A five-person commission from across the United States evaluated the funding for performing arts in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The commission found that Milwaukee had a thriving arts community compared to other communities of its size. However, many of the arts organizations only had stable funding to ensure their existence for 2 years. The commission found that compared to the rest of the country, Milwaukee's Performing arts organizations did not receive large gifts from wealthy individuals to the extent other cities receive such funds. The study noted that solicitation of these wealthy individual donors had been largely unsuccessful. The commission encouraged arts organizations to continue pursuing those resources. The commission also noted that Milwaukee did not receive their share of National funding which may be due to the National Endowment for the Art's tendency to favor controversial art not commonly seen in Milwaukee.

The commission also discussed the strengths and weaknesses of UPAF as a parent fundraising organization for the arts and proposed some changes.