collective Agency part of your remarkable legacy. Forever Roxie is a wrap and now, The Roxie is forever.